Evaluation of student facing web-based services: Any Questions

Background:
This project is one of three that are a part of an evaluation of student facing web-based services, commissioned by the Ministry of Education in 2006. These evaluations were conducted with a view to achieving two main objectives:

• Understanding more fully the impact of each service on users, teachers, schools, and the service providers themselves.

• Determining how web-based services (in general) are currently aligning and integrating with children and young peoples’ overall learning experiences and outcomes.

Description:
AnyQuestions is a collaborative pilot project between libraries, the government and those in the information and education sectors. The project’s aim is to develop an online reference service for all New Zealand school students where they are only one click away from a librarian. The librarian can then help them find the information they need from relevant, quality sources.

The service is intended to act as an additional resource, to work alongside and complement, (but not replace) existing school and public library services - a ‘guide on the side’ at the point and time of need.

The target group for the service is primary and secondary aged students from year 6 – 10 (10 – 14 year olds).

The providers of the service claim its point of difference is that it is people based, offering real time personal assistance, delivered through an electronic medium. Users are put in touch with library staff who use an agreed information literacy approach to help school students identify the information they need and help guide them through quality resources.

Using interactive software customised for this library service, it provides users with direct, real time, online support from a library staff member trained in appropriate resources. This service focuses on supporting the New Zealand curriculum, and is accessible from any Internet connected computer anywhere.

This service is intended to complement each school’s library by providing another channel for their students to find information. It aims to help students develop the skills and knowledge to be able to search effectively themselves in an online environment.

The key perceived benefit of this service over open internet searching is that it is safe and helps students find quality assured information at the right level for their needs, however, AnyQuestions.co.nz is not designed to just hand the answers to the students. The service helps them find the relevant information themselves and helps develop their research skills.

Key findings:
Some of the key findings from the research are summarised below:

• The site appears to be mainly reaching those students who feel confident about their school results

• Students both from within the site’s core target are using the site, as well as older students

• More than ½ of students indicate that they are satisfied with the site overall and with the site’s individual sections

• Boys seem to be happier overall with Anyquestions.co.nz as well as with the individual sections,whereas girls show higher levels of ambivalence

• Students overall have a positive impression of the helpfulness of the librarians and ease of use of the service

• Students predominantly use the site to source answers to homework questions or projects

• Students are turning to the site for support across a wide range of subject areas, but predominantly in social studies and science

• Finding a resolution to queries was the most common learning outcome, from the students’ perspective, whereas information literacy skills were less commonly cited

• Most students are focused on resolution of specific queries, rather than on developing literacy skills, in their interactions with librarians on the site

Report link:
http://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/publications/ict/23917/16879