How Can You Enhance Your Skills and Library Practice at Your Own Desk?

Hakim BishawiMedical Librarian

Tawam HospitalP.O. Box 15258 Al AinUnited Arab Emirates

Email: hakim@tawam-hosp.gov.ae

Continuing Education for Medical Librarians

Educational opportunities that are planned. Organized learning experiences designed to augment the knowledge, skills and attitudes of those who work in Health Sciences libraries.

Why CE?

The need of new learning. The application of technology. New roles for Librarians. To promote library services. To enhance your skills. Changes in Medical Education. To achieve lifelong learning goals. To improve health care. To improve research skills.

In the past.

No manuals, no training guides, no single event that fostered change in education.

The changing needs of institutions and organizations.

Early 1960’s, two courses: “Basic Punched cards principles for

Librarians” and “Implications for machines in Medical Libraries”

New discoveries and techniques in Medicine. Courses by MLA were limited to basic subjects

i.e. reference tools, cataloging, and database searching.

Traditional education at Library Schools. Declaration: MLA becomes and continue to be

the leader in the education of Health Sciences Librarians.

1990’s -

A new educational policy statement by MLA “Platform for Change”

Revised strategic plan “Shaping the Future”

NLM: “The Education and Training of Health Sciences Librarians”

MLA’s Research policy statement “Using scientific evidence to improve information practice”

Whatever new skills have been required over the years, they can be learned through MLA CE courses: planning, management, personnel, automation, services, specific skills – all are available.

Richard A. Lyders, MLA President: 1992

Problems Encountered

Taking time off work. Traveling long distance. Hotel bookings. Budget cut.

Distance Learning

A general term for education or training that takes place when the instructor and students are separated by physical space.

Distance learning for library patrons & staff will offer convenient opportunities for acquiring new skills & knowledge in a flexible, interesting & easy-to-use environment.

E-Learning

The delivery of teaching materials electronically with the added value of maintaining standards & quality across the board without the limitation of a specific location. It involves the use of multimedia and is interactive.

Multimedia includes more than one form of media i.e. text graphics, animation, audio, video and video conferencing.

Interactivity (interactive learning) is a term that means a computer is used in the delivery of learning materials in the context of education and training.

In an interactive learning environment, a person can navigate through it, select relevant information, respond to questions using input devices i.e. keyboard, mouse, touch screen or voice command system, complete tasks, communicate with others, and receive assessment feedback.

Distance Learning Mediums

Satellite teleconferencing.Videoconferencing.Online Learning.

Satellite Teleconferencing A technology used to send a one-way

video broadcast from one site to many sites through the use of satellite equipment.

A one-way video, two-way audio (1V-2A). Participants can see and hear the

presenter, but cannot be seen by the presenter. They can use a telephone or fax.

Key Points

Satellite uplink equipment & a production studio are required to produce your own satellite teleconference.

Satellite downlink equipment is required to receive (downlink) satellite teleconference events.

Satellite programs

Are purchased from the program provider in the form of site licenses.

Are made interactive through the use of phone/fax by participants.

Can often be videotaped (if authorized by the provider) for later viewing.

How Libraries are using Satellite Teleconferencing

Libraries purchase CE & professional development programs for Library staff as well as educational satellite programming for Library patrons. If a library does not have a satellite downlink equipment of its own, it may partner with an entity possessing satellite downlink equipment to bring the program to staff from both institutions.

How does Satellite Teleconferencing work?

The producer of the teleconference leases satellite time from a satellite owner & uplinks its program to the satellite at the time of the broadcast. The broadcast can then be downlinked by sites with appropriate satellite equipment- these sites simply need to be given the satellite downlink coordinates in order to do so.

How does.. continued

Once the program is downlinked to a particular site, participants at that site can view the broadcast and there is usually time allotted during the broadcast for phone/fax questions from participants to the program presenter.

Free Program Providers

The U.S. Dept. of Education. Medical Programs. The Public Health Training Network. Distributive Learning Networks. Emergency Education Network. NASA.

Library & Information Science program providers

The College of DuPage PBS Adult Learning Service The Illinois State Library The American Library Association The Medical Library Association Association of College and Research

Libraries OCLC

The American Distance Education Consortium (ADEC)

http://www.adec.edu/sat-training/adecsat.html

Videoconferencing

The transmission of image (video) and speech (audio) back and forth between two or more physically separate locations.

Using cameras, microphones, a network and a series of protocols, a person or group of people in one location are able to communicate in real-time with a person or group of people in another location.

Key points – Videoconferencing

Allows live interaction between all participants.

Can be room-based, portable, or desktop-based.

The two videoconferencing platforms, or standards, are H.323 (IP-based) and H.320 (ISDN-based)

Any two videoconferencing units placing a call using the same standard should be able to videoconference with each other.

