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Information–Seeking Behavior of Graduate Distance Education Students

Information–Seeking Behavior of Graduate Distance Education Students. Joe C. Clark Kent State University Midwest MLA Chapter Meeting October 11, 2013. Today ’ s Presentation. Survey Rationale Setting & background Methodology Demographics Findings Discussion Conclusions.

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Information–Seeking Behavior of Graduate Distance Education Students

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  1. Information–Seeking Behavior of Graduate Distance Education Students Joe C. Clark Kent State University Midwest MLA Chapter Meeting October 11, 2013

  2. Today’s Presentation • Survey Rationale • Setting & background • Methodology • Demographics • Findings • Discussion • Conclusions

  3. Survey Rationale • Preparing to revamp services and webpages • Getting to know the needs of our “virtual” patrons • How are we doing? • Opportunities for further collaboration/integration into MMME curriculum

  4. Setting • Kent State is a public research university located in NE Ohio, and has over 28,000 students • The Performing Arts Library (formerly the Music Library) is a branch library • School of Music offers bachelor and graduate degrees; concentrations include music education, theory, composition, and performance • Music Education has residential bachelors and doctoral degree programs; Master of Music is only offered online

  5. Program Background • Began in 2010 • Degree is Master of Music in Music Education Online (MMME) • Geared towards practicing professionals • 30 credits, 10 or 11 classes • Students take two seven-week classes a semester; six classes per year • Generally takes 20-24 months to complete • KS faculty create syllabi; instructors are adjuncts • About 160 students are in the program

  6. Methodology • Twenty-four questions in Qualtrics, two with “display logic” • Approved by the Institutional Review Board • Administered in June 2013 • An optional drawing for ten $50 amazon gift cards and possibility of participating in further study; 62 of 82 entered the drawing • All survey participants were MMME students • 82 surveys were completed

  7. Demographics by Course Completion

  8. Demographics by Age

  9. In-person Visitation?

  10. Website Visitation: Frequency?

  11. But which website?

  12. Use and awareness of services Library ResourceAware ofHave used ILL/Document delivery 65% 32% Books mailed to me 41% 15% Article DBs & full-text articles (JSTOR, Ebsco) 100% 100% Online reference databases 83% 72% Online audio DBS (Naxos, CML) 74% 67% Course reserves through the library 32% 15%

  13. Use of Non-Library Web Sites

  14. External Websites Cited • Ethnomusicology.org • MAfME journals, Choral Wiki, other independent web articles • Amazon.com, websites related to textbooks • Websites related to capstone, specifically music therapy • MENC website • NAfME.org,Harvard Music Library • Library of Congress • Web pages about historical figures or places

  15. Comfort with E-Resources • 89% are somewhat or very comfortable with e-books. • 96% are somewhat or very comfortable with electronic resources.

  16. Getting Assistance with Library Resources

  17. Library Help/Tutorials Library SourceAware ofHave used Email a librarian 56% 15% Chat w/ a librarian 43% 15% Phone a librarian 43% 14% Library video tutorials 38% 14% Online reference guides 37% 19% Database tutorials 24% 7% Private consultation 20% 2%

  18. Preferred Means of Getting Help

  19. How Help was Received:

  20. Borrowing from Other Libraries • 48% use other libraries

  21. Items Used from Other Libraries

  22. Blackboard Presence

  23. Adequate Instruction?

  24. How we can better help you? Just fine/helpful 10 Easier website navigation 7 Better/more tutorials 7 n/a 6 "Starter" library assignment 6 Specific links for all assignments 4 More ebooks 3 Better info about services 3 Eliminate VPN 2 ILL gripe, Refworks type item, free textbooks, and program gripe 1 each

  25. The Dangerous Question… • Few respondents (32 out of 82) • 19 of the 32 offered neutral answers with no requests • Four wanted UL to provide electronic versions of their textbooks • Three requested easier website navigation • One request for each of the following: • Streaming videos • More info on APA • Access to all library resources after graduation • Chat help • One-on-one help for their capstone project • Conductor scores not available elsewhere

  26. Most Important Services

  27. Most Important Offerings

  28. Surprises & Takeaways • Not all the gift cards were claimed!!! • Most library help venues were known by less than half  • Students think we are doing ok • Collaboration & communication are paramount • Few locals • Only half are coming to library websites a couple times a week or more • The Main Library website is visited more frequently than the Performing Arts Library site • Google.com used twice as frequently as Google Scholar

  29. Actions, Further Study, and Conclusion • Continue to purchase targeted e-books in music education • Further collaboration with faculty & curriculum revamp • Considering a “focus group” with MMME students • Further study to determine additional needs • Determine how to make resources easier to access; study website • Already looking forward to doing the study again in two years

  30. Thank you!Questions? Discussion?jclark88@kent.edu

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