Ministry of Defence - Information Services Group – Information Literacy
Overview
The MoD Glasgow Information Centre team devised a programme of four 30-40 minute seminars for customers, designed to help them improve their Internet search techniques, be aware of online safety issues and discover the full range of the Web beyond the material easily found by standard search engines. The aim was to equip them to do their own basic searching more efficiently and safely, but also to encourage them to use their local information centre for the more in-depth, value-added searching in support of their business needs.
The final programme covered:
- Refinement techniques for improving search on
- Google and other standard search engines
- Search tools and resources other than Google
- The Deep Web and Web 2.0 – what they are and techniques for searching them
- Safety and security online
Seminars were designed to be able to run over consecutive lunchtimes (they can also be delivered as a single-day package, depending on unit requirements), and the first three were interactive: depending on the facilities available, attendees could follow activity on a large screen, or follow the trainer’s instructions at individual terminals. Supporting material covered all aspects of each presentation, with examples and weblinks, so that customers could practise what they had learned in their own time.
User Feedback
The seminars were rolled out in the main Glasgow building first, and have since been taken to other MoD units around the country. Feedback forms were designed to check whether the course had met expectations, the pace and delivery of the training and whether customers had gained from it. To date, responses have been overwhelmingly positive, suggesting the course has filled a genuine knowledge gap.
The majority of forms returned, even without written comments, have classed the programme as “Very Effective”.
The seminars have enabled us to help customers; demonstrate our professional skills as searchers and researchers; and raise awareness of Information Services Group and the Defence Library community.