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Week 10: What is User Education? Link to Tutorial assignment

User education is an attempt to change the behaviour of an individual who will be (or is) developing a search strategy to retrieve useful information. In an ideal world everyone would learn the skills of retrieval in their formative years at school. In fact, most people can remember being taught how to use the catalog or the Dewey Decimal System in primary school. However, there's a difference between learning skills specific to the task at hand, and learning skills which will enable you to adapt to a future learning situation. Generally, the skills learned in primary school were specific to that library or even to the subject being researched at the time. There was often no change of behaviour on the part of the student, rather an acceptance that information was (or wasn't) found to suit the assignment. Aren't most people capable of finding sufficient information without knowing how to access libraries and information agencies? Why is user education so important? Herbert White looks at a person's approach to information sources. Numerous studies have shown that "individuals inevitably preferred an informal to a formal information mechanism. Their preferred access to information was to consult their own files, then to visit a colleague down the hall, then to call a friend who might know the answer.... When individuals turn to the formal information sources, as contained in data bases or in hard copy library materials, it is in one sense because their preferred information gathering techniques have already failed." (White,1989, p.305)

User Education and its Importance Nancy Fjallbrant talks about the necessity for user education (Fjallbrant, 1984). Mainly people talk about the belief that to know how to use the library is an essential part of education-for-life; ie, to prepare students for the continuing process of self education once the formal process has been completed. In fact the American Library Association issued a policy statement making it clear that all types of libraries, not just university and high school libraries, needed to be responsible for user education; in part, it says, "It is essential that libraries of all types accept the responsibility of providing people with opportunities to understand the organization of information. The responsibility of educating users in successful information location demands the same administrative, funding and staffing support as do more traditional programs." Another statement on the importance and objectives of user education was made by Otis Robinson: "A librarian should be more than a keeper of books; he should be an educator... No such librarian is fit for his place unless he holds himself responsible for the library education of his students... All that is taught in college amounts to very little; but if we can send students out self-reliant in their

investigations, we have accomplished very much". This was said in 1876! Harold Tuckett defines the self-reliant user as a successful bibliographic problem-solver who learns through information use. This seems to fit Robinson's meaning- they are users who don't bypass the librarian, thinking they know how to use the library without assistance; instead, self-reliant library users know and use the reference librarian as one of the resources that can aid them.

Self-reliant clients Self-reliant library users know how to identify main issues, recognise underlying assumptions which they have to deal with, evaluate what they read and not just accept the written words on face value (eg., understand bias, generalisations, etc), see relationships among ideas (if a is true and b is true, there might be an article which relates a to b!), know their own blind spots and attitudes and be willing to suspend judgment until the research is over, and decide whether they need more information or not. When we have a new user come in and ask for information, we have to assume initially that they need assistance in any or all of these areas, and don't simply want to know how to push keys on the computer catalog. How do we give them the best quality assistance? We let them tailor their work to their own needs. Ask them questions as you are assisting them, getting them to think about the project in their own way. New knowledge must be presented in a way that facilitates its integration into the learner's existing mental structures; we cannot impose ours on them. After all, we might have a different learning style from them! (We will discuss learning styles in the next week.) It becomes apparent that, if we wish to see more self-reliant users, we need to go through a process which will encourage behaviour modification. "We use the term 'transformative learning' to refer to both the outcomes and the process itself through which learners experience such significant changes in beliefs, attitudes and knowledge that they transform their ways of thinking. Transformative learning contributes to empowerment as a process of being one's own mature and autonomous person." (Burge, 1993)

Principles of adult learning and teaching Burge goes on to identify some principles regarding adult learning: • adults learn best if they are free from undue stress, boredom, overload of information and are not trying to second guess the teacher's objectives; • they are helped to learn when their relevant past experiences are applied in learning activities;

