I mentioned in a previous post that I planned to work on an online self-study module to provide another avenue for people to learn about health information resources. Now, approximately a month later, I am ready to launch this new learning resource to my target audience. I have high hopes that it will meet their learning and information needs in ways that webinars and in-person instruction cannot. (Feel free to check it out here!)

I first had the idea for this project when I was doing research on outreach to rural health care professionals. A paper by Gormley, Lewis, Savage, Costanzo, and Slone found that rural nurses preferred asynchronous online instructional sessions over synchronous sessions (2012). This is because it alleviates common barriers caused by convienence, travel, work schedules, and personal demands.

So what should a self-guided tutorial look like? Cook and Dupras (2004) outlined ten steps to effective web-based learning, and I paid particular attention to step 6: “Encourage active learning – self-assessment, reflection, self-directed learning, problem-based learning, learner interaction, and feedback”. I also found guidance in a paper by King, Kaplan, and MacDonald describing the process of creating the popular PubMed tutorial (2008). They designed the tutorial to be used as a complete learning package or in individual sections, with a “conscious attempt to provide built-in flexibility in using the package in response to the user’s individual needs”.

Perhaps the most influential paper was Misa Mi’s “Application of Instructional Design Principles in Developing an Online Information Literacy Curriculum” (2016). This paper uses Gagne’s nine instructional events to inform the design of an online information literacy curriculum, which includes learning objectives, video tutorials, practice quizzes, and examples.

I used LibGuides to build the tutorial, primarily because it was the best tool available to me for the task at hand. Each module of the tutorial addresses a different resource category – databases, ebooks, and journals/full-text – and is composed of the following elements:

• Video Demonstration – I used Camtasia to record 2-3 minute demonstrations of how to access and use those resources. Each video is edited for clarity and includes captions.
• Cheat Sheet – I used Jing and Microsoft Word to create a printable form of the information presented in the video.
• Quiz – I used Google Forms to create a 3-question quiz for each module.
• Guided Searches – I am using Jing and Microsoft Word to develop a series of guided searches to more specifically illustrate the skills involved in using the resources to their best advantage.

At the end of the tutorial, the learner is congratulated for completing the modules and asked to provide feedback on their experience. They are also provided with links to other health information resources like PubMed, TOXNET, and MedlinePlus.

I included a page with information on upcoming workshops that I have scheduled, with descriptions and links to registration. The last page is dedicated to contact information, with options to sign up for an email list and to send general questions and feedback.

This self-guided tutorial has already come in handy, since several people have asked me what they can do if they are unable to attend a webinar workshop. I have been able to respond with a link to the tutorial and people seem satisfied with that so far. I intend to begin a more systematic campaign to increase awareness of the tutorial in the following week. After a period of three months or so, I will prepare an evaluation study to gauge the success of the tutorial and to explore how it can be improved.

I am looking forward to seeing how this turns out!

References

Cook, D.A. & Dupras, D.M. (2004). A practical guide to developing effective web-based learning. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 19, 698-705.

Gormley, D.K., Lewis, M.R., Savage, C.L., Costanzo, A.J., & Slone, B. (2012). Assessing nurses’ continuing education preferences in rural community and urban academic settings. Journal for Nurses in Staff Development, 28(6), 279-284.

Mi, M. (2016). Application of instructional design principles in developing an online information literacy curriculum. Medical Reference Services Quarterly, 35(1), 112-121.