Key Points…continued If videoconferencing units do not have

the same videoconferencing standard, additional equipment is necessary.

A multipoint control unit (MCU) is necessary for a videoconference involving more than two sites.

Some videoconferencing systems offer features such as application sharing & file sending.

How does videoconferencing work? Vcg. equipment allows audio & video

packets to be exchanged through telecommunications lines between two or more sites. Vcg. can occur over ISDN lines or IP-based lines.

Any two videoconferencing systems with the same standards should be able to conduct a basic videoconferencing.

IP-based (the Internet), fixed monthly costs.

Benefits Enhance understanding & helps

participants feel connected to each other. Building relationships in away that e-mail,

chat, telephone cannot. Supporting collaboration among

traditionally isolated institutions. Includes diverse media i.e. video or audio

clips, graphics, animations, & computer applications.

Impacts student learning

Heightens Motivation. Improves communication, presentation,

& SCANS skills. “Secretary’s Commission on Achieving Necessary skills”

Increases connection with the outside World.

Increases depth of learning.

How Libraries are Using Videoconferencing? Some libraries allow public use of their

videoconferencing equipment and therapy attract new customers & raise money to help cover their telecommunications costs.

have formed private IP-based Videoconferencing networks to allow unlimited videoconferencing between participating libraries on the network.

Member lib. can acquire VC equipment.

How …continued Courses, Lessons, & Tutoring: classes not

offered at their schools, classes during off-hours, and teachers team-teach with remote teachers.

Virtual Field Trips: a small group interviews the author of a book the class is studying, Students meet with university advisors for admission counseling or interviews.

How..

Multi-School Projects: collaboration with schools throughout the district, across the country, or around the world.

Professional activities: Community Events: to support public

interest events, town meetings, government hearings, school board meetings, court functions

Videoconferencing vs. Teleconferencing

Videoconferencing allows for real time interaction among participants while teleconferencing allows for limited interaction.

Videoconferencing (2V-2A) Teleconferencing (1V-2A)

Videoconferencing Equipment Manufactures

Polycom RADVision Tandberg http://www.tandbergusa.com/ind_focus/

education/index.jsp VTEL

Online Learning Refers to a form of distance learning and

other supportive resources that are available through a computer.

Tutorials, short-term online classes, FAQ,

HTML files, multimedia presentation. Organizations create custom classes

from their content or purchase access to an online class from a vendor.

Online Training

Short classes for CE credit. Longer classes to get certificate, under

graduate or graduate-level credit. a course that includes regularly

scheduled lectures by videoconferencing on the Internet, a web page with supplement materials i.e. VT, Email, Listserv, & online tests.

Comparison Computer-based training: courses

presented on a computer, no links to learning resources outside the course.

Web-based training: courses available on the Intranet, extranet, or Internet, there are links. i.e. email, discussions, & vcfg.

Technology-based instruction: training through media other than classroom, includes Pc’s, TV, AT, VT, & print.

More Information

How E-Learning work? http://computer.howstuffworks.com/elearning.htm

UK-based e-Learning Center’s Guide

http://www.e-learningcentre.co.uk/index.htm

- About.com’s Distance Learning

http://distancelearn.about.com/

Creating Online Learning

The Web-Based Learning Resources Library.

http://www.knowledgeability.biz/weblearning/

Online Learning opportunities for Librarians

MLA NLM – PubMed Tutorial. LOC Professional Development Self-serve

workshops. SLA. State Library of Ohio e-Learning center

http://slo.minds.tv/

Opportunities from UK

Health Libraries Group: (HLG)http://www.cilip.org.uk/groups/hlg/index.html

Facilitated Online Learning as an Interactive Opportunity (FOLIO)

http://www.nelh.nhs.uk/folio/

FOLIO

a program of online learning for Health Librarians. It forms part of the NeLH Librarian Development Program to provide support for librarians moving into new roles, focusing on the development of skills in health informatics & knowledge management, especially related to digital libraries.

Previous FOLIO Courses

Project Management Evaluating Your Service Evidence Based Librarianship Information for Social Care Managing Change for Health Information

Professionals

Future FOLIO Courses

Introduction to e-Learning. Planning & Conducting Information

Needs Analysis. Designing & Delivering Information Skills

Training Courses. Making Your Case Successfully.

Opportunities from Canada

CHLA CE Survey

50% are interested in web-based learning.

90% have easy access to web-based instructional opportunities

49% have access to teleconference facilities.

23% have access to Videoconferencing.

CHLA CPD plans

Providing training for potential course developers.

Providing funding for specific course development.

Supporting member participation in other programs.

Opportunities from Europe

Question?

Who will support us in the Region?

Any Online courses in the Region?

Thank You.