• when learners see themselves as competent, and are confirmed in those perceptions, learning will be made easier for them; • teaching and learning are enhanced when teachers and learners collaborate to set directions, design and implement activities and assess outcomes; • adults deserve to know the educator's rationale for the content in the course. To know the 'why' of learning is as important as knowing the 'how' of learning; • "Minds have to be like parachutes: they only work when they open."- so teachers need to help students' minds to 'unfreeze'; • many women experience classroom interactions differently than do men in the same classroom, including the use of technology- "If, as Kiesler (1992) suggests that one of the effects of technology is to amplify existing practice, eg, make it more efficient, then we think that technological usage could also intensify the negative elements of gender-based interaction in classrooms." (Burge, 1993) • mistakes are important in learning- they provide good feedback and show that risks are being taken; • time is vitally important for adults, and is therefore not to be wasted or devalued. The Schiffman selection in your Reader looks at other learning concepts. Reading: Schiffman, Leon et al, 2001. Consumer Behaviour, 2nd ed. NSW: Pearson Education Australia, pp. 182-183. Apart from teaching abilities, we also have to have knowledge of our information sources, presentation skills, and good interpersonal skills for communicating effectively with individuals and groups. Listening, acknowledging and encouraging are basic attending skills that help to set a productive communication climate in which potential library or information users feel that their problems, experiences and ideas are respected. Also, inclusion, the skill of explaining what you are doing, is useful in user education demonstrations where you need to describe or explain a procedure as you carry it out. Instructions and directions need to be clear and specific so there is no doubt as to what is required. Giving and receiving feedback is also an essential part of any instructional program and should occur periodically throughout a program, not just at the end. Start with something positive as you provide feedback. For example, you might say, "you found the two most important periodical indexes". It is not appropriate to be judgmental, rather try to describe only: eg, 'your literature search included only popular articles and no other types of sources'.

Be concrete: 'you didn't mention Dissertation Abstracts', rather than 'you could find more useful 'sources than this'. Be realistic, as well: "find two more types of reference tools' instead of 'list all types of reference tools'. Also, suggest rather than prescribe: 'you might want to look at X'. Finally, don't forget your nonverbal communication: eye contact, posture, and vocal qualities can help make finding information more interesting for the students. (Ross, 1989, p. 196-8) What about questioning? Is it necessary for teaching? It is certainly a very versatile technique and can be used in many ways (besides the traditional style of 'what are 3 points of access to catalog?', where you get one correct response, usually from the same person, each time). In Acquiring and Using Information Resources you have (or will) learn the benefits of using open questions and neutral questions in the reference interview. These can encourage participation, motivate students, and establish a good communication climate in a user education situation, as well. You could start off by asking an open question such as 'tell us a bit about your first library experience', which can break the ice plus let you in on the diversity of experience and motivation of your group. You can also use a combination of closed and open questions to draw on the variety of experience within the group, giving everyone a chance to shine for a moment, eg. 'Who's used Psychological. Abstracts? Tell us briefly what you used it for and how it helped you'. It is also a good way to brainstorm: 'If you were looking for information on X, where would you begin?' Both of these encourage you to look for subjects of relevance and interest to students so that they will retain more if they are motivated to learn by interest or the necessity for information. You have to stimulate their minds, and the best way to do that is to target something they are interested in. Open and neutral questions are also good for identifying problems and finding out what is missing in the group's understanding. 'What problems did you have when you did this search', and 'How did this index NOT help you? What else did you want to find out?' are good examples of the usefulness of this type of question. Should instruction be included in the reference interview? James Rice makes a strong case for including it. He suggests that research has found a relationship between patron satisfaction with reference service and the library instruction they received. Reference librarians should "consciously cultivate a teaching role as opposed to acting more passively as information source." (Rice,1986 )

Helping our clients Assuming we don't know much about the person who comes in and needs assistance in locating an answer, what are some things we should do? •

avoid imposing a structure on him/her without allowing them the freedom to make decisions themselves- when structures are imposed from without, we may be less likely to make them an integral part of our thinking than when they are discovered from within (ie, don't just tell them, explain it as

they go, including why you're doing it this way and where it is going to get them). This will also encourage them to use imagination, and be creative in coming up with an answer (there's more than one right answer to everything). In fact, it's surprising the number of right answers you can find when you don't worry about giving wrong ones! George Orwell explored the powerful implications of always knowing that your perception of the world is wrong in 1984, and he shows the mental breakdown that occurs when a person is forced to accept as correct an answer he knows to be wrong. So if someone is going off in what seems to be a crazy direction, don't assume they are wrong. Ask first, and perhaps explain your point of view to them, too •

ask questions of them, so we are not just operating in the dark: "what exactly are you trying to do?", "what do you think it will take to accomplish this task?" (find out if they want the whole treatment or just want to dabble, and learn their limits), "what rewards do you hope to get out of accomplishing this task?" (eg, get them to think positively and with anticipation about the project), "what type of approach do you want to take in learning about this?" (eg, be lectured to, have librarian be there for advice if needed and be left alone to experiment otherwise, be given stepby-step guidance, be given the basics only, etc.). Stress that whatever approach they take to their task, you are there to support them when they need it. Most people in our society are afraid they might be caught not knowing something. This leads to a real fear in asking for assistance. That is why so many people engage in endless small talk about the weather, footy, etc.- for some it is simply an escape from real communication. So try to automatically lower the barrier of fear in your approach, so that they do ask.

