Conference papers

Working Online III

Help for Students and Profile for the library: The webCT Student Help Desk at Flinders University Library

Ian McBain

Associate librarian (reader services) Flinders University Library

Tanya Rowe

Flexible delivery librarian, Flinders University Library

Abstract

When Flinders University adopted the webCT software as its standard platform for flexible delivery via the WWW in 1999 issues of student support and training came to the fore. the library put a successful proposal to the university for funding to provide this support for students. Leveraging off its existing strengths the library established a very cost-effective model of service provision that created a virtual service point from staff at different physical locations and also utilised information technology students. The result of this programme has been the provision of effective student support and training and a valuable position for the library in this major University programme.

Like many universities in Australia and overseas Flinders University has developed a major initiative in flexible delivery since 1997. Exactly what flexible delivery is defined as varies but it clearly involves flexibility in the location of teachers and students, an avoidance of set times of attendance at classes and the use of technology to deliver instruction. In general terms flexible delivery is seen as a way of allowing students to access study opportunities without disrupting other parts of their private and professional lives 1. For the universities flexible delivery promises to provide a way to reach new groups of students and to tap latent demand for life-long learning.

Flinders University Library has sought to participate fully in the University's development of new methods of teaching through the provision of

• electronic resources
• authentication and access mechanisms for electronic resources
• delivery services for remote students
• document delivery services
• provision of computer equipment and network access for on-campus students
• provision of audio visual equipment
• reciprocal borrowing arrangements
• extended opening hours

Some of these initiatives have been funded by the University and some by the library. This package of services has been developed to meet the needs of teachers and students. To understand these needs Library staff have been members of nearly every University and Faculty committee dealing with the issue of using and developing flexible delivery. This broad-based participation in the change process has given the library linkages, raised its profile and created opportunities. One of these opportunities is the webCT Student Help Desk.

One early element in the development of flexible delivery that caused the library great difficulty was the implementation of student e-mail in 1996. This was done using the pine software and a large number of superseded Macintosh computers that were collected from various locations on campus and housed in the library. This service was implemented at the same time as we were moving into a new building extension and moving the entire Library collection. We did not pay the attention to student e-mail that it warranted and accepted assurances that no user training was needed, that Pine was easy to use and that there would be few account problems. None of these assumptions proved to be correct and we found ourselves supporting students in using a system that we knew nothing about and had no access to.

The location of the main suite of computers with network access for students in the library means that questions from users about flexible delivery teaching resources delivered via these machines will end up at Library service points. When the University decided on the adoption of webCT as its platform for web based flexible delivery the library was determined to put itself in a position to meet the needs of students and not to repeat the problems that were experienced with student e-mail. To ensure the success of the flexible delivery initiative, of which webCT is a key plank, the University needed a means to provide just-in-time support and basic training for students.

WebCT is a suite of course tools to facilitate teaching via the web. The software originated at the University of British Columbia and is now in commercial release. Tools include class-based e-mail lists, bulletin boards, chat groups, quiz facilities and assessment tools. At the core of webCT is the concept of the class and all tools are limited by password to the class group.

As the process of implementing webCT at Flinders was being developed it became apparent that there was no group on campus other than the library that was in a position to provide wide-ranging support to students in its use. The Information Services Division is focused on networks and hardware and is not in a position to deal with large numbers of students. The Instructional Designer, located within Staff Development is focused on the needs of teaching staff in developing effective courses. Academic staff have enough on their plate, teaching by a new means, without having to face a large support burden. Faculty computing staff are already stretched and their operating hours are quite restricted.

the library had some clear strengths that it could leverage off to create an effective service. These included:

• extensive opening hours and a tradition of operating after-hours
• experience in dealing with computer assistance and training for students
• experience in managing student casual employees
• capacity in the information desks of the smaller Library branches to carry some extra load in the evening and on the weekend
• experienced reference staff who were working part-time and were available to work extra hours to run training courses
• geographical spread across the campus
• service orientation

Recognising these advantages the library made a proposal to the University for funding to establish a 'just in time' help desk for webCT. This was accepted and services were commenced in time for second semester in 1999 when the first significant webCT based teaching commenced. Leveraging on the advantages outlined above meant that the amount of funding required was relatively small. A detailed report was provided to the University at the end of 1999 and the funding has been continued in 2000.

