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Reference and Information Service Section Conference and Exhibition 1999

Design and Development of a Web-BasedElectronic Databases Tutorial

Craig Littler, Outreach Librarian - University of Wollongong Library, NSW Australia
craig_littler@uow.edu.au

Abstract

In 1998 the University of Wollongong Library received a Universitygrant to develop a Web-based electronic databases tutorial as aflexible learning alternative to face-to-face classes and workshops.This paper provides an overview of the design and developmentprocess, focussing on: learning frameworks and objectives, Web designprinciples, collaboration with graphic designers and Web programmers,evaluation methods, and the incorporation of the tutorial intosubject curricula by academic staff. Some recommendations andguidelines for future Web tutorial developments are alsoaddressed.

The tutorial is located at: http://www-library.uow.edu.au/EDT/index.html

| Introduction | ProjectTeam | Initial Planning |Learning Frameworks andObjectives |

| Survey of Web Tutorials |Design Principles | TrialDesigns | Development Process| Copyright Issues |

| Prototype Testing | EvaluationMethods | Use by AcademicStaff | Issues andFurther Developments |

| References | Acknowledgments|

Introduction y

The Web medium offers libraries the possibility of creating moreflexible access to instructional programs by developing interactiveforms of teaching and learning using the hypertext and multimediacapabilities of the Web. A wide range of Web-based tutorials alreadyexists. These range from straightforward conversions of existingprint documents into HTML format, to more sophisticated interactivemultimedia productions. This paper outlines the design anddevelopment of one such tutorial in the hope that a description ofour approach to the process, and a discussion of some of the issuesraised, may be useful to those librarians who are planning, or in theprocess of developing, their own Web-based tutorials.

In 1998 the University of Wollongong Library received a Universityof Wollongong Educational Strategies Development Fund (ESDF) grant of$10,000 to develop a Web-based, interactive training module forinstruction in the use of electronic databases. Prior to this, theLibrary had been developing a range of programs for electronicdatabases instruction, including face-to-face demonstrations andpresentations, hands-on workshops, and subject-specific classes. AnHTML version of the 'Electronic Databases: Getting Started' workshop,which included a simulated database search, was developed in 1997 fordemonstration use by Library staff in face-to-face presentations.

The proposed databases training module was envisaged as extendingand building upon these developments by providing a self-pacedlearning option for on-campus students and staff, and a remote accessopportunity for off-campus students. The Web module would enable theLibrary to provide links to Web-based course materials and allowsubject coordinators to incorporate the module into subject curriculawhere appropriate. It would also act as a pilot project for theflexible delivery of information literacy programs and for Librarystaff to develop new project management and Web production skills.The expected outcomes of the project were:

Project Team y

The project team consisted of the Outreach Librarian(Coordinator), the Reference Librarian, the Library's Client ServicesManager, and an Educational Consultant from the University's Centrefor Educational Development and Interactive Resources (CEDIR).The funding grant included provision for the employment of a Webprogrammer and a graphic designer, also from CEDIR. Having access toprofessional programming and graphic design skills was a major factorin ensuring the success of the project. At various times throughoutthe project additional casual Library staff were employed to providerelease time for the project coordinator and to assist with thedevelopment of tutorial content. Quite often, having a new pair ofeyes on the project provided useful perspectives on the content anddesign of the tutorial. (See Acknowledgmentsfor full details of project team members and projectparticipants).

Initial Planning y

The initial planning meeting of the project team addressed issuesof target audience, content, and structure. The tutorial wasenvisaged as being as generic as possible, with application acrossall subject disciplines, and reaching as wide an audience aspossible. In adopting a generic approach, the team recognised thatthe tutorial design would also need to accommodate the fact thatdatabases are undergoing constant change, both in their content andsoftware interfaces, and that users exhibit a wide range of databaseskills. The potential audience was considered to include on-campusstudents and staff located in the Library, in computer labs, oroffices; off-campus students and staff at a wide variety of locationsusing different levels of technology; users working in groups with alecturer or teacher; or users working individually.

