Providing Sequential and Developmental Library Training for

Doctoral Students: A Case Study

Presented by:Johanna Tunon &Laura Ramirez

IL Challenges

• Moving beyond one-shot library training• Not reaching the goals articulated in the ACRL

Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education.

• Classes offered online or at a distance• Doctoral students

The Setting: NSU

• Nova Southeastern University (NSU)• Located in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida• Pioneer in distance education

– Working adults– Minorities

• 7th largest not-for-profit university in USA

Fischler School of Education and Human Services

– 4,212 doctoral (10,363 total Fischler grad. stud.)• 19% (821 students) -- SE Florida• 16% -- other parts of Florida

NSU’s EdD Students: USA • The other +2,700 attend classes elsewhere or

online

International Sites for EdD Students

• Bahamas• Jamaica• Dominican

Republic• Belize• Costa Rica• Colombia• Venezuela

• South Korea• Malaysia

International Sites for EdD Students

Distance and Instructional Library Services:1990s

Distance and Instructional Library Services:21st Century

Library Training for EdD Students1980s and 1990s – Information Retrieval Service

Mid 1990s – started providing training at summer conferences

Late 1990s -- piloted training at sites

2003 -- Doctoral Studies Orientation

2006 --Training in first research class

2008 -- ABD regional workshops

Training in First Year

• Doctoral Studies Orientation

• Library training in the first research class

• Optional workshops and one-on-one consultations at Summer Conference in Orlando

Doctoral Studies Orientation

• Hands-on training• Library services• Databases• APA

Moving Orientation Online

Summer Conference in Orlando

• Optional training sessions• Individual consultations

Integrating Library Training

• Training builds sequentially and developmentally throughout the course of the first year.

• Library support services always available– Reference – in person, phone, email, online– Individual consultations for in-depth help

Problem #1

• Fall 2009: 37% or 1,565 of the doctoral students were finished with classes and were in the ABD (all but dissertation) stage

• Students in continuing services did not have an effective or convenient method for staying up to date with library resources and services.

Literature Review:When ABD Students Are “Outside the Loop”

• Assumption that doctoral students are self-directed learners / independent researchers

• Doctoral students feel frustrated, disconnected, and isolated –particularly true of minority students

• Same issues for students in nontraditional, field-based, and online programs

• EdD students not adequately prepared to do literature reviews

• doctoral students benefit from proactive institutional support

• Type of training impacts types of sources used

An Example

ABD Regional Workshops• The two-day optional workshops -- “kick start”

• Sessions on research process, IRB, SPSS, final review, APA, and library

• ABD regional workshops offered in Las Vegas, Atlanta, Trenton, and Miami

• Students still taking classes also opted to attend

• The workshops were offered regionally in Las Vegas, Atlanta, and Trenton

ABD Regional Workshop in Florida

Problem #2

• Economic downturn

• Political changes in the Academic Research Center

• New

Library Training for EdD Students1980s and 1990s – Information Retrieval Service

Mid 1990s – started providing training at summer conferences

Late 1990s -- piloted training at sites

2003 -- Doctoral Studies Orientation

2006 --Training in first research class

2011 -- Blackboardsynchronous workshops

2008 -- ABD regional workshops