Online replication of first year legal research classes - the pods have arrived! by Martin Cvelbar, University of Queensland

• As part of their goal of providing information literacy skills to students undertaking the Bachelor of Laws the Law Library have given a series of four introductory classes to first years which sought to give students the basics of legal research.
• Embedded in a compulsory first year class, traditional in-class instruction, covering basics of legal research and citation.
• Library deliver 4 weeks of 19 classes per week at intake each year/semester of legal research skills training.
• Then, for students who miss the class and want one-on-one training, each staff does maybe 6 or so extra sessions.
• It had become noticeable that there were other external factors impinging upon student learning:

Time poor student

Financial pressures

Family, friends etc

• The Library decided to deliver the course in an online environment.
• A liaison librarian replicated the first year classes in Backboard, the University of Queensland's learning management system.
• Limitations of Blackboard (current academic discussion platform) to present "more than just screenshots" to explain how to use a database.  Instruction had to be largely text-based and was thus "wordy".
• While this was a replication it was also a reconceptualising of the course of study.
• How could they more effectively teach this course in an online environment?
• Started thinking about a more interactive and dynamic (less static) delivery format.
• They considered different learning styles.  They had to work within the nuances of Blackboard.  There was a worry that maybe nobody would use it (there had been a different post-grad info literacy course which was never used).
• The big technological issue was demonstrating databases: 
• Wimba (teach live online via Internet software) was investigated, but didn't work well with library proxy service. 
• Lextopia - what UQ lecturers use to record their lectures - its file sizes were too large.
• Then was offered a project in examining the potential of a particular podcasting s/w which happened to be in the Mac environment.
• They investigated podcasting via Garage Band and Screenflow.
• Editing software was good, allowed editing out of words like "umm".
• Podcasting have maintenance issues too.  If database changes, do you have to change the podcasts too?
• They were able to make podcasts which worked very well with iPods and iPhones
• Created podcasts for delivery of legal research skills education to first year law students.
• Has been quite a bit of work.
• Access benefits - 24hr, remote.
• Save time of Librarian.
• Stats show 35,000 hits on the site - very successful, great feedback.
• Well received by international students.
• Survey results: 20% strongly agreed they were useful, 50% agreed they were useful
• Demo of the product.
• Podcasts only on a couple of subjects and used alongside current classroom teaching.
• The two delivery methods complement each other and cater to different learning preferences (styles).
• The online versions of classes weren't published until after the actual class, so students had an incentive to attend.
• At present 4 modules - Looking at developing more modules for the service.
• Looking at developing podcasts that will be available in iTunesU.
• Q. Is there a goal to reduce face to face classes now that this online version is available?
• Podcasting for the basic stuff, and experimenting with trying the more advanced content in the physical class.