Academic and public librarians are increasingly recognizing the value of online tutorials as a means of providing patrons with the ability to learn information literacy concepts and explore library tools at their own pace and at the point of need. However, a static tutorial video cannot compete with the dynamic, engaging information content that patrons encounter in their everyday lives, and they often fail to produce lasting learning. Studies have shown that providing students with content that requires interaction and participation more successfully keeps their attention and ensures more permanent recall. This presentation demonstrates several steps librarians can take in creating online tutorials to make them more engaging for patrons and, in turn, more useful.

1. Creating Engaging
Information Literacy
Tutorials
MANDI GOODSETT
REFERENCE & INSTRUCTION LIBRARIAN
GEORGIA SOUTHWESTERN STATE UNIVERSITY

2. About the
Audience
DO YOU HAVE IL
TUTORIALS AT YOUR
LIBRARY?

3. Why Engaging?

4. Motivating Learning
 We cannot “learn” our
students
 Learning requires paying
attention
 Motivation -> Persistence -
> Practice -> Learning
 Without motivation, the
quality of the content
doesn’t matterhttps://learningsnippets.wordpress.com/category/motivation/
Michael Allen’s Guide to e-Learning

5. 3 Principles of Engaging Tutorials
From Extra Credits’ video “Tutorials 101”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCPcn-Q5nKE

6. Principle #1
INTERACTIVITY
A.K.A SHOW, DON’T
TELL

7. Why make interactive tutorials?
What does interactive mean to you?

8. Levels of
Interactivity

9. Level 1: Navigational Control
 Pacing
 Video vs. click
through
 Side-menu
University of Wisconsin-Madison

10. Level 2: Quizzing/Assessment
 Quiz questions
throughout
 Short cumulative quiz
 Positive feedback

11. Level 3: Interactive Design
 Drag-and-drop
activities
 Drop-down
menus
 Collapsible units
 Games
Menlo College – Bowman Library

12. Level 3: Interactive Design
 Drag-and-drop
activities
 Drop-down
menus
 Collapsible units
 Games
University of Texas – San Antonio

13. Level 3: Interactive Design
 Drag-and-drop
activities
 Drop-down
menus
 Collapsible units
 Games
Lycoming College

14. Level 4: Guided simulation
 Text input boxes
 Click boxes
 Guide-on-the-side
University of Vermont

15. Level 4: Guided simulation
 Text input boxes
 Click boxes
 Guide-on-the-
side

16. Principle #2 MAKE IT FUN

17. Make It Fun
 Humor/relaxed tone
 Relatable, relevant
material
 Visually appealing
graphics
Eastern Michigan University

18. Principle #3
LISTEN TO YOUR
USERS

19. Listen to Your Users
 Usability Testing
 Early in creation process
 Methods
 Focus groups
 Observation
 Interviews
 Pre/post test
 Survey

20. Takeaway
Making tutorials takes a lot of time and effort.
Make sure yours are creating real learning
moments.

21. Questions?
mandi.goodsett@gsw.edu
http://gsw.edu/library/library-
tutorials/index#

22. Sources
ACRL PRIMO Committee, ACRL Instruction Section. "PRIMO: Peer-Reviewed Instructional Materials Online Site of the Month." PRIMO: Site of the Month.
Association of College & Research Libraries, Apr. 2014. Web. 02 June 2014.
Allen, Michael W. Michael Allen's Guide to E-learning: Building Interactive, Fun, and Effective Learning Programs for Any Company. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley,
2003. Print.
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2014.
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Lindsay, Elizabeth Blakesley, Lara Cummings, and Corey M. Johnson. "If You Build It, Will They Learn? Assessing Online Information Literacy Tutorials." College
& Research Libraries 67.5 (2006): 429-445. Library & Information Science Source. Web. 5 June 2014.
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Slebodnik, Maribeth, and Catherine Fraser Riehle. "Creating Online Tutorials At Your Libraries: Software Choices And Practical Implications." Reference & User
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