A brainstorming session was conducted by the project team todetermine the type and range of content required in the tutorial.Members of the team had broad experience in teaching database skillsand in dealing with questions on their use by students and staff. Theresults of the content brainstorming were then mapped by groupingrelated content elements under broad topic headings. The initialtopic headings were:

These topic headings became the basis for developing the initialcontent structure. To accommodate novice and advanced users, theinitial idea was to structure the content under headings of 'novice'and 'advanced'. A further subdivision of 'Using Different Interfaces'was also introduced: 'Managing Records' would include printing,saving and emailing in the novice section, and creating profiles anddownloading to bibliographic management systems such as EndNote inthe advanced section. This structural division into novice andadvanced was later rejected because of the difficulty of making cleardistinctions between levels of skill. It was decided rather toincorporate levels of conceptual understanding and skill within thecontent of the tutorial and allow users to select what they requiredbased on their own assessment of their needs. This was in keepingwith the learning frameworks adopted for the project.

LearningFrameworks and Objectives y

A broadly conceived constructivist view of learning underlies theapproach taken to developing the tutorial. This view sees learners asactive constructors of their own knowledge rather than as passiverecipients of transmitted information (Roblyer et al, 1997: 54-79).It also recognises that individual learners come to the learning taskwith various forms of prior knowledge, and that any new learning mustengage with these existing knowledge structures. In the context ofdatabase instruction, learners should ideally be able to engage withthe tutorial from whatever level of existing knowledge and skill theypossess.

For some time the University Library has adopted an activity-basedapproach to teaching in which learners are encouraged to engage intasks which reinforce some of the conceptual principles underlyingpractice. It was therefore considered to be desirable that thetutorial should include some activities of this type.

In keeping with the desired generic nature of the tutorial, it wasfelt that the focus should be on general principles rather than thedetail of 'how to'. There are a number of Web-based tutorialsavailable which focus on the use of a particular database or databasesystem, and most databases now contain extensive help functions whichprovide more specific information on their use. The primary focus inthis tutorial is on the conceptual principles which underlie the useof all database systems. A challenge for the project team was toemphasise general principles in the context of specific databasesystems. An aim of the tutorial is therefore to equip database userswith the conceptual understanding to move from system to system, andto deal with the new or unfamiliar, by the application of generalprinciples. The specific learning objectives for the project werethat a learner should:

Survey of Web Tutorialsy

A selected survey of existing Web tutorials was conducted toascertain what had already been done in this area and to establishthose design characteristics which contributed to effectiveness froma user's point of view. The American Library Association's LibraryInstruction Round Table (LIRT), which provides tutorial examplesand design guidance, is a good starting point for anyone interestedin developing a Web-based tutorial. The following points emerged fromthis survey:

Design Principles y

There are a number of guides available which articulate theprinciples of good Web design. Black (1997: 29) argues that many ofthese are the same as the content and typography rules which haveapplied to print design for hundreds of years. These include suchprinciples as the use of white space, using one or two typefaces, andnot using all capital letters. Black (1997: 53-57) also includes alist of what not to do on the Web:

In addition to the general design principles generated from theWeb survey and various design guides, the project team had to makecertain technical assumptions based on users' access to computerhardware. Not all students and staff have access to the latestcomputer hardware, and a 'lowest common denominator' approach wastaken by assuming a Web browser capability equivalent to Netscape 2reading HTML 2. For off-campus access it was assumed that users wouldhave a minimum modem speed of 28.8K. These assumptions hadimplications for the level of interactivity that could be built intothe tutorial, particularly if graphics, video, and sound were to beused. It was therefore decided to design the tutorial using smallsize graphics files, and to use this as a possible basis for moresophisticated multimedia formats in the future.

Trial Designs y

Based on the topic headings generated by the content brainstormingand mapping, a number of trial designs were developed. Nine maincontent modules were identified, each of which would contain furthersub-modules of related content. The nine modules were:

A tenth Quiz module was added to these when it was decided toincorporate quiz activities into a separate module rather than createa separate quiz for each module.

The group of ten modules became the basis for the tutorialhome page design. While the structural distinction between noviceand advanced users had been rejected, it was thought useful to layerthe tutorial modules in such a way that a user could move from basicto more advanced topics in a systemic way. Such a layering wouldmodel the way in which a new user would approach learning about andusing databases.

In consultation with a graphic designer from CEDIR, a number ofhome page, module, sub-module, and navigation bar designs weredeveloped. These elements were considered to be the essential designcomponents of the tutorial. Once these were decided, the content ofeach module could easily be inserted into the modular structure. Thefinal design uses a 'signpost' metaphor on the home page to indicatethe main tutorial modules. A further refinement of this was to colourcode each module based on the idea of the colour spectrum, and tocarry this colour coding throughout the various module and sub-moduleelements. Within individual modules, the module 'banner' incorporateslinks to the various sub-modules (see Search Strategies example). A navigation bar at the bottom ofeach screen provides links to the tutorial home, a site map, aquestions page, a glossary of terms, and a comments and feedbackpage. In developing these design elements the aim was to produce aclear, simple, and consistent graphical framework to assist users tonavigate the tutorial.

