advanced google as a tool for promoting evidence-based practice
DESCRIPTION
A presentation given at the 2007 Canadian Health Libraries Association conference describing the results of a survey conducted to determine if providing advanced Google instruction meets the information needs of health care providers.TRANSCRIPT
Advanced Google Instruction as a Tool for Promoting Evidence-Based Practice
By Jeff Mason, Regina Qu’Appelle Health RegionShauna-Lee Konrad, London Health Sciences Centre
RQHR’s Google Initiative: Advanced Google for Dummies
Motivation Low interest for traditional library classes Desire to try something new and different for the
summer as part of co-op student’s placement
Rationale Health care practitioners’ use of Google is inevitable Proper training is necessary to achieve evidence-
based results
Literature Review
Many advocate the use of Google as a tool for information literacy
Few actual experiences are published
Three case studies - Google as a tool for information literacy
Case Study: Virginia Commonwealth University
1.5 credit hours honours module for undergraduate students
Content Google as a tool for information literacy Overview of Google & search techniques
Conclusions Positive experience Promote library’s education & outreach services Foster on-going dialogue about information retrieval,
organization and evaluation
Case Study - The Google Game
Grade 9 English class Developed game to teach students to refine web searches Pre-teaching session followed by Google game
Game Assigned search question Winner correctly answers question with least results
Conclusions Student recognition of decreased search time Student opinion about searching improved Increased credibility for librarians
Case Study - Become a Google Power User
Various Grade 10 English classes To teach students to be better Internet Searchers by
using 15 power searches in Google
Method
Pretest > Instruction > Practice Assignments > Post test
Conclusions Significant improvements in students’ searching
habits Increased students’ confidence and interest in
searching Students’ increased knowledge of relevancy,
credibility, web terminology
RQHR Course Development
General Google Information How Google works Scope of Google Google for health information
Google Special Features Calculator, Translator, I’m Feeling Lucky, Related
Pages, Google Images, Google Scholar
Google Search Techniques
Overall Goal Teach Google features that will be useful for finding
information to promote evidence-based practice
Google Search Techniques
1. Convert the information need into an answerable clinical question
Identification of search terms Order of search terms
2. Efficiently search the relevant literature to find the best evidence with which to answer the question
Strengths & Limitations of Google Searching Techniques Refining Search Results
3. Appraise the evidence critically
Using Google to find credible information
RQHR Teaching Process
Weekly Drop-in Sessions in July & August
Computer Lab (8 seats)
Live demonstration
Explanations with health examples
Practice time
Handout
Marketing Process
Promotional Posters
Health Region Weekly Newsletter
Health Region Intranet Page
Library Intranet Page
Health Region-wide email
Initial Response
First class: Minimal attendance
Subsequent classes well attended
Introduced survey after 2nd class
Very positive to all sessions
Increased interest in library
Promotes discussion about credibility of web information
Departmental requests for class
Survey Design
Consulted with health region research office
Developed 10 question survey
Purpose of Survey– To learn why staff use Google– To evaluate success of course
Results - 1
Who attended?
– 188 usable responses
– 5 groups
• Health care providers• Health administrators• Allied health care providers• Educators/researchers (includes students)• Other
13%17%
41%
20%
8%
0
25
50
75
100
Health care providerHealth administratorAllied HC providerEducator/Research
Other
Frequency
• Only 1 physician attended surveyed classes
• Allied HCP – primarily pharmacists and dieticians
Results – 2
Results - 3 Current use of Google
– >50% ALWAYS use Google as their search engine.
Results - 4
Use of Google for work information
Results - 5
What Users Like About Google
– 28% - User friendly
– 24% - Fast– 17% - Scope
Results - 6 What Users Do Not Like About Google
Survey Result Observation
38 % - Too many results
Opposite of Scope
21 % - Do not know how to use Google effectively
Opposite of User -friendly
15% - Irrelevant results
Opposite of Scope
Results - 7
Where else do users find information?
1 – Google2 – Subscription databases
3 – Free databases4 – Other search engines 5 – Library staff
Results - 8
Why users attended session
– 42% - learn to search better/save time– 30% - just want to learn
Was the session useful?
– 57% - extremely useful– 8% - not useful
Results - 9
What users liked about the session
– 22% - tips and tricks– 9% each – practical/hands on
Do users want to learn more?
– 58% - yes!
Discussion - 1
Survey supports original ideas:
– Google is being used heavily• Is being used for health care decisions
– Staff do not use it effectively
– There is a need to provide this type of education
Conclusion - 1
Providing staff with a session they want/need:– Allows library to promote EBP by explaining
strengths and weaknesses of Google/Internet sources.
– Raises library profile, reaches non-traditional users
– Increases credibility of librarians
Conclusion - 2
Future Directions– Sessions that compare Google results to
proprietary database results.
– Sessions that use health care literature search examples in Google.
Thank You
Mary Chipanshi and Susan Powelson, RQHR Health Sciences Library
Ali Bell and Nicole Aitken, RQHR Research and Performance Support
Contact Information
For more information please contact:
– Jeff Mason, Client Services Librarian, RQHR – [email protected]
– Shauna-Lee Konrad, Reference Librarian, LHSC - [email protected]