Participant Feedback

Journal Entry for Session One

Today I learned more new and interesting facts. I found the PCCC Library was a lot more sophisticated than I thought. I also learned that the Library link on the PCCC web page is very useful and can be used throughout your whole college career and possibly for life.

Before this class, I was not aware that the Library had so many different resources. I had never been in the Library and didn't know that it was as large as it is. I thought it was just a place where people went to study and check out books. Now I know that there about 50 +/- computers that students can use to do homework, papers, or just surf the net. I also found out that the Library as a good size collection of videotapes and CD's that students can use only in the onsite study rooms that are available.

The Library web page is going to be very helpful for my upcoming papers and essays. There is a multitude of information that can be used. You can find books, speeches, articles, periodicals, encyclopedias, dictionaries, and more. There is even a link where you can learn how to cite your information sources correctly. You can also learn how to correctly write in MLA and APA styles. You can even do your labs online. There is so much information that I think it would take a couple of hours to go through it thoroughly.

The link I like the most is Career Resources. I believe that it will prove to be helpful to a lot of students because there are so many that are undecided as to what they want to major in or do for the rest of their lives. I like the fact that it uses your personality to find a career or/and major, because a lot of people decide on a major, graduate, and then finally realize that they don't want to do it anymore.

Ms. Read did a good job of going through and explaining all of the many resources that can be found in the Library and on the web site. Thanks to her, I will be using the Library and web page a lot in the future.

Journal Entry for Session Two

Today we talked about the last class and how we felt about being given homework assignments. We also discussed the homework that was given and whether we understood it or not.

I personally enjoyed last week's class. I learned a lot of things that I probably would not have figured out on my own. I am very happy that we were given the opportunity to learn such valuable information. As I said before, I will be using the Library and the web page throughout my college career.

I didn't mind getting homework. I learned even more by doing the homework. Taking the tour through the virtual library and taking the test to get the certificate was pretty easy. I passed it the first time around. I actually had more trouble finding and printing the certificate than I had taking the tour and finishing the test.

The worksheets we were given were not that difficult either. Most of the answers could be found easily on the web page. Some you had to search a little harder to find. There were only a couple of answers that I had either gotten wrong or couldn't find. For the most part, I didn't have any problems. Doing the worksheets helped me familiarize myself a little better with the web page.

I enjoyed both of the classes that Ms. Read instructed. I learned some very valuable information. She told us that we were her first class, but I think she did a good job of getting the information across to us. I think that these two instructional classes should be made a permanent addition to the class. I believe that a lot of students will benefit from it.

Excerpts from Journals of Other Students

· [The presenter] showed us some very useful sites. The teaching was based on the various sites displayed on the PCCC Library Web page. We learned, for example, that after you find a text, you can e-mail it to your own e-mail account. I found this helpful. I did not know much about working on research using the library catalog. The presenter showed us how to do it. The class was over at 6:45 p.m. and I left feeling that I had gotten something important from the class that would help me a lot.

· I first answered the questionnaire and then did the online mini-course. I became familiar with the library catalog, the encyclopedias, and the dictionaries. All the steps on the instruction sheet were easy to follow. I learned a lot from the exercise.

· I'm not exaggerating when I say I was fascinated with what the library had to offer. Also, I was amazed at how easily accessible things were.

· I thought the Library Experience was very useful and informative. I think that the program should definitely be continued. It is excellent because some people never even use the library or have never been online, so it was a great learning experience and should be continued throughout the college.

· The Library Experience was very helpful. It showed me how there are many resources available online. It also helped me