Experiences Using Webct to Deliver an Information Competency Course

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Thursday, 21 July 2005
This presentation is part of 4: Poster Session
Experiences Using Webct to Deliver an Information Competency Course

Description: On 28 March 1998 a new regulation in connection with the South African Qualification Authority was published in the Government Gazette in which the Minister of Education declared that education in South Africa would, in the future, be outcomes based. Students had to acquire skills to collect, organize and critically evaluate information. This poster shares the experiences of the library staff at the University of the Free State in designing an information literacy course using WebCT.
Presentation Format: Poster
Topic: Enabling learning: Effective instructional practices and flexible design models
Target Audience: Course Designers, E-learning Managers, Faculty and Other Instructors
Appropriate Audience Level: Beginning or new users of WebCT
WebCT Version:
Abstract Text: On 28 March 1998 a new regulation in connection with the South African Qualification Authority was published in the Government Gazette in which the Minister of Education declared that education in South Africa would, in future, be outcomes based. At the University of the Free State medical education has already started on a path of problem-based education. The change to problem-based learning, as well as the SAQA regulation, had the same basic starting point: to equip students to become life-long learners. They specifically had to acquire skills to "collect, organize and critically evaluate information." This was used as a starting point to develop an information competency course at the University of the Free State by the staff of the Library and Information Services. This course was ultimately accredited and is now taught as a four-credit module, compulsory for students in the Faculties of Health Sciences, Law, Humanities and Economic and Management Sciences. The large number of students that register for this course, as well as the fact that the University has a number of distance learners, compelled the staff to develop a course that included not only a significant portion of computerized self-study exercises, but could be taught completely via the Internet. To accomplish this, WebCT was used. The paper discusses the actions that were played by various role players in designing the course structure and content, as well as the the implementation of the course. After the first year the students completed a questionnaire to evaluate the course. The results of the study are also discussed.

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Description:	On 28 March 1998 a new regulation in connection with the South African Qualification Authority was published in the Government Gazette in which the Minister of Education declared that education in South Africa would, in the future, be outcomes based. Students had to acquire skills to collect, organize and critically evaluate information. This poster shares the experiences of the library staff at the University of the Free State in designing an information literacy course using WebCT.
Presentation Format:	Poster
Topic:	Enabling learning: Effective instructional practices and flexible design models
Target Audience:	Course Designers, E-learning Managers, Faculty and Other Instructors
Appropriate Audience Level:	Beginning or new users of WebCT
WebCT Version:
Abstract Text:	On 28 March 1998 a new regulation in connection with the South African Qualification Authority was published in the Government Gazette in which the Minister of Education declared that education in South Africa would, in future, be outcomes based. At the University of the Free State medical education has already started on a path of problem-based education. The change to problem-based learning, as well as the SAQA regulation, had the same basic starting point: to equip students to become life-long learners. They specifically had to acquire skills to "collect, organize and critically evaluate information." This was used as a starting point to develop an information competency course at the University of the Free State by the staff of the Library and Information Services. This course was ultimately accredited and is now taught as a four-credit module, compulsory for students in the Faculties of Health Sciences, Law, Humanities and Economic and Management Sciences. The large number of students that register for this course, as well as the fact that the University has a number of distance learners, compelled the staff to develop a course that included not only a significant portion of computerized self-study exercises, but could be taught completely via the Internet. To accomplish this, WebCT was used. The paper discusses the actions that were played by various role players in designing the course structure and content, as well as the the implementation of the course. After the first year the students completed a questionnaire to evaluate the course. The results of the study are also discussed.