Improving Student Success: Researching How Students Use Electronic Library Resources Ethnographic and Qualitative Methods Online 2010 Dr. Lisa Henry Anthropology Department University of North Texas Research Conducted for the UNT Libraries 1
Research Goal To investigate how students at the University of North Texas use electronic library services. UNT Libraries 2
Major Research Questions 1. To create a profile of the typical library user, including student career, external obligations, work style, and technology use. To investigate students’ knowledge of and learning about 2. electronic library services. To investigate students’ behaviors regarding electronic 3. library services. To investigate students’ needs regarding electronic library 4. services. To investigate students’ preferences regarding electronic 5. library services. UNT Libraries 3
Research Population UNT Students Data Collection 14 observations 28 interviews 7 focus groups UNT Libraries 4
Demographic Profile UNT Libraries
Age 40 25 20 23 30 33 15 20 Interviews 15 19 10 Observations 10 10 5 4 0 0 > 26 years ≤ 26 years > 26 years ≤ 26 years (number of students) UNT Libraries 6
Gender 25 34 20 32 33 21 15 30 Interviews 10 28 10 28 5 26 7 4 0 24 male female male female (number of students) UNT Libraries 7
Class Level 20 14 18 19 12 16 12 14 10 15 12 13 8 Interview 10 8 8 Observation 10 6 8 6 4 5 5 4 4 2 1 2 2 0 0 Undergraduate Undergraduate Master's Doctorate Undergraduate Undergraduate Master's Doctorate Lower Upper Lower Upper (number of students) UNT Libraries 8
Commonalities • Most Common Major: Anthropology • Most Common Colleges: PACS and CAS • Most Common Cities: Denton and Dallas UNT Libraries 9
External Obligations • Work schedule - 13 work < 20 hours per week - 21 work > 20 hours per week - 5 do not work • Obligations other than work and school - 36 yes - 12 no UNT Libraries 10
Credit Hours and Online Enrollment • Undergraduate students average 11.5 hours per semester • Graduate students averaged 10.5 hours per semester • 92% of participants reported having taken at least one online course UNT Libraries 11
Experience Level 20 7 18 18 16 6 6 6 14 5 12 5 4 Experience 10 4 High 10 8 3 3 6 Experience 2 Low 2 2 4 1 2 0 0 0 Experience High Experience Low (number of students) UNT Libraries 12
Skill Level 8 20 18 7 19 16 7 6 14 5 12 5 5 5 Skill High 4 10 3 8 Skill Low 9 2 6 2 2 4 1 1 1 2 0 0 Skill Level High Skill Level Low (number of students) UNT Libraries 13
Disabilities Disabilities: 4 13% all visual-related Disadvantages: 2 6% age; connection UNT Libraries 14
Personal Resources Personal Printer 58% Desktop 43% UNT Printer 42% Laptop 100% * 27% of students who own printers Mac Users 16% proactively offered that they use PC Users 86% UNT’s printers to save money . UNT Libraries 15
Browser and Connection 35% 35% 33% 32% 30% 30% 25% 25% 25% 21% 20% 20% 15% 15% 13% 11% 10% 10% 5% 5% 5% 2% 0% 0% Firefox I Explorer Safari Chrome DSL/BB DNK UNT Dial Up UNT Libraries 16
Satisfaction with Resources • Adequate/Satisfied UNT 8 87.5% satisfied Personal 13 92.3% satisfied Unclassified 8 100% satisfied • Inadequate/Dissatisfied UNT 1 12.5% color printer availability Personal 1 7.7% rural area/dial-up UNT Libraries 17
Research and Other Devices 40% 35% 32% 36% 30% 35% 30% 30% 25% 25% 20% 20% 18% 15% 15% 11% 11% 11% 11% 10% 7% 10% 7% 4% 4% 4% 4% 4% 5% 4% 4% 5% 2% 0% 0% Preferred Devices for Research Other Devices Owned by Students * Multiple respondents desire a UNT Mobile Application that would permit quick searches for later download. Application enabled devices such as smartphones are owned by >50% of all students. UNT Libraries 18
Time and Day Preferences • Students work on research every day of the week - Friday is the least preferred day • Most students prefer to work at home - 26% accessed from both home and the UNT Library • Most students prefer to work in the evenings UNT Libraries 19
Location Preferences 70% 63% Campus Users: 60% 62% via library 50% 31% via lab or building 40% 15% via classroom 30% 30% 20% 10% 5% 2% 0% Home Campus Work Other UNT Libraries 20
Knowledge of UNT Electronic Resources UNT Libraries
Awareness of Resouces UNT Libraries 22
