Using Mobile Technology in Information Literacy Skills Training

Using Mobile Technology in Information Literacy Skills Training to Enhance Students’ Learning Experience Mr. Tony Tin Dr. Alice Schmidt Hanbidge Dr. Nicole Sanderson Ms. Nicole Lee The Asian Conference on Technology in the Classroom The Asian Conference on Language Learning Kobe, Japan May 1, 2015

University of Waterloo http: //www. uwaterloo. ca. Public Research University Located in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada (Home of Black. Berry, Open Text, and D 2 L) Over 36, 000 students in undergraduate and graduate programs with 2, 000 faculty Canada’s most innovative university for 23 years; operating the world's largest cooperative education program with 19, 000 coop students Special 2 plus 2 program for international students Renison is a federated college within University of Waterloo, specializing in ELI, Applied Language Studies, Social Development Studies, Social Work, EAS, Studies in Islam and Religious Studies

From Mobile ESL to MIL M-library: CLA Library Research and Development Award 2007 Mobile ESL training: CNIE Excellence & Innovation in Use of Learning Technology Award 2008 CBC Coverage http: //eslau. ca

Mobile ICTESL 2011 • Contains grammar, vocabulary and readings to assist computer industry worker with learning ESL in an Information and Communications Technology environment • Funded and supported by UNESCO • Special features: • Drag and Drop for instant response • Html 5, 3 D object rotation The International Elearning Association Awards in Mobile Learning 2011 https: //ictesl. athabascau. ca/

Mobile Information Literacy Project 2015 • Improve student’s information literacy skills • Use mobile devices to deliver info literacy training • Allow practice with feedback using a variety of testing methods http: //beam. to/renmil

Mobile Information Literacy (MIL) • Information Literacy: recognize when information is needed and have the ability to locate, evaluate, and effectively use the needed information • Mobile Information Literacy: incorporates technology into the learning process American Library Association. Presidential Committee on Information Literacy. Final Report. (Chicago: American Library Association, 1989. )

Why use a mobile device to facilitate MIL training Learners: ◦ already have mobile devices ◦ access lessons and exercises from remote locations, anywhere & practice anytime ◦ make use of the multimedia & interactive features ◦ Is learner-centered and requires no teacher presence Faculty & Librarians: ◦ reach more students ◦ free up time to teach more complex topics

MIL Contents • 13 Lessons focusing on how to locate, evaluate and use information • Content specific to use of UW library resources • Over 12 videos currently • Expand beyond video with activities

Technologies Open sources: Word. Press with WP-Pro Quiz Plugin Run a data-base and generate dynamic content User View Admin View

Google Analytics

Interactive Exercises True/False Multiple Choice Text input Drag and Drop

Instant Response Formative Evaluation Summative Evaluation

Search Tips from Students

In action Video

Pilot Project Student participants from 5 Social Development Studies and Social Work classes (n=110) Most were female (90. 7%), between the age of 18 and 25 years old 86. 9% did not attend any type of literacy skills training 98% have smartphones with 58% using Apple i. Phone or other mobile devices on a daily basis Only 28% used a mobile device to search for information despite daily usage.

Research Project Mixed method (quantitative and qualitative) One group pretest/posttest design Online Survey (Survey Monkey) Student questionnaires

Preliminary Results. . .

Pre-test to Post-test Preliminary Score

Student Preference for Question Type Student opinion poll about whether a question type is suitable for mobile information literacy lessons 65. 2% 18. 8% 14. 5% 1. 4% Multiple Choice True – False Input Text Drag and Drop

Literacy lessons students find most helpful Lessons Locate: Lesson 1: An Introduction to Primo Central Response Percent 29. 9% Locate: Lesson 2: The Basics: How to Search 34. 3% (5) Locate: Lesson 3: Finding Articles 35. 8% (4) Locate: Lesson 4: Finding Peer Reviewed Journals 44. 8% (2) Evaluate: Lesson 5: Evaluating Information Sources 23. 9% Evaluate: Lesson 6: Peer Review Process 14. 9% Evaluate: Lesson 7: Popular Vs. Scholarly Resources 17. 9% Use: Lesson 8: Using the Web for Resources 20. 9% Use: Lesson 9: Ref. Works 52. 2% (1) Use: Lesson 10: When to Cite Your Articles 17. 9% Use: Lesson 11: Types of Written Articles 14. 9% Use: Lesson 12: How to Approach Assignments 40. 3% (3) Use: Lesson 13: What is a Paragraph? 4. 5% ALL OF THE ABOVE 9. 0%

Recommend other students to learn information literacy skills using mobile technology Strongly Disagree 1% Disagree 9% Agree Neutral 37% Agree 53% Disagree Strongly Disagree

Flexibility to Learn Anywhere and Anytime Mobile technology provides flexibility for me to learn anywhere and at any time. Disagree; 4. 7% Strongly Disagree; 1. 6% Neutral; 18. 8% Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree Agree; 75. 0%

Quality of Learning with mobile technology increases the quality of my learning experience. Strongly Disagree; 1. 5% Disagree; 11. 9% Agree; 38. 8% Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree Neutral; 47. 8%

Information literacy skills enhanced as a result of completing these exercises Information literacy skills have been enhanced as a result of completing these exercises. Strongly Disagree; 4. 3% Disagree; 11. 6% Agree Neutral Disagree Agree; 52. 2% Neutral; 31. 9% Strongly Disagree

Student Feedback on MIL Training • Students reported positive experience with the info literacy lessons and the use of mobile technology: “short lessons but to the point; ” “easy to use”; “creative – different test/quiz styles” • Students liked the flexibility/ availability of any time learning: “very convenient”; “learn on my own time, anywhere”; “able to review from time to time”

Student Feedback on the MIL Training • Use of mobile technology would be good supplementary medium of learning: “I can access and learn on Wi. Fi on campus and on bus. ” • Greatest concern was cost of Internet access. “don’t have data so cannot always get internet. ”

Lesson Learned from the Pilot Defining ◦ define the amount & type of information Design ◦ ◦ ◦ of the format normal website vs. mobile version text, images, graphics, tables, location different file types (pdf, mov) Display ◦ content models different display model & stylesheet Different systems standards, data networks, & operating Bandwidth

Suggestions for Future Delivery • Embedded MIL in the curriculum • Moving from MIL to mobile academic fluency • Use of learning analytic – evidence based learning • Free internet, mobile info literacy training in remote area • Screen size redesign for ease of reading • Delivery of MIL in different languages (e. g. Japanese, Arabic Chinese) • Use multimedia and games to improve the learning experience • Use mobile device to interact with teachers and trainer (e. g. Ask a mobile librarian)

Visit the Mobile Information Literacy Lessons site: : http: //beam. to/renmil

References Ally, M. (2005). “Multimedia information design for mobile devices”. In, M. Pagani (Ed. ). Encyclopedia of Multimedia Technology and Networking. Idea Group Inc. Hershey, PA. Kim, B. (2013). The Library Mobile Experience: Practices and User Expectations (Vol. 49, No. 6). American Library Association. Yarmey, K. (2011). Student information literacy in the mobile environment. Educause Quarterly, 34(1), n 1.

Thank You! Research Team Members Slideshare: http: //tinyurl. com/nxffjgm E-mail: tony. tin@uwaterloo. ca Website: http: //www. tonytin. com Linkedin: https: //ca. linkedin. com/in/tonytin