Online learning for researchers: experiences of creating a

collaborative online tutorial

Jenny CoombsUniversity of Nottingham

Liz MartinDeMontfort University

Overview

• Project background• Survey results: what do researchers want from an

online tutorial• Content creation and authoring tool• Evaluation of pilot units• Taking a collaborative approach - benefits and

challenges• Quick demo• The future

Background

•Aim to create onlinetutorials aimed at researchers

–Re-usable–Re-purposable

•Number of East Midlandsinstitutions interested

•EMRSG Project consortium:–Loughborough, Nottingham,

Coventry, De Montfort Universities

Image by Ben Mills, used under a Creative Commons Licence, http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:East-Midlands-Ambulance-Service-map.png

Timetable

Online Survey

• Researchers’ experiences of information skills training

• Importance attached to various research tasks• Confidence in carrying out these tasks• Research staff at Loughborough, Nottingham

and De Montfort (DMU) universities– 224 responses – 11 face-to-face interviews

Discipline of Researchers

Findings: How do researchers want to learn?

Findings: Skills rated most/least important

Findings: Skills most/least confident

Pilot module content

Authoring tool

• Xerte• Open source

• Content can be re- used and repurposed

• Designed for non- techies

• Technical help

Evaluation: Perception v feedback

Perception v feedback

Perception v feedback

Important to

promote research Promotion seen

as too aggressive

Perception v feedback

Content of

video is more important

than aesthetics

Academic not smart enough

Distracted by background

Taking a collaborative approach

Image by Nicola Corboy, used under a Creative Commons Licence, http://www.flickr.com/photos/n_corboy/4921290518/sizes/m/in/photostream

Advantages and Disadvantages

Recommendations for collaboration

Quick look at a unit

The Future

Added to Jorum and Open Courseware to facilitate sharing

Dissemination of research outputs Future unit – reference management www.emrsg.org.uk

Contacts

Coventry UniversityChris Barkc.bark@coventry.ac.ukJudy Thompsonj.thompson@coventry.ac.uk

Loughborough UniversityHelen Youngh.young@lboro.ac.ukRuth Stubbingsr.e.stubbings@lboro.ac.uk

De Montfort UniversityLiz Martinemartin@dmu.ac.uk

University of NottinghamWendy Stantonwendy.stanton@nottingham.ac.ukJenny Coombsjenny.coombs@nottingham.ac.uk

Keep in touch with the project at: http://www.emrsg.org.uk

Questions?