North Carolina State University
SACS Compliance Certification
August 15, 2003

Comprehensive Standards: Educational Programs 3.8.2 (library instruction)
The institution ensures that users have access to regular and timely instruction in the use of the library and other learning/information resources.

Compliance
North Carolina State University is in compliance with this standard.

Explanation
This report addresses training and support provided to faculty and staff.  For information about training and support for students, see Comprehensive Standards: Educational Programs #14.

The four sections of this report summarize the university’s compliance with this standard.  This report first summarizes training and instructional programs offered by the NCSU Libraries, followed by an examination of the Instructional Technologies Division (ITD), then Distance Education and Learning Technologies Applications (DELTA), and finally the colleges.   Each section demonstrates the university’s commitment to providing regular and timely instruction in the use of the library and other learning/information resources.

NCSU Libraries Programs
To provide regular and timely instruction in the use of the library for faculty and staff, the NCSU Libraries have implemented and/or expanded a number of programs. 

For instance, librarians work closely with faculty in developing instruction sessions, constructing web pages that organize information sources, and creating library research assignments.  Each subject specialist and branch librarian is engaged with faculty members in determining strategic approaches to integrating information skills into multi-year curricular programs.

Another example of faculty/librarian interaction is the Library Online Basic Orientation (LOBO), an information literacy tutorial developed by library staff.  LOBO is used in introductory English courses, including those in the university’s General Education Requirements.  LOBO was revised and enhanced in summer 2002.  From August through December, the LOBO web site received 16,664 sessions and a total of 547,961 page “hits.” 

The LOBO tutorial is complemented by LOBO Labs, in-person workshops that students attend to receive personalized, extended reference help.  In 2003 the Libraries received the American Library Association’s Information Today Library of the Future Award for LOBO.  The award committee cited the effective use of information technologies, the links to virtual reference services, and the strong collaboration between librarians and faculty teaching freshmen composition in developing the tutorial.

To orient faculty and staff to the Libraries, options include arranging for specialized orientations, a virtual tour and a self-guided tour.

As the virtual tour might suggest, the NCSU Libraries’ web-based instructional offerings are heavily used.  During 2001-2002, 175 subject-oriented library web pages received approximately 137,865 hits from 21,664 unique visitors.  Examples of instruction on the Web include a virtual tour of the main and branch libraries, introductions to Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC), and other electronic resources and tools; and numerous guides for locating information in a variety of formats and disciplines. 

Instruction sessions can be offered in the classroom or in the Libraries’ Information Technologies Teaching Center (ITTC).  Distance Learning Services staff deliver classroom instruction in person at a number of off-campus sites and via Internet videoconferencing.   During 2001-2002, library staff made 540 presentations and reached 12,638 participants.

The Libraries provides multiple ways for faculty and students to request assistance: in person, by telephone, by electronic mail, or via chat sessions on the Web.  With the SearchAssist service, specialist librarians can provide faculty and students engaged in research with individual assistance and consultation on specific topics and resources.

The Librarian for Instruction and Undergraduate Research in the Research and Information Services Department, and the Instruction Librarian for Distance Learning Services provide coordination for the instructional program.  

Much effort in recent years has gone into training faculty members in effective use of information resources.  Subject specialists in Collection Management, Research and Information Services, and the branch libraries are available for individual consultations with faculty members in integrating information resources into the classroom and online.

For instance, librarians work closely with faculty in developing instruction sessions, constructing web pages that organize information sources, and creating library research assignments.  Each specialist and branch librarian dialogues with faculty members to determine ways to integrate information skills into multi-year curricular programs. 

The Libraries is committed to educating faculty and staff about new information technologies and recently opened the Learning and Research Center for the Digital Age (LRCDA).  The LRCDA includes the following services.

  • Through workshops, seminars, and consultation, the Libraries’ Scholarly Communication Center serves as a resource on scholarly communication issues such as copyright and fair use as they relate to library collections and services; its staff includes a copyright and intellectual property law specialist
  • Part of DELTA, the Learning Technology Service collaborates with librarians to help faculty develop digitally delivered instruction and integrate library resources and services into courses on the Web
  • The Information Technologies Teaching Center consists of three teaching labs where the Libraries, LTS, and Computing Services offer hands-on instruction in the latest software, hardware, and communications technologies
  • The Digital Media Laboratory provides equipment, software, and assistance for creating digital materials and converting all types of media to digital formats 
  • The Usability Research Laboratory offers state-of-the-art equipment capable of collecting video, audio, and computer data from the user in real time for observation and analysis
  • Scheduled for implementation after renovations have been completed, the Multimedia Seminar Center is being planned as a presentation and seminar facility with videoconferencing and projection capabilities

Finally, in response to requests from students and faculty, the NCSU Libraries provides instructional sessions for the citation management software EndNote.  The WebCT Libraries Link tells faculty how to add customized resources from the NCSU Libraries to any WebCT course.