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When providing assistance, don't forget about the very basic things. Sometimes we take things for granted, but very often people don't even know a) what their topic is really about, b) the difference between journals, books and encyclopedias, and c) how to organise themselves into thinking about their topic. You may need to get these basics out of the way before you get to "How to use the computer catalog."

Some Problems with User Education Roma Harris, in a survey of different types of library staff, found that while academic librarians were convinced of the need for user education, special librarians were generally opposed to the concept and public librarians were ambivalent. One public librarian commented, "many patrons like to be informed so that they will bring more skill to their next library visit. However, just as many patrons are not interested in how the library works; they just want the information. I equate this to me and the grocery store: I want to know where the cat food is, not why or how the store decided to put it there." (Harris, 1992, p.254)

Various studies have shown that typically at least 50% of first year students at university level do not have sufficient problem-solving skills to get them around the library. So perhaps we should also be looking at helping them develop abstract reasoning in their search for information, eg., instead of showing them how to look up a keyword in the OPAC, we should show them how natural language tends not to work and how controlled vocabulary gets you where you are going with fewer frustrations. Piaget asserted that reasoning is an active process which develops and achieves increasing sophistication in a series of stages over time. At the highest stage of reasoning (formal operational level) is the ability to formulate, test, and discard a whole range of possible solutions to the problem until an appropriate solution is found. This type of reasoning is essential to effective problem solving. One problem with this approach is that YOU really need to know your problem solving skills or it won't come across well or with enthusiasm. But it does emphasise interpersonal communication, and an increasing awareness of how and why people seek information. It also it places the information professional's focus on the user rather than on reference tools or the library- a switch from viewing the user in the life of the library to a view of the library in the life of the user. Mary Jean Pavelsek suggests that the average computer user is vastly more computer literate today than only a few years ago. In addition, user-friendly, menu-driven systems have been developed that permit users to become proficient searchers in a relatively short time. So why not just have some prepared handouts to assist those who are using online or CD-rom retrieval systems? Of course, there will always be some people who need additional instruction. "One problem that does remain to be addressed is the apparent lack of understanding by both students and faculty about what types of information are available on computerized systems and what can reasonably be expected of them.. It is a common misconception that computerized information retrieval systems somehow offer a magical solution to all research problems. When users understand where the information is originating and how it is organised, they will be able to search more intelligently and successfully. For now, however, most students have acquired the computer skills they need to be successful end users." (Pavelsek, 1991, p.299) Bryce & Gillian Allen found that, even after taking into account age differences, librarians were slower than students at carrying out a task involving visual perception (eg. scanning to find figures or symbols or comparing them), but outperformed them in logical reasoning (ability to reason from premise to conclusion, or evaluate correctness of conclusion), and most especially in verbal

comprehension. This seems logical, as people with these strengths might wish to work in the information profession where such abilities are highly practical. But don't we run the risk of perhaps doing sophisticated searching and interfacing with databases when students just want to scan through masses of materials? And perhaps librarians don't take their clients' abilities as much into consideration as they do their own when they design user education programs, or even OPAC interfaces. Steve McKinzie suggests that we should stop arguing over whether user education is valuable or not. What we should really be doing is getting back to our roots, and helping researchers of all types do their thing"Our task is meeting the research needs of researchers. From involved discussions of critical thinking and the subtle sifting of resources to the uses of an index and the mastery of electronic formats, our concern is to give users the tools and skills to access whatever information they need for whatever endeavor they attempt. The teaching can be as simple as informing people about the procedures of ILL [Inter-Library Loan] or as involved as training users about the intricacies of the Internet. Whatever the level of complexity, our work is in one sense always the same. We are meeting research needs. It is essentially about teaching people how to get at information- how to do research.... We teach research skills." (McKinzie, 1993) As we go about making our users more aware of the sources that will prove most valuable to them, and the strategies for searching, we must not give the appearance of being bored, lacking time, etc. If we do, then the client may well assume we are just getting them out of the way by offering to have them do the work themselves instead of us. Research suggests that it is our approach to information finding rather than the information itself which is most important to the user in many cases. By all means motivate them to find interesting ways to think about their information need, but be supportive and available so that they know that you care.

