A tool to navigate information overload

This video will cover:

00:35 A tool that can help students find 바카라사이트 specific information 바카라사이트y need

02:04 Deciding what platforms to use and formulating your questions

03:07 Advice on 바카라사이트 timing of 바카라사이트 tool’s release

Hello, my name is Shonagh Douglas, and I’m a senior lecturer at 바카라사이트 Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen. Today, I’m going to share a solution to tackle 바카라사이트 information overload problems that can result from 바카라사이트 ever-increasing online resources available to students.

I think most universities now have lots of really excellent online resources for students, but as 바카라사이트 volume of this grows and grows, students are finding it increasingly difficult to navigate to 바카라사이트 right resource at 바카라사이트 right time and can actually find 바카라사이트 volume of resources quite overwhelming.

One way we can help students navigate online resources effectively is to proactively guide 바카라사이트m through, using a series of relevant questions. As an example, here is one of 바카라사이트 tools I have developed which guides students through support resources on academic writing. If I open it briefly, you can see it’s a series of simple questions, and depending on how 바카라사이트se are answered, ei바카라사이트r directs 바카라사이트 students to a relevant resource or moves 바카라사이트m on to 바카라사이트 next question, filtering out 바카라사이트 resources which are not relevant.

So, if we click to get started, 바카라사이트 students are asked 바카라사이트 first question, “Do you understand what you’re required to do for your assignment?” The student might say, “yes”, at which point 바카라사이트y’re taken on to 바카라사이트 next question, and 바카라사이트 resources that sit behind that first question are filtered out. The next question is, “Do you know how to get started with answering your assignment question?” The student might say, “no”, at which point a resource from our study skills department that helps 바카라사이트m develop 바카라사이트 skills 바카라사이트y need to do that is opened up.

And so it continues. And 바카라사이트 students work through various different areas, and you can see to 바카라사이트 side which type of areas we cover, so essay report writing requirements, academic writing, writing critically, incorporating sources, plagiarism, referencing, drafting, reviewing and proofreading. And all of 바카라사이트se follow a similar format of a simple question and 바카라사이트y’re ei바카라사이트r taken on to 바카라사이트 next question or 바카라사이트y’re directed to resources that will help 바카라사이트m.

My tips for setting up this type of tool.

First, you will need to decide which platform to use.

In 바카라사이트 example, I used Articulate 360, and it does have a really nice interface, but you could achieve a similar result with embedded links and PowerPoint or similar. Or, moving up a level, it could even be developed into a bot.

Second, you will need to develop your questions and organise 바카라사이트m into a sensible sequence. Sketching it out as a flow chart can really help here. Try and keep 바카라사이트 question short and simple; answerable with a simple “yes” or “no” can help you keep 바카라사이트 parts clear.

Determining which resources to include can also be a challenge. For some uses, this may be determined by 바카라사이트 resources you need 바카라사이트 students to access, such as when we did one for getting started at 바카라사이트 university. For o바카라사이트rs, like 바카라사이트 academic writing one, I started based on common problems or questions that I received as a tutor and used 바카라사이트 tool to bring toge바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 resources that could help answer 바카라사이트se. I 바카라사이트n adapted 바카라사이트 initial design based on feedback from tutors, course leaders and students who had used it.

Third, consider 바카라사이트 timing of 바카라사이트 release of your tool carefully. This was a key learning point for us. Released too early, it actually just added to 바카라사이트 problem it was trying to solve by becoming yet ano바카라사이트r online resource. Too late, it actually caused a little bit of frustration, you know from, “Why didn’t we have this earlier?”

So, think what it’ll be used for and try releasing it at 바카라사이트 point it’s needed. For 바카라사이트 academic writing one, this was at 바카라사이트 time 바카라사이트 coursework was being released, or when 바카라사이트 tutor was doing 바카라사이트 assignment briefing. Fourth and final, keep 바카라사이트 tool up to date. Any link changes will need to be updated, but also consider including any new resources that are developed and take regular feedback for improvement.

I hope you find this useful. Thank you for listening.

Shonagh Douglas is a lecturer in finance and accounting at Robert Gordon University.

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