evaluting online tutorials in universities study

The effective integration of current technologies in teaching and research is a high priority for today’s universities. To support the technology skills of university faculty, staff, and students, the subject university’s office for faculty training and support, provides free, 24/7 access to a collection of online technology tutorials leased from a professional vendor, PBJ (pseudonym). Despite significant financial investment, the effectiveness of these tutorials has never been evaluated. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of PBJ online technology training tutorials in supporting the technology skills development of faculty, staff, and students at a large university. A customized Web-based survey was used to collect quantitative and qualitative data from PBJ users. Findings revealed that PBJ users are largely satisfied with this online learning resource. However, users also recommended improvements: providing alternative formats/media for flexibility in learning; offering more practice opportunities to skill-build; providing content that is current, comprehensive, and targets high-need areas; and resolving usability issues such as cumbersome navigation. In sum, findings resulted in practical recommendations for improvement to this facet of the university’s technology support strategy as well as insights for other universities engaged in similar efforts. Implications for effective e-learning evaluation are offered.
International Journal on E-Learning, 2011, Evaluating Online Tutorials for University Faculty, Staff, and Students: The Contribution of Just-in-Time Online Resources to Learning and Performance
http://www.editlib.org/f/33278

study: Testing for Self-Censorship

The purpose of this study was to determine the potential of measuring the holdings of a school library young adult book collections and indications of self-censorship that might be practiced by the school library media specialist. The method employed, analysis of title ownership through examination of the school's OPAC, was an attempt to move away from questionnaires and interviews which might not allow for an objective description of selection decisions and acquisition practices.

A pool of recent, potentially controversial young adult books that had also received supporting reviews, awards, or recommendations for inclusion on reading lists was established. A small, random sample of high schools in Texas that are part of the state's online union catalog system was determined. Specific titles were searched in each school's OPAC to determine ownership. Based on one factor, not owning at least 50 percent of the controversial titles in the pool tested, the researcher concludes that over 80 percent of the schools in the study show signs that self-censorship has occurred during the collection development process.

The researcher acknowledges the limitations of the study and suggests other factors that should be taken into account before conclusive judgment can be made that deliberate self-censorship is widely practiced. An agenda for further research and study on censorship issues is outlined.

School of Library and Information Science, Texas Women's University, 2002, Moving Toward a Method to Test for Self-Censorship by School Library Media Specialists

Report: eBook issues

The report presents 145 pages of data and commentary on a broad range of eBook issues, including: spending on eBooks in 2010 and anticipated spending for 2011; use levels of various kinds of eBooks; market penetration by various specific eBook publishers; extent of use of aggregators vs offering by specific publishers; purchasing of individual titles; use of various channels of distribution such as traditional book jobbers and leading retail/internet based booksellers; use of eBooks in course reserves and interlibrary loan; impact of eBooks on print book spending; use of eBooks in integrated search; price increases for eBooks; contract renewal rates for eBooks; use of special eBook platforms for smartphones and tablet computers; spending plans and current use of eBook reader such as Nook, Reader and Kindle; the role played by library consortia in eBooks.
Research and Markets, 2010, Library Use of eBooks, 2011 Edition

report: digital repositories

The 225-page report looks closely at how 60+ academic and special libraries and other select institutions in the United States, the UK, continental Europe, Canada, China, India, Australia and other countries or regions are funding, managing, cataloging, marketing and developing their institutional digital repositories.

The report provides detailed data on budget and spending, sources of revenue and support, man hours deployed, range of materials maintained, number and source of visitors and downloads, and other key facts about institutional digital repositories.

The report also looks closely at the degree of faculty cooperation, methods of procuring and measuring this cooperation, plans to develop repositories as publishers in their own right, impact on the online presence of the college and on citation rates in journals, among other issues. Data is broken out by size, geographic region, Carnegie class, years in operation and type of library or other institution (such as scientific institutes).

Primary Research, 2011, The Survey of Institutional Digital Repositories, isbn 157440-161-0

http://primaryresearch.com/view_product.php?report_id=286

study: nonheterosexual youth punished more frequently

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) students are punished up to three times more than their heterosexual peers, says a new study. "The key finding of the study is that gay and bisexual youth are being punished more than straight peers," says Kathryn E. W. Himmelstein, who coauthored the study. "And that's not because they're misbehaving more." The study is yet another example of why libraries are so crucial in the lives of LGBT kids who are looking for safe havens to find the materials and resources they need.
Pediatrics, 2011, Criminal-Justice and School Sanctions Against Nonheterosexual Youth: A National Longitudinal Study

Study: Digitization of special collections

The nearly 200 page report looks closely at how academic, public and special libraries and museums are digitizing special and other collections. The study is based on detailed data on costs, equipment use, staffing, cataloging, marketing, licensing revenue and other facets of digitization projects from nearly 100 libraries and museums in the United States, the UK, continental Europe, Canada, and Australia. The study covers and presents data separately for digitizers of photographs, film and video, music and audio, text and re-digitization of existing digital mediums. Data is also broken out by budget size, region of the world, type of institution and other factors. Data presented separately for academic libraries, public and government libraries, special libraries and museums.

Research and Markets ltd, 2010, The Survey of Library & Museum Digitization Projects 2011 Edition
http://www.researchandmarkets.com/product/26199f/the_survey_of_library_and_museum_digitization

smartphone phone users in ethnic minorities

As of December 2010, nearly a third (31%) of all mobile consumers in the United States owned smartphones, cellphones with app-based, web-enabled operating systems. But smartphone penetration is even higher among mobile users who are part of ethnic and racial minorities in the U.S. – namely Asian/Pacific Islanders (45%), Hispanics (45%) and African-Americans (33%), populations that also tend to skew younger. Meanwhile, only 27 percent of White mobile users reported owning a smartphone.
Nielsen Wire, 2010, Among Mobile Phone Users, Hispanics, Asians are Most-Likely Smartphone Owners in the U.S.