The MAGIC of
Web Tutorials
Developing Best Practices
to (Re)Focus on Users
Amanda Nichols Hess
e-Cornucopia 2013 | May 31, 2013
Presentation Objectives
•
•
•
Discuss one academic library's experience
making online tutorials (and their interface)
more user-centered - including challenges
and future goals
Share "best practices" in online tutorials as
developed from the literature and others'
experiences
Identify strategies to make online information
appealing, engaging, and useful for users
Background
http://www.flickr.com/photos/44897573@N05/5660904529/sizes/l/in/photostream/
What are web tutorials?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bilal-kamoon/6835060992/sizes/c/in/photostream/
What are web tutorials at OU
Libraries?
What are web tutorials at OU
Libraries?
What are web tutorials at OU
Libraries?
What are web tutorials at OU
Libraries?
Where We Were
Where We Were
Where We Were
Timeline to Redesign
March & April
2013: KL
faculty assess
existing
tutorials,
create
structure for
new page
ca. 2011:
Tutorials
inventoried,
categorized by
librarian
December
2012: Next
steps (best
practices and
new system)
developed and
approved by
KL faculty
Ongoing:
Creation of
new tutorials,
evaluation of
delivery
system
Summer 2013:
KL Faculty
migrate
existing
tutorials into
new system
Conversations with Colleagues
Conversations with Colleagues
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Not user-centered
No continuity of style
across tutorials
Inability to keep up with
changing interfaces,
platforms, etc. "ceaseless pace of
change"
Not accessible at pointof-need
Level of quality is
inconsistent and
problematic
Shift focus from the
tool to the concept
Offer increased
interactivity
Research
When designed and used effectively, online tutorials can
effectively help students learn library and information literacy
skills
(Dewald, 1999; Dewald, Scholz-Crate, Booth, Levine, 2000; Su & Kuo, 2010; Beile & Boote,
2004; Silver & Nickel, 2005; Lindsay, Cummings, Johnson, & Scales, 2006; Zhang, 2006)
Research
Tutorials and interfaces should be designed to meet learners'
needs, particularly at the user's point of need
(Detlor & Lewis, 2006; Gold, 2005; Lindsay, Cummings, & Johnson, 2006; Su & Kuo, 2010;
Bowles-Terry, Hensley, & Hinchcliffe, 2010)
Research
Tutorials need to be student-centered and consider who the
learners are
(Gold, 2005; Willis & Thomas, 2006; Oud, 2009)
Research
Findability is key
(Gold, 2005; Willis & Thomas, 2006; Oud, 2009)
Research
Engagement in tutorials through active learning and
interactivity is critical to creating lasting knowledge
(Dewald, 1999; Riley-Huff, 2009; Dewald, Scholz-Crate, Booth, & Levine, 2000; Macklin, 2003;
Zhang, 2006)
Research
Short or chunked tutorials prove most valuable by allowing for
personalization, increasing learning, and decreasing
redundancies
(Detlor & Lewis, 2006; Dewald, Scholz-Crate, Booth, & Levine, 2000; Su & Kuo, 2010; Silver &
Nickel, 2005; Bowles-Terry, Hensley, & Hinchcliffe, 2010; Oud, 2009; Reece, 2005)
Research
Focus on a single task or purpose, and eliminate fluff or
attempts at humor
(Gold, 2005; Bowles-Terry, Hensley, & Hinchcliffe, 2010)
Research
When possible, provide alternate representations - this
accommodates learning preferences or disability-related issues
(Bowles-Terry, Hensley, & Hinchcliffe, 2010; Oud, 2009)
Learning from Others
Our Path Forward: MAGIC
Maintainable
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kaptainkobold/576665319/sizes/o/in/photostream/
Our Path Forward: MAGIC
Maintainable
Available
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kaptainkobold/576665319/sizes/o/in/photostream/
Our Path Forward: MAGIC
Maintainable
Available
Geared at users
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kaptainkobold/576665319/sizes/o/in/photostream/
Our Path Forward: MAGIC
Maintainable
Available
Geared at users
Informative
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kaptainkobold/576665319/sizes/o/in/photostream/
Our Path Forward: MAGIC
Maintainable
Available
Geared at users
Informative
Customizable
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kaptainkobold/576665319/sizes/o/in/photostream/
Guiding Documents
Guiding Documents
Collaboration, Planning, and
Design
Collaboration, Planning, and
Design
Collaboration, Planning, and
Design
Faculty Support
Again, Where We Were to...
Where We Are Now
Next Steps for OU Libraries
Collect usage data
and statistics
Usability testing
T
o
d
e
t
e
r
m
i
n
e
i
f
Our Research, Ideas,
and Best Practices
OU Students' Needs
and Behaviors
Next Steps for OU Librarians
Michaelangelo. The Creation of Adam. Accessed 29 May 2013 from www.ARTstor.org
Thank you!
All resources available at bit.ly/eCornMAGIC
References
Beile, P. M., & Boote, D. N. (2004). Does the medium matter?: A comparison of a web-based tutorial with face-to-face library instruction on
education students' self-efficacy levels and learning outcomes. Research Strategies, 20(1–2), 57-68.
Bowles-Terry, M., Hensley, M. K., & Hinchliffe, L. J. (2010). Best practices for online video tutorials in academic libraries. Communications in
Information Literacy, 4(1), 17-28.
Riley-Huff, D.A. (2009). Design insights and inspiration from the Tate: What museum web sites can offer us. Portal: Libraries and the Academy,
9(1), 79-98.
Detlor, B., & Lewis, V. (2006). Academic library web sites: Current practice and future directions. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 32(3),
251-258.
Dewald, N. H. (1999). Transporting good library instruction practices into the web environment: An analysis of online tutorials. Journal of
Academic Librarianship, 25(1), 26.
Dewald, N., Scholz-Crane, A., Booth, A., & Levine, C. (2000). Information literacy at a distance: Instructional design issues. The Journal of
Academic Librarianship, 26(1), 33-44.
Gold, H. E. (2005). Engaging the adult learner: Creating effective library instruction. Portal: Libraries and the Academy, 5(4), 467-481.
Oud, J. (2009). Guidelines for effective online instruction using multimedia screencasts. Reference Services Review, 37(2), 164.
Lindsay, E., Cummings, L., Johnson, C., & Scales, B. (2006). If you build it, will they learn? Assessing online information literacy tutorials.
College & Research Libraries, 67(5), 429-445.
Macklin, A. (2003). Theory into practice: Applying David Jonassen's work in instructional design to instruction programs in academic libraries.
College & Research Libraries, 64(6), 494-500.
Mestre, L. S. (2012). Student preference for tutorial design: A usability study. Reference Services Review, 40(2), 258-276.
Reece, G. J. (2005). Critical thinking and cognitive transfer: Implications for the development of online information literacy tutorials. Research
Strategies, 20(4), 482-493.
Silver, S. L., & Nickel, L. T. (2005). Are online tutorials effective? A comparison of online and classroom library instruction methods. Research
Strategies, 20(4), 389-396.
Su, S., & Kuo, J. (2010). Design and development of web-based information literacy tutorials. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 36(4),
320-328.
Zhang, L. (2006). Effectively incorporating instructional media into web-based information literacy. The Electronic Library, 24(3), 294-306.