Section 1: Introduction

Line

1.1 Project Aims
1.2 Project Team
1.3 Steering Group

NetLinkS was a Training and Awareness project supported by the Joint Information Systems Committee of the Higher Education Funding Council, as part of its Electronic Libraries (eLib) programme. Initially funded for one year, from September 1995, the Project subsequently received further support for a second Phase until May 1998. This Final Report reviews activities and achievements throughout. More detail on the Project's activities between September 1995 and August 1997 are given in the two Annual Reports for those years.

1.1 Networked Learner Support

This is an exciting time in the development of learner support within higher education. As academic activity moves increasingly into the "virtual" space created by the networks, many new challenges are emerging for those services responsible for providing assistance to users of electronic information resources. Not least among these is presented by the opportunity to deliver high-quality support across the networks themselves. The Project adopted the term networked learner support (NLS) to describe the use of networked approaches to the provision of user education, information skills training and enquiry/reference assistance to members of the academic community - a new practice which is being developed enthusiastically by many librarians and IT professionals, often in collaboration with each other. There are numerous U.K. and international examples of innovative initiatives in NLS aimed at both on- and off-campus users. For instance, current NLS activity in the UK includes:

  • enquiry services via e-mail and the Web;
  • Web-based electronic information resource guides and skills tutorials;
  • course-based information support using computer conferencing as the means of communication.

Development of NLS offers information professionals an opportunity to contribute to cultural change in their institutions, in terms of greater exploitation of the networked environment. However, the indications are that taking learner support activity into this environment often entails a significant process of change within support services and in relationships between support and academic staff. The practice of NLS is still at an early stage, and there is a need for both organizational and professional development. The NLS role requires a blend of technical and information expertise which cuts across traditional boundaries between library and IT services, so that new collaborative relationships between support staff may be needed, as well as professional development and training opportunities for individuals. The role also requires expertise in on-line communication and teaching/learning, and awareness of how available networked technologies might be exploited for learner support purposes.

1.2 Project objectives

The emergence of NLS as a growing trend provided the point of departure for the Project's activities. NetLinkS aimed to encourage further local and national development of NLS, by examining its potential across the UK higher education community and within individual institutions, and by providing appropriate awareness-raising and professional development activities and resources for staff involved. In our first year, the Project focused on establishing a picture of current UK and international practice in NLS, and identifying key issues and directions for its future development. It also aimed to begin to stimulate interest and innovation in NLS at a local level in a small range of institutions. Building upon the information gathered during Phase 1, a framework was designed for a further professional and organizational development programme for NLS, which was implemented in Phase 2.

Our objectives during Phase 1 were to:

  • explore the current level of awareness and activity in NLS in the UK and internationally, and identify examples of good practice;
  • investigate current and forthcoming technologies relevant to NLS;
  • identify the knowledge and skills required to carry out NLS, and the organizational issues surrounding its development;
  • investigate trends in networked learning in the UK and abroad;
  • begin to facilitate change at the local level in terms of raising awareness of NLS amongst key stakeholders in its development;
  • produce a framework for a further professional and organizational development programme for NLS.

During focus group discussions in Phase 1, stakeholders were asked to identify professional and organizational development needs for NLS. The feedback on skills requirements was consistent between institutions, and fell into clear categories with equal emphasis on each:

  1. Knowledge/skills in online communications and teaching/learning;
  2. Awareness of the potential and problems of NLS within the local and national framework, and strategies for stimulating organizational change;
  3. Information and communication resource knowledge and skills;
  4. IT skills.

Participants in the focus groups also voiced a strong desire for cross-institutional discussion and collaboration, resources to illustrate good practice, and support for local initiatives.

In response, NetLinkS aimed, in Phase 2, to focus on the first two broad areas identified above, and to establish a national electronic forum for information-sharing and collaboration for those involved in NLS. In view of the success of the NLS review and discussion process in many institutions, the Project also aimed to provide support for further activity of this kind at a local level. Phase 2 aims were thus to:

  • continue to support innovation at a local level, in terms of raising awareness and stimulating local change initiatives;
  • provide an electronic forum for discussions on NLS practice and issues;
  • host a programme of networked professional development activities;
  • maintain a resource base of relevant materials and information sources.

The Project aimed to promote the development of a networked professional learning community, or community of interest, for NLS. The Internet was used to organize and facilitate most activities, with the exception of a small number of face-to-face workshops.

It was hoped that the NetLinkS framework would offer sufficiently rich and flexible professional development resources to meet a variety of needs and interests. For instance, we expected some individuals to limit their participation to occasional involvement in professional discussions and access to the resource base. Others we hoped would wish to up-date their skills more systematically by enrolling on the more formal professional development course. We also hoped that some might wish to become involved in the development and maintenance of the community itself, through facilitation and moderation of its activities.

1.2 The Project Team

NetLinkS was based at the Department of Information Studies, University of Sheffield:

Project Head

Professor T.D. Wilson

  

Project Managers

Ms. P. Levy

  

Dr. S. Fowell

Sept.1995 - Aug. 1996

Research Associates

Mr. N. Bowskill

  

Ms S.J. Ashton

Sept. 1996 - Feb. 1998

Ms. E. Worsfold

Sept. 1995 - Jun. 1996

Technical Support Officers

Mr. C. Goodier

Feb. 1997 - May 1998

Mr. N. Nasser

Oct. 1996 - Dec. 1996

During 1997 the Project was joined for a four month period by Ms. A. Brümmer from NetLab, the Research and Development Department at Lund University Library, Sweden. This collaboration between NetLab and NetLinkS was supported jointly by JISC and NetLab.

Later on in 1997, Ms. Brummer and Dr. Fowell joined the NetLinkS team temporarily as tutors for the on-line course.

We would like to acknowledge the advisory contribution of Mr. Miguel Nunes, Lecturer in the Department of Information Studies at Sheffield, in the design of the Web interface for the Project's on-line course.

1.3 The Steering Group

The Steering Group brought together advisors with interests and expertise in the different aspects of the Project, as well as representation from eLib programme management:

  1. Edna Blackie, Educational Consultant and external evaluator for Project;
  2. Joan Day, Head, Department of Information & Library Management, University of Northumbria;
  3. Andrew Green, Librarian, University of Wales, Swansea;
  4. Mary Heaney, Director of Learning Centres, University of Wolverhampton;
  5. Roger Rist, Director, Institute of Computer Based Learning, Heriot-Watt University;
  6. Chris Rusbridge, Programme Director (eLib);
  7. Kelly Russell, Assistant to the Director (eLib).

The Group met five times during the Project. The date of the last meeting was 13th March 1998.

[Contents] [Section 1] [Section 2] [Section 3] [Section 4] [Section 5] [Appendices]


Top of page
Line
About NetLinkS
Line
NetLinks Home| Resource Base| Online Course| Discussion Area

Authors/Graphics - Nabeel Nasser and Sarah Ashton
last updated 12 December 1998