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Article
Instruction in a Virtual Environment: Assessing the Needs for an Online Tutorial
The Reference Librarian
  • Wendy Holliday, Utah State University
  • Sharolyn Erickson, Utah State University
  • Britt Fagerheim, Utah State University
  • Rob Morrison, Utah State University
  • Flora Shrode, Utah State University
Document Type
Article
Publisher
Routledge
Publication Date
1-1-2006
Abstract

In 2002, librarians at the Utah State University (USU) Libraries were awarded a grant to develop online tutorials. The major design challenge was to create tutorials specific to USU resources and students, including distance learners, while also making them flexible so that other Utah colleges and universities can adapt them for their own needs. The tutorials also needed to address the information behavior of a new generation of students accustomed to using computers and the Internet. While recent studies have begun to address some gaps in our knowledge of the information behavior of the Web Generation, we conducted a needs assessment to help us create a tutorial that more accurately addresses the existing knowledge and behavior of undergraduates at USU. We used multiple methods to determine the learning needs of our audience and to provide guidance for the design process.

Comments

Originally published by Taylor & Francis. Publisher's PDF available through remote link.

Citation Information
Holliday, W., Erickson, S., Fagerheim, B., Morrison, R. & Shrode, F. (2006). Instruction in a virtual environment: Assessing the needs for an online tutorial. The Reference Librarian 46 (95/96), 187-211.