Awareness by Degree Level 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 92% 84% 81% 80% 70% 60% 56% 50% 50% 47% 41% 40% 33% Undergrad Graduate 20% 17% 7% 0% UNT Libraries 23
Library Instruction UNT Libraries
Learning About Resources • Majority in class — by 50% professor and/or by 40% librarian for the class 30% • Retention higher for 20% class-specific orientation 10% than for general 0% orientations “As a grad student, I was expected to know how to use it already.” Undergrad Graduate UNT Libraries 25
Past Instruction Overall Experience with Each Instruction Method In Library In Class Had Tutorial: Tutorial: Instruction Instruction Neither Know Use 62% 62% 12% 40% 17% (2%) Grads vs. Undergrads Ability Ratings • Grads had been given more • All 3 ratings high instruction - Lowest instruction levels - Among the most likely to • PhD. vs. Masters be aware of the tutorials • Lower vs. Upper - Highest online and in person tutorial use Undergraduates UNT Libraries 26
Library News & Information UNT Libraries
Resource Information & Updates Popular Suggestions Additional Suggestions • Newsfeed / Blog • E-mail News and • Professors Updates • Blackboard • Instruction Sessions • Handouts or Flyers • Tutorials / Workshops • User Directed Updates • Research Course UNT Libraries 28
The General Research Process UNT Libraries
Students’ Lack of Research Skills Observation Behaviors • Students enter too many words in the search boxes - yielding no results - ex: “City downtown west side prior to 1950 art architecture” • Students enter irrelevant or incorrect words in the search phrase - ex: “The journal of ABC Example” in a keyword search box UNT Libraries 30
Students’ Lack of Research Skills Observation Behaviors • Narrow search for specific resource • Broad search on specific subject • Browsing • Lacking sufficient research skills, students were observed employing ineffective research strategies to achieve their objectives and therefore showing frustration UNT Libraries 31
No Single Method or Resource Used by Students • Students used a variety of methods for collecting research - some utilizing Google or Google Scholar to locate resources - then following up with UNT search • Students enjoy Google’s “single search box” ease of use. “There’s nothing you can’t find on Google.” “Google is simple, it’s user- friendly.” UNT Libraries 32
Lack of Library Training • Some students with little to no library training - Mentioned specific UNT electronic resources as primary research resources • All students who only rely upon general search engines (like Google and Yahoo) as research resources - Had no library training UNT Libraries 33
Research Savvy Students • More experienced students tended to use a favorite database, accessing through another school or source if not accessible through UNT UNT Libraries 34
Strengths of UNT Electronic Resources UNT Libraries
Perceived Strengths • Breadth and depth of information Comprehensive • Reliability and credibility of information • Convenience and flexibility of access Convenient • Especially true for distance learners • Specific features and functions, e.g.: Features • Refworks, advanced searches, search results display, ILL UNT Libraries 36
Perceived Strengths • Those most comfortable with site: - Older students (over age 26) - Students who report higher degree of comfort/skill level with library site • Have taken training class, or familiar with other sites already UNT Libraries 37
Barriers to Using UNT Electronic Resources UNT Libraries
Perceived Barriers Lack of familiarity with: • A steep learning curve • Breadth and scope overwhelming, Site intimidating • Layout/design makes it difficult to navigate • Challenging overall (independent of site) Search • Search = trial and error. Very inefficient • Don’t know what key words to use in general • Not skilled at search overall • More advanced search functions on site are overwhelming UNT Libraries 39
Perceived Barriers • Not always helpful/relevant • Book review links not useful Search results • Inconsistent results • Abstracts not always available • Options confusing Databases • No search function that spans all data- bases for subject area • Not always adequate for needs (e.g., Resources Communications and Biology) UNT Libraries 40
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