Development Processy

The text and screen shots for each module were prepared as aMicrosoft Word document by Library staff and transferred to the CEDIRWeb programmer for conversion into HTML using BBEdit and DreamWeaversoftware. Screen shots were edited in PhotoShop by the graphicdesigner and saved in gif or jpeg format. The majority of graphicsare in gif format and less than 50K in size. Original graphics(seeexample) were developed in consultation with the graphic designerwho produced a number of prototype designs before a final selectionwas made. All scanning of images and print materials was also done bythe graphic designer.

The process of preparing materials in one format for conversioninto another can be time consuming. In retrospect, it would have beenmore efficient for the original module content to be be prepared byLibrary staff using a Web authoring package before transferring toCEDIR. At the time of beginning the tutorial, Library staff did notgenerally have access to a reliable Web authoring package. Thissituation has since changed, with all Reference Services staff nowhaving access to, and receiving training in the use of, ClarisHomePage. Since Library staff are also much more familiar withtutorial content, it makes sense for them to be able to make textualchanges directly, rather than rely on the lengthier process ofdirecting others to do it. As more Library staff become familiar withthe Web authoring environment, there should be a move towards a more'do-it-yourself' approach to Web tutorial design. This is alsorecognised by units such as CEDIR, who are adopting a moreconsultative role in the earlier stages of production and focussingmore on final production, testing, and specialised designassistance.

Throughout the tutorial an attempt was made to reduce large blocksof text by incorporating relevant graphics which illustrated conceptsor themes (see Journals and Journal Articles example). In writing for the Web,we were conscious of the need to be succinct and to address the userof the tutorial in a friendly, relatively informal tone. As a result,on many occasions we found ourselves using the second person,addressing the user of the tutorial as 'you'.

Only major and necessary hypertext links were incorporated withinthe body of the modules content during the development phase. It wasfelt that the need for links would become more obvious during theprototype testing stage, when all the tutorial content would beavailable as a single unit.

Copyright Issues y

The tutorial incorporates a large number of screen shots andrecords from a range of different database systems, chiefly WebSPIRS,Ovid, and Infotrac/Searchbank. Copyright permission was sought from,and granted by, all the database providers concerned. The providershad no objections to the use of screen shots and records foreducational purposes, provided that it was clearly indicated fromwhich database the material had come.

Copyright permission was also sought for some scanned portions ofprint material. Although these sections were small (less than apage), and such copying may well be within the fair dealingprovisions of the Copyright Act (1968), it was considered advisableto seek permission since digital copying of print materials is stilla grey area under copyright law.

While Web material is automatically covered by the provisions ofthe Copyright Act, even without the attachment of the copyrightsymbol, the project team wanted to make it clear to all users of thetutorial that copyright applied to its content. A link to theUniversity's copyright and disclaimer notice was therefore providedon the tutorial home page, and a copyright notice was placed belowthe navigation bar on all tutorial pages.

Prototype Testing y

The Library Reference Services Team and a number of academic staffwere invited to trial and comment upon the prototype tutorial.Students were not included in the prototype testing since it isplanned to involve them in the evaluation and feedback processfollowing public implementation of the tutorial. Most of the commentsand suggestions for improvement related to navigation, particularlythe need for the inclusion of anchors on longer pages requiringscrolling, and the need for a link to the homepage from the modulebanners. These changes have been incorporated into the final versionof the tutorial. A 'Using the Tutorial' page, with a link from thehomepage navigation bar, was also developed as a result of testingfeedback.

Testing also revealed a number of places within the tutorial whichcould benefit from the insertion of hypertext links. The fullpotential for interconnectivity between the various parts of a Website is not always seen until all the elements are in place. Byadopting a development strategy of only including major hypertextlinks during the development phase for individual modules, we wereable to insert additional links with the tutorial as a whole inview.

Evaluation Methodsy

The tutorial incorporates a number of methods which seek toevaluate its effectiveness. As a very raw measure of usage, thenumber of 'hits' on each page will be monitored to assess the levelof usage of particular parts of the tutorial. The Commentsand Feedback module, accessible throughout the tutorial from thenavigation bar, includes a number of Likert scale and open-endedquestions designed to elicit comments on the effectiveness of variousaspects of the tutorial. These questions were developed inconsultation with an educational consultant from CEDIR. Finally, theQuizmodule, although developed primarily as a way for users to reviewand assess their understanding of the tutorial content, offers anindirect form of evaluating users' understanding through itsallocation of a percentage mark. A database attached to the quiz willrecord individual and average percentage marks as well as thefrequency of correct and incorrect answers.

