🚀 go-pugleaf

On Tue Dec 7, 1993, Darius Bartlett writes
> Which prompts the question: how much instruction (and, indeed, how much
> access) do students get these days in using Telnet (for accessing remote
> library catalogues); in using on-line searching of bibliographic
> databases; and for the host of other information science facilities that
> are emerging daily on the computer networks? I would assume that any
> student with access to the newsgroups and the Internet could also have
> access to these other tools?
>
> ALL of our students (in Geography) here at Cork get extensive instruction
> on how to maximise their use of the library. They get taught how to use
> abstracting journals (and the new CD-ROM equivalents); they get taught how
> the librarians can assist with searching for information; they get told
> about on-line sources (unfortunately, undergrads don't actually get access
> to the Internet themselves here, but the library staff can, and will, do
> searches by proxy for the student who needs them); etc. We have found that
> the investment of time spent on this instruction, early in the student's
> careers here, amply repays itself in terms of the use of the library.
>
> In addition to the above, all new Geography postgraduates also get a one-term
> intensive course of instruction in Advanced library skills, which includes the
> use of the Internet for on-line searching and other research applications.
> They - and we - have found that time spent on this early on is also an
> invaluable investment, which pays dividends later on.
>
> I have absolutely no objection to helping students (or anyone else for that
> matter) who genuinely does want to know, and who has difficulty finding the
> necessary information locally. And, I have also used (and will continue to
> use) the various Listserv groups that I subscribe to as shortcuts to getting
> information as and when appropriate. But I do suspect that some of the
> enquiries we see on the network reflect an underlying lack of knowledge/skills
,
> (or, even on occasions, willingness) particulary where students are concerned,
> to try getting the information needed oneself?
>
> Perhaps I am just getting over cynical as the end of term approaches :-)
>
> Darius Bartlett
>

I think the students at Cork should feel very fortunate that their instruction
includes Internet research techniques.  Here at the University of South
Carolina, although most grads and undergrads have access to Internet resources,
no explicit instructions are given on what is out there or how to use it.

Obviously, since mail systems are relatively familiar animals to most students
these days, many of them will use them as a pool of unending knowledge from
which they may drink whenever they thirst.  Other Internet sources are not as
apparent to the average student with limited knowledge of computers.

Educating the educators on Internet resources may be the first step in
enlightening the students.  Many professors who also have not had any
Internet background are in the same boat as the students.

I would suspect that USC is not unique in its lack of organized Internet
instruction.  Obviously, if the power of the Internet is ever to realize
its full potential, this issue will have to be addressed.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Michael Scott                  "The gods do not              /|
| Department of Geography         deduct from man's           / |
| University of South Carolina    allotted span those        /  |
| Ph:  (803) 777-2482             hours spent in            /___|
| Fax: (803) 777-4972             sailing."             ________|____
| mscott@kirk.geog.scarolina.edu      -ancient proverb  \  o  o  o  /
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~\_________/~~~~