An operational model was developed that involved:

• employing a student assistant to supplement the staff in the Central Library microcomputer room, this group of staff was then responsible for daytime walk-in services, phone services and e-mail services.
• after 5.00pm the telephone and e-mail services are monitored from the Information Desk in the Sturt Library - a smaller branch
• after 5.00pm walk in services in the Central Library are provided by the Information Desk
• walk in services are provided by the Sturt Library Information desk throughout their opening hours
• an extensive web page was developed that detailed the services of the webCT Student Help Desk, provided an authenticated e-mail link, an FAQ and other help links. Academic staff have been encouraged to provide links to this page from within webCT courses. See www.lib.flinders.edu.au/webct/

Many library staff are involved in this process at some level and an extensive round of training was needed before operations commenced. Some of this was done as direct training conducted by the University's Instructional Designer and the balance done by Library Staff. In practice a situation has evolved where many Library Staff are able to answer most questions about webCT and there is always one staff member on duty who has this as a core responsibility and is thus able to handle the more difficult questions. The benefits of this staff training have extended beyond the direct provision of services. In particular Subject Liaison Librarians have gained insight into changes in the teaching and learning process as these changes have been developing. This insight has in turn shaped many other Library programmes.

Student training has been a key function of the webCT Student Help Desk's from the beginning. As this training has to be conducted at the start of semester when all parts of the library's operations are at their busiest the extra funding provided by the University has been essential to make this possible. Student training has been offered at a range of times of the day and week and has focused on basic skills such as using the bulletin board or chat spaces. Thus far training has avoided more advanced skills such as using the presentation tools but this would be varied if demand were manifested. An attempt is made to steer those students who have the skills and don't need the training away from the programme. Booking sheets and all promotional messages for the programme make it clear that students who are able to use e-mail and a chat space or bulletin board won't benefit and need not come to the programme. In second semester 1999 16 training sessions were conducted which were attended by 116 students. In first semester 2000 48 training sessions were conducted which were attended by 450 students. Attendance dropped in second semester 2000 with only 52 students attending what was originally planned to be 32 sessions. It is clear that relatively few new second semester courses were started using webCT as opposed to courses continuing from first semester prerequisites.

Promotion for the training programme has been conducted principally through those members of the academic staff who are teaching using webCT. Many students are concerned at the prospect of undertaking a course with a component of electronic flexible delivery and take-up for the training has been excellent. Some academic staff have organised group training sessions for their students and at times asked for particular tools to be emphasised.

Thus far the training programme has been informally assessed through academic staff and faculty committees as teaching staff are best placed to observe if the training is providing the skills and confidence that students need to participate fully in the course. This assessment will be supplemented with some direct student satisfaction studies in 2001.

The questions that have been answered by the webCT Student Help Desk fall into 5 categories:

1. Login problems - often password problems (Semester 1 2000, n = 448)
2. Access problems - difficulties in navigating within webCTCourse management - often difficulties related to adding students to courses
3. Problems with use of particular tools within webCT
4. Remote access problems including proxy servers and difficulties with some ISPs

(Categories 2- 5, Semester 1 2000, n = 348)

Many of these questions and the issues underlying them are in themselves minor, but they will still stop a student's work. Providing ready answers to these type of questions is an important part of making flexible delivery programmes meet their stated aims.

Future Issues

The use of webCT as a mechanism for delivering course material overseas will create demands for extended hours of service and for means to provide authentication for password and account management for remote students. The differing skills that incoming students bring with them may, over time, reduce the need for training or change the nature of the required training. the library will need to monitor these issues, in co-operation with other parts of the University, to ensure that it delivers what students need.

Conclusion

Utilising a small amount of University funding the library has been able to develop a service that has played a key role in ensuring the quality of a major University programme.

While the development of this service may be seen as outside the traditional role of academic libraries, the library's involvement with after-hours operations and management skills have enabled it to undertake the task in a very effective fashion.

As well as benefiting the students, the library's involvement in this programme has given it a high profile in the important area of flexible delivery. This high profile has in turn facilitated the development of other Library initiatives in the area of flexible delivery such as electronic reserve.

Flexible delivery is subject to many definitions and open to interpretation in many institutions, several Australia institutional definitions are accessible from http://www.ems.uq.edu.au/projects/gce/section3.htm [no longer available - January 2004]