Information Literacy You will recall our discussion about Information Literacy from Introduction to Information Studies. Just to recap, these are some of the most basic principles to remember. "Information literacy is a means of personal empowerment in today’s information rich environment. It allows people to verify or refute expert opinion and to become independent seekers of truth. It provides them with the ability to build their own successful quests

for knowledge, it creates in people the motivation for pursuing learning through their lives." (Breivik, 1991, p.33) What is an 'information literate' individual- what skills do they possess? •

They reveal fewer symptoms of 'library anxiety';

• They can use all kinds of tools, including electronic (online, CD-ROM) to gather information; • They know the difference between books and journals, and the significance of primary, secondary and tertiary sources; •

They can plan an effective search for a complex or straightforward query. (Bruce, 1991, p.4)

"Because an adequate preparation for life and work in an information-intensive society must include both the ability to use information processing tools and the ability to make informed decisions about their acquisition, use and management, one must also have a good understanding of what these tools can do." (Trauth, et al, 1991, p.12) People can most readily understand information literacy in terms of finding solutions to problems. The problem solving process involves: • evaluation- ability to assess your own knowledge state and understanding of the tasks essential to solve a problem (eg. topic definition or question analysis in a search for information); • planning- ability to select appropriate strategies to reach a desired goal (eg. appropriate search strategies in appropriate sequence when seeking information); • regulation- development of techniques to monitor the effectiveness of the steps essential to reaching a goal (eg. evaluation of the results of each step in sequence in finding information) (Mancall et al., 1986, p.23) In a very real sense, it should be information literacy that is the focus of our teaching efforts in libraries and information agencies. It encompasses more than just learning to use the resources in order to access the information required, however. There are culture, lifestyle, thought processes, learning style and many other issues to be considered if such a task can be truly carried out.

Bibliography Allen, Bryce and Gillian "Cognitive abilities of academic librarians and their patrons" [details unknown] Beyer, Barry, 1985. "Critical thinking: what is it?" Social Ed. 49 #4:270-276 4/85 Breivik, Patricia Senn, 1991. "Literacy in an information society", AACJC Journal, June/July1991, p. 28-35 Bruce, Christine, 1991. Developing students' library research skills. Adelaide: HERDSA Burge, Elizabeth, 1993. American Library Association National Conference, personal notes Dervin, Brenda, 1986. "Neutral questioning: a new approach to the reference interview", RQ 25: 507 (Summer 1986) Fjallbrant, Nancy and Malley, Ian, 1984. User Education in Libraries, London, Clive Bingley Harris, Roma, 1992. "Bibliographic instruction: views of academic, special and public librarians", College and Research Libraries, May 1992 Kuhlthau, Carol, 1989. "Information search process", School Library Media Quarterly (SLMQ), Fall 1989, p. 19-25 LaGuardia,, Cheryl, 1992. "Renegade library instruction", Library Journal, 1 October, 1992, pp.51-53. MacMullin, Susan & Taylor, Robert, 1984. "Problem dimensions and information traits", The Information Society 3 no.1 Mancall, Jacqueline, Aaron, Shirley & Walker, Sue, 1986. "Educating students to think", SLMQ Fall 86 p.18-27 Marshall, Lorraine & Rowland, Frances, 1981. A guide to learning independentl,. Melbourne, Longman Cheshire McKinzie, Steve, 1993. "Bibliographic instruction or research: what's in a name?", College & Research Libraries News, June 1993, pp.336-337. National Council for the Social Studies, 1984. "In search of a scope and sequence for social studies" Social Ed. 48 no.4:260-1

Pavelsek, Mary, 1991. "Case against instructing users of computerized retrieval systems", College & Research Libraries News, May 1991 Rice, James, 1986. "How to develop an effective first orientation for library users", In Teaching librarians to teach, Scarecrow Press. Ross, Catherine and Dewdney, Patricia, 1989. Communicating professionally, New York, Neal- Schuman. Smith, Jane, 1987. "Higher-order thinking skills and nonprint media", School Library Media Quarterly, Fall 1987, p.38-42 Todd, R., 1993. "Lifelong learning and information skills" SCAN, July 1993 Trauth, E., Kahn, B., and Warden, F., 1991. Information literacy: an introduction to information systems. N.Y.: Macmillan White, Herbert, 1989. Librarians and the Awakening from Innocence, Boston, GK Hall