The%20RDN%20Virtual%20Training%20Suite%20%20-%20a%20free%20online%20educational%20resource%20from%20JISC,%20helping%20people%20use%20the%20internet%20to%20support%20their%20learning

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The RDN Virtual Training Suite - a free online
educational resource from JISC, helping people
use the internet to support their learning

• Emma Place
• Institute for Learning and Research Technology
  (ILRT)
• University of Bristol

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The RDN Virtual Training Suite

• Can it help public libraries ?
• Watch and decide .

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Today

• The concept of e-Literacy
• The RDN Virtual Training Suite
• 3) How can it be used by public libraries?

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The concept of eLiteracy

• The information revolution requires
• an education revolution

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• We need to help users respond to the changing
  Information landscape
• and become effective
• eLearners
• eResearchers

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This requires training in

• IT skills
• But also Information literacy

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If Information Literacy

• enables people to recognise when they need
  information and to locate, evaluate and use
  relevant information
• (American Library Association, 1989)

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Then eLiteracy is

• the ability to locate, evaluate and use relevant
  information on the Internet effectively to
  support your needs

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• Where did you learn your
• information skills?

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Theres a skills gap

• How to use the Internet
• to support education and research
• Staff (may not have learned these skills at
  school/college)
• Students (may not know how to use the Internet to
  support their education (only their recreation!)

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2) The RDN Virtual Training Suite

• A tool for learning and teaching eLiteracy
• for education and research

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So what exactly is the RDN Virtual Training
Suite?

• A national educational resource
• on the Web
• FREE for everyone to use

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The service is funded by

• Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC)
• Which promotes the innovative use of IT and
  information systems for UK higher and further
  education

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Its part of a national Internet service

• The Resource Discovery Network (RDN)
• An Internet search service for students,
  lecturers and researchers in HE or FE
• (includes SOSIG, OMNI, EEVL etc.)

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What does it comprise of?

• More than 50 free teach yourself tutorials on
  the Web
• Like Beginners Guides to the Internet for
  different subjects taught in HE and FE

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11 Web-tutorials for FE

• Internet for Art, Design and Media
• Internet for Business Studies
• Internet for Construction
• Internet for Engineering (to include Motor
  Engineering)
• Internet for Hairdressing and Beauty
• Internet for Health and Social Care
• Internet for Hospitality and Catering
• Internet for Information and Communication
  Technology
• Internet for Leisure, Sport and Recreation
• Internet for Performing Arts
• Internet for Travel and Tourism

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45 for HE
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Who built it?

• Built by the community for the community
• Authors and editors lecturers, librarians and
  learning resource centre staff from more than 50
  UK colleges and universities.

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Tutorial features

• Simple step-by-step instruction
• Quizzes and exercises
• Links basket
• Glossary of Internet terms
• Print options / free posters
• Teaching resources

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Tutorial learning objectives

• TOUR - key Internet resources for the subject
• DISCOVER - Internet search skills
• REVIEW - skills for evaluating Internet
  resources
• REFLECT - practical ways using the Internet for
  education and work

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3) The RDN Virtual Training Suite

• A quick tour
• www.vts.rdn.ac.uk

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Implications for library staff?

• How might it be used in public libraries?

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How is VTS being used?

• Librarians
• As an open-learning Web resource
• For Internet training
• For staff development
• Learners for teach yourself training
• Lecturers in taught courses

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Formal Evaluation

• The RDN Virtual Training Suite proved to be one
  of the most popular parts of the RDN, being
  perceived as a high quality and effective
  learning and teaching resource
• High levels of use found via Web stats
• (c 1 million hits per month)

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• "Excellent! I know that this has been produced
  for HE/FE users but it is of value to other
  users."
• Director, Sheffield Information Organisation
  (SINTO)

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• "Thank you. I have found this course invaluable
  to me as I am a mature student doing an open
  university course on health and social care."
• Undergraduate student, Open University

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• "I run a multimedia learning centre (the physical
  kind) and am always looking for ways to encourage
  people to develop themselves. This site is bound
  to motivate many that haven't found the relevance
  of the Internet for themselves...yet"
• Learning Consultant, Centrica

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• "Thank you for sorting out the confusing world of
  the internet"
• Student, University of Durham

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An eService for public libraries?

• Useful for
• public library Web sites?
• supporting learners in public libraries?
• Internet training in public libraries?
• Public library staff development?