The Library will be actively promoting the tutorial from thebeginning of Spring Session 1999. As part of this program, studentsand staff will be directed to the tutorial from the Information Desk,in face-to-face classes and workshops, from the LibraryWeb site, through Library publications and brochures, and throughpromotional displays. As part of this process, formal and informalcomments and feedback will be sought from individual users on theeffectiveness of the tutorial. It is envisaged that no major changeswill be made to the tutorial during its first session of operation.After this period, comments and feedback from all the aboveevaluative sources will be collated and analysed with a view torevising the tutorial for later releases. There will be a need forongoing evaluation of the tutorial to ensure that it meets users'needs and requirements.

Use by Academic Staffy

A number of academic staff have indicated an interest in using thetutorial as a learning resource, particularly in those subjects which seek to develop information literacy skills. Uses of the tutorialmight include a recommendation to students to consult the tutorial,links within Web-based subject materials, or assignments based ontutorial contents. One academic staff member has suggested thedevelopment of quizzes or assignments based on individual modules.Such materials developed by academic staff could be incorporated intothe tutorial at a later date.

Issues andFurther Developments y

The tutorial is a first step towards Web-based informationliteracy instruction and forms a basis for further development.Technical and economic limitations have meant that the tutorial isnot as interactive as it might have been. Interactivity currentlyconsists of selecting a relevant module, pointing and clicking onrelevant content, performing the Simulated Search, and completing the Quizand Commentsand Feedback modules. The incorporation of graphics within textcould also be seen as a way of increasing the multi-dimensionality ofthe tutorial. The inclusion of activities such as quizzes within eachmodule could be a cost-effective way of further developinginteractivity without relying on costly (in terms of design andproduction) multimedia.

A challenge for future versions of the tutorial will be theongoing maintenance and updating required. This is particularlyimportant in the case of database systems and interfaces which areupdated regularly. In fact, in the course of developing the tutorialtwo database systems introduced new interfaces and a third will bechanging shortly after the release of the tutorial. We have sought todeal with this by adopting a generic approach which emphasises thecommon elements within all systems (seeUsing Different Systems module).

A factor in ensuring that updating is relatively straightforwardand economical will be the extent to which librarians have developedthe necessary skills to do this themselves. This will requireappropriate investment in software, training and time. At theUniversity of Wollongong Library, Reference Services librarians nowhave the software and training to develop reasonably sophisticatedWeb tutorials. Our next step will be to apply the lessons learnt fromthe Electronic Databases Tutorial to a project in which we do most ofthe Web page authoring and production of scanned and screen shotgraphics, drawing on the professional expertise of programmers andgraphic designers as required.

More broadly, the involvement of librarians in Web-basedinstruction and design raises questions about our professional rolein this new environment. A recent commentator (Murray, 1999) sees theneed for a multidisciplinary profession of interactive design,drawing on the fields of computer science, graphic design,communications, media studies, educational theory, psychology andlibrary science. Such a prospect opens up new avenues forprofessional development, and a creative and challenging future forlibrarians.

References y

American Library Association, Library Instruction Round Table(LIRT). URL: http://diogenes.baylor.edu/Library/LIRT/lirtproj.html

Black, Roger (1997) Web Sites That Work, Adobe Press, SanJose CA.

Murray, Janet (1999) 'Inventing the way of the web', TheAustralian, Higher Education Supplement No. 985, June 9, pp.40-41.

Roblyer, M. D., Edwards, Jack and Havriluk, Mary Anne (1997)Integrating Educational Technology into Teaching, PrenticeHall, Upper Saddle River NJ.

Acknowledgments y

Project Team: Craig Littler, Outreach Librarian; Lynne Wright,Client Services Manager (Library); Catriona McGurk, ReferenceLibrarian; Ray Stace, Educational Consultant (CEDIR).

Web Programmer: Tony Arnold (CEDIR).

Graphic Designer: Adam Orvad (CEDIR).

Thanks also to: David Brooks (CEDIR); Bob Corderoy (CEDIR); LenoreLyons (Sociology Department, University of Wollongong); SheelaghNoonan; Library Reference Services Team.