Information Technology Division (ITD)
The Information Technology Division (ITD) trains faculty in the use of the university’s academic computing environment. 

The ITD participates in new faculty orientation sessions and offers free workshops to faculty, staff and graduate students throughout the year.  In 2002, 77 workshops were offered with more than 675 attendees.  ITD provides customized workshops for faculty or their classes when requested by a department or instructor.  ITD also provides online and CD-based instruction and Help!, a database of 2500 previously asked questions about computing at NC State University.

Training in administrative software is offered through the Employee Education Program of Administrative Services.  The Computer Training Unit offers continuing education courses to faculty and staff on computer and application use, networking and programming.

Faculty have access to direct individual technology support from the ITD Help Desk services, from college and departmental staff.  The ITD Help Desk logged, resolved or otherwise handled more than 17,000 calls for technical help in 2002.  Of these, 9,123 were from faculty or staff.  Each academic department provides desktop computer support and other direct technology support resources for faculty.

Distance Education and Learning Technologies Applications (DELTA) Programs
DELTA provides regularly scheduled and customized workshops, instructional consultation, and a wealth of web-based and print resources.  In addition, it also offers a Teaching with Technology Seminar Series, a Summer Institute, and the Instructional Technology Assistant Program (ITAP).

DELTA’s Learning Technology Service provides technical training workshops, seminars focused on integrating technology with the learning process, and sessions focused on topics of current interest.  More than 420 instructors and staff participated in workshops in 2001-02.  DELTA also provides free customized training for faculty, staff and graduate students involved in web-based/enhanced technology instruction.  Staff from Learning Technology Service and from Distance Education can answer questions about online teaching, course management systems, distance education, and so forth.  In 2001-02, more than 175 faculty, students and staff received customized training. 

Offered in conjunction with the Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning, the “Teaching with Technology” seminar series guides faculty members as they learn how to teach courses on the Web.  A similar service offered to faculty is the Summer Institute, a one-week session covering the pedagogical, technical, management, and policy aspects of instruction on the Web.  The fourth annual Summer Institute on Teaching and Learning with Technology brought together over 40 faculty members from across the university to participate in an intense week of activities related to TLT. 

In collaboration with the Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning, DELTA’s Faculty Development Services staff broadcasts Learning Technology Service seminars and workshops that expand access to faculty development opportunities for all viewers in the Cooperating Raleigh Colleges Education Channel viewing area (Time-Warner Channel 18).  

The Instructional Technology Assistant Program (ITAP) provides training in the technologies and resources used to develop online educational materials at the university. The program’s goal is to increase the availability of local technical support for faculty engaged in online course development.  In its first three years, 73 staff and graduate students have graduated from the program.

The LTS website contains course materials, information about tools and services, and a tools matrix that helps users learn about instructional technologies.

Distance Education faculty manuals are provided to each faculty member who teaches a distance education course, either in written or electronic form. The DE and LTS websites provide additional information to assist faculty in course development, availability of university resources to develop a course web site, training in course management systems, technological enhancements of course materials, library services and links to university policies and procedures. 

The Colleges
Colleges and academic departments provide additional technology training and support to faculty, depending on programmatic goals and college IT resources. 

  • The College of Education's Center for Learning Technologies provides workshops and resources “to keep the college aware of the technology available for enhancing learning, research, and professional practice,” and “to provide an environment for experimentation with technology for instruction"
  • The College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences trains faculty and students to use discipline-specific technologies ranging from Matlab to high performance computing clusters
  • The College of Engineering provides exemplary training resources for students and faculty as well as centrally coordinated IT support for departments.
  •   The First Year College encourages all FYC advisors/mentors to take IT workshops in commonly used productivity tools

Supplementary Information
Core Requirements #9 summarizes library and other learning resources available to users and summarizes the means for accessing those resources.

Comprehensive Standards: Educational Programs  #14 provides additional information about training and support for students.

Comprehensive Standards: Educational Programs #25 surveys the software tools used to provide and support access to the learning resources detailed in this report and provides information about facilities. 

Comprehensive Standards: Educational Programs #27 describes staffing levels and qualifications for the programs and services described in this report.

References

NC State University Home --> Accreditation Home --> Compliance Reports --> Programs 3.8.2