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Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons™
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Articles 1 - 7 of 7
Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences
Assessing Integration Of Library Services Into Course Management Systems: Where We Stand Now, Matt Torrence, Beth West, Lindsay Johnston
Assessing Integration Of Library Services Into Course Management Systems: Where We Stand Now, Matt Torrence, Beth West, Lindsay Johnston
Matt Torrence
Our panel of presenters will engage the audience in a group discussion of best practices for implementing and assessing a robust library presence in the CMS environment. The attendees will benefit from an exploration of the challenges and advantages of integrating library services into university-wide systems and platforms. The session will focus on metrics of assessing the effectiveness of the library services in the CMS, including student participation, grades, GPA, and others. We will also invite interested parties to join our online community of practice, where we continue these important conversations.
Talking Chat: The Good, The Bad, And The “What Were We Thinking?”!, Jessica Cerny, Matt Torrence
Talking Chat: The Good, The Bad, And The “What Were We Thinking?”!, Jessica Cerny, Matt Torrence
Matt Torrence
The RUSA MARS: Virtual Reference Discussion Group will be holding a forum on January 31st, 2015 from 4:30-5:30 pm in McCormick Place West w474a. The forum topics will be focused on online chat services and known issues, characteristics of successful and unsuccessful implementations, and more. Panelists will share their experiences with online chat services and participates will have an opportunity to ask questions. If you are considering implementing online chat services in your library or you would like to learn more about what has worked and not worked for other libraries, this is an opportunity to gain insight on how …
Libraries In The Course Management System: Best Practices And New Directions, Lily Todorinova, Matt Torrence, Jon Jeffreys
Libraries In The Course Management System: Best Practices And New Directions, Lily Todorinova, Matt Torrence, Jon Jeffreys
Matt Torrence
Course Management Systems (CMS), such as Blackboard, Sakai, Canvas Instructure, and Moodle are ubiquitous in the classroom environment. These systems are bridging the gap between traditional, hybrid, and fully online classes, as most academic institutions have adopted the use of a CMS across a wide spectrum: from serving to keep track of administrative processes, such as grading and attendance, to being the main tool for organizing and communicating course information for both faculty and students. Libraries have responded by implementing a variety of services in the CMS, including LibGuides, chat widgets, discovery search tools, and more. Three academic library panelists …
Counting Counts: Discussion On The Present And Future Of Public Services Statistics And Reporting, Matt Torrence, Lily Todorinova, Lindsay Johnston
Counting Counts: Discussion On The Present And Future Of Public Services Statistics And Reporting, Matt Torrence, Lily Todorinova, Lindsay Johnston
Matt Torrence
From clickers to pencils, and now with software and immediate reporting, librarians and staff involved in public services have always strived to emphasize the important role of available reference and research help. In the new era of automated tracking and statistics, however, we often find ourselves dealing with many and different types of systems to record similar types of interactions. There may be one system for local/campus email reference and another for consortia, or other arrangements for interacting with patrons. At this discussion group, a series of thought-provoking questions on these and related topics will inspire a useful discourse on …
Informed Desk Staffing With Quantified Reference Statistics: Using Electronic Data Collection To Re-Envision Reference Services At The Usf Tampa Libraries, Lily Todorinova, Andy Huse, Barbara Lewis, Matt Torrence
Informed Desk Staffing With Quantified Reference Statistics: Using Electronic Data Collection To Re-Envision Reference Services At The Usf Tampa Libraries, Lily Todorinova, Andy Huse, Barbara Lewis, Matt Torrence
Matt Torrence
Andy Huse, Barbara Lewis, Lily Todorinova, and Matt Torrence participated in a panel presentation for RUSA MARS Hot Topics. Their presentation titled "Informed Desk Staffing Through Quantified Reference Statistics” discussed the data collection, data analysis, and decision-making aspects of the Re-envisioning Reference project at the USF Libraries. This project examined the implementation and effectiveness of online data collection tools and the use of their data to inform managerial decisions as to scheduling of desk hours and staffing levels. Interviews with key library administrators were conducted in order to provide an historical perspective as to weaknesses of past data collection and …
Students, Faculty, And The Library: Research At The University Of South Florida, Susan Silver, Matt Torrence, Barbara Lewis, Drew Smith
Students, Faculty, And The Library: Research At The University Of South Florida, Susan Silver, Matt Torrence, Barbara Lewis, Drew Smith
Matt Torrence
This study will assess various aspects of library services and resources from the user perspective, utilizing a number of methodologies, including surveys, usability testing, observation, and focus groups. In-depth examination of how students and faculty use the library will guide our efforts to improve library services and resources and facility that relate to student success.
Supercharging Online Instruction: Amplifying Interactivity Using Interactive Simulation Software, Maryellen Allen, Steven Osler, Matthew Torrence
Supercharging Online Instruction: Amplifying Interactivity Using Interactive Simulation Software, Maryellen Allen, Steven Osler, Matthew Torrence
Matt Torrence
As the trend toward online and distance learning courses in higher education continues, educators and instructional designers continually struggle with efforts to engage and motivate learners located in electronically distributed, asynchronous environments. Studies in the professional literature point to active and problem based learning strategies as possible ways to successfully involve students while raising achievement levels, yet importing such methodologies to the online environment is challenging. Emerging technologies offer hope for the integration of active/problem-based learning with the online instructional environment. One of the most promising of these technologies includes interactive simulation software applications.