http://www.flickr.com/photos/kayaker1204/4307898742/
Academic Year
Composition sessions/ Total
instruction sessions
Percent of total
instruction
2005-06
22/74
29%
2006-07
35/117
30%
2007-08
48/139
35%
2008-09
32/106
30%
2009-10
22/103
21%
2010-11
(tutorial in use in both
Comp I and II)
0/92
0%
2011-12 (tutorial in use in
Comp II only)
22/67 (not all data collected yet)
32%
The tutorial
• Original Skunk Ape Tutorial created in 2000 and
was in use at FGCU from 2000 - circa 2004
• A basic orientation to library research and
information literacy
• Theme: The Skunk Ape, a mythical ape-like
creature thought to live in the Everglades
In 2009, work began in earnest on a new recreation of
the Skunk Ape tutorial
Meanwhile…
How did it become part of the firstyear experience?
• Spring 2010- 5 classes of Comp II used it as
part of the course redesign grant
• Fall 2010- Comp I classes continued to use it
• Spring 2011- Composition program leaders
make the tutorial required for Comp II classes
Using the Learning Management System
Composition II
CRN #1
Composition
Instructor
ANGEL Learning
Object
Repository
Information
Literacy
Technology
Librarian
Composition II
CRN #2
Composition II
CRN #3
Participation
# of students submitted
scores
# students enrolled in
Comp II
Spring 2011
(no score collection)
1570
Fall 2011
350
548
Spring 2012
1100
1676
First Time in College Enrollment for Fall 2011:
(approximately) 2325 students
Is it effective?
Pre/Post Test data
Spring 2011
Fall 2011
Spring 2012
(as of 4/2/12)
102 students
92 students
857 students
Average score Pre-Test:
55.58%
Average score Pre-Test:
53.84%
(7 out of 13 questions
correct)
Average score Pre-Test:
55.58%
Average score Post-Test:
75.57%
Average score Post-Test:
75.48%
(10 questions out of 13
correct)
Average score Post-Test:
74.60%
Survey feedback: What did you like?
• I enjoyed that there were videos and that it
wasn't just straight reading.
• Extremely user-friendly and interactive. Not
just plain text that students will not be drawn
to continuously reading. It is, in my opinion,
extremely effective and I feel that it increased
my knowledge significantly, and I now feel
confident enough to do any search and
citation!
• Fun noises
Survey feedback: What didn’t you like?
• The videos made me feel like I was being talked
down to.
• The modules are too long and I wish it got a little
more to the point rather than all of the videos.
• I was already taught the information so it seemed
redundant to me.
• I'm more of a face to face learning rather than a
computer learner.
• When submitting the scores, the connection kept
getting lost and I had to repeat the tutorial.
Using a tutorial for first-year
instruction in Composition classes
Pros
• Reach 1600+ students
without straining
human resources
• Automated data
collection
• Students can go back to
the tutorial for
refresher
Cons
• Lose the “personal”
touch
• Technical glitches and
incompatibility issues
• Updates can be
complicated and
irksome
Resources for further information
• McClure, R., Cooke, R., & Carlin, A.
(2011). Information literacy and the skunk ape:
Assessing the impact of online library learning
modules on student writing in English
composition courses. Journal of Information
Literacy, 5(2), 26-45.
• Skunk Ape Tutorial
http://library.fgcu.edu/rsd/instruction/skunkape/
skunkape.htm
• Anna Carlin, acarlin@fgcu.edu, Florida Gulf Coast
University
Flickr Photo Credits
• Kids Writing photo: Kayaker1204,
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kayaker1204/4307898742/,
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/
• Commencement photo: Thatautguy,
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikesagmeister/487582517/
, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/
• Teacher photo: Don O'Brien,
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dok1/3963439187/,
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en
• Google Master Plan photo: Steve Jurvetson,
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jurvetson/21470089/,
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en