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Beyond the Library:i-Skills for University Administration

http://www.netskills.ac.uk/

© Netskills, Quality Internet Training, Newcastle University

Partly funded by the

Helen Conroy h.c.conroy@ncl.ac.uk

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Outline i-Skills programme

Background Research Workshop programme

The self-assessment tool Development Key features

Future plans

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What are i-Skills?

"The ability to identify, assess, retrieve, evaluate, adapt, organise and communicate information within an iterative context of

review and reflection"

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i-Skills for Administration2006 Netskills

Research, workshops and self-evaluation tool

Leeds and Loughborough Universities Exemplifying the i-Skills model in specific job

roles Exploring implications for staff development

2007 Netskills funded to Prepare self-evaluation for online conversion Run a series of workshops for staff development

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Survey & InterviewsLiaison with AUA (Association of University

Administrators)Online survey of information use

Jan/Feb 2006, 290 responses From 75 HE institutions 65% had a management role

20 telephone / face-to-face interviews From junior accounts assistant to a Registrar

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Quotes There's too much of it, and it gets filed 'just in case'. I spend too

much time 'sifting' electronic information. Keeping up with innovation in the light of speed of change and

development. Volume of inappropriate emails, being included on email

circulation which is totally unrelated to my area. Not always knowing the correct terms relating to the information

I am searching for. Some papers- especially academic ones- will use words I am not familiar with.

Over use of complicated language. Colleagues' use of e-mail rather than voice communication Colleagues failing to (a) name and file electronic files

appropriately, (b) put proper filenames on documents, (c) share files fully (by using shared folders) and (d) do regular 'house-keeping' (deleting files no longer needed)

Not enough shared knowledge and expertise

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Key Findings Sources of information used

Most used - internal documentation, statistics, professional literature

Least used – institution's library People a frequently used source of information

Assessment of skills Most confident in summarising information, file formats,

managing electronic files and email Least confident in legal issues, search skills, awareness of

sources, managing paper files

Biggest frustrations Poor quality information Volume of information, email, lack of time "Other people"

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Workshop ProgrammeNeeded to cater for diverse needs of

university 'administrators'"Making Information Work for You:

Skills and Strategies for the Information Age"21 workshops training over 270 people from

over 100 institutions April – July 2006 Free places offered Initial programme doubled due to demand

Self-assessment a core part of the workshop

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How did it go?High level of interest

Workshops well received Especially relating to information overload and

lack of knowledge sharing key issues

Attendees welcomed time for reflection Familiar with thinking about their IT skills Resources for development popular

Terminology Few attendees were familiar with any terms

relating to these skills

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Key Issues for Staff Development Skills gaps

Few staff demonstrate the skills and confidence to use information to best advantage

Defining i-Skills Confusion between IT and information skills Lack of recognition of importance

i-Skills not adequately addressed in staff development Most current activity focuses on the academic needs of

students i-Skills seen as a 'library thing' Lack of strategic framework for i-Skills development

Fragmented provision & poor take-up Needs to be focused on the individual

Leeds / Loughborough projects identified related 'gateways' to enhance i-Skills model

Time management, networking and team building

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The Self-Evaluation ToolInitially to be used as part of the workshop

Then made available to institutions Potential to be tailored by institutions

Individualised, reflective and developmental To be used individually and strategically

Trialling Initial piloting Trialling during workshop programme Volunteers

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Issues for the Self-EvaluationMeeting individual needs

Varied use of information in different roles Needs to be usable, practical and relevant

Priorities Whose priority? For job or for personal

development? Everything is high priority!

Self-rating Difficulty to rate a skill where little is known

Institutional context

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2007 ProjectsDevelopment of online self-evaluation tool

User testing event Netskills enhancing content

Improved profiling / diagnostics Case studies Guides for managers

Dissemination programme for staff development

A series of workshops to help embed i-Skills in staff development processes within institutions

8 workshops around the UK

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What Now? Self-evaluation tool

Available Summer 2007 Future developments?

Further refinement by job role Web 2.0 technologies

AUA Continue to build links Annual conference Article in journal Perspectives

Workshop programme "Staff Information Skills: Are you doing enough?" Ends May 2007 - places still available!

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References Netskills information skills projects

http://www.netskills.ac.uk/infoskills JISC i-Skills publications

http://www.jisc.ac.uk/publications/publications/pub_sissdocs.aspx

AUA Perspectives article: H. Conroy, 2007, "Skills for the Information Age" Vol.11, No.1.

e-Staff Development project case studyhttp://e-staffdev.lboro.ac.uk/ (Select Project Outputs > Case Studies)

Big Blue & Big Blue connecthttp://www.library.mmu.ac.uk/bigblue/