Delivering a MOOC for literature searching in health libraries: evaluation of a pilot project

Health Info Libr J. 2017 Dec;34(4):312-318. doi: 10.1111/hir.12197.

Abstract

In an era when library budgets are being reduced, Massive Online Open Courses (MOOC's) can offer practical and viable alternatives to the delivery of costly face-to-face training courses. In this study, guest writers Gil Young from Health Care Libraries Unit - North, Lisa McLaren from Brighton and Sussex Medical School and Liverpool University PhD student Michelle Maden describe the outcomes of a funded project they led to develop a MOOC to deliver literature search training for health librarians. Funded by Health Education England, the MOOC was developed by the Library and Information Health Network North West as a pilot project that ran for six weeks. In particular, the MOOC target audience is discussed, how content was developed for the MOOC, promotion and participation, cost-effectiveness, evaluation, the impact of the MOOC and recommendations for future development. H. S.

Keywords: Web 2.0; digital information resources; e-learning; information literacy; literature searching; mobile learning; virtual communities; virtual learning environment.

MeSH terms

  • Computer-Assisted Instruction / methods
  • Education, Distance / methods
  • Education, Distance / standards*
  • Humans
  • Internet
  • Librarians / education*
  • Pilot Projects
  • Program Evaluation / methods
  • State Medicine / organization & administration
  • State Medicine / trends
  • Teaching / standards
  • Teaching / trends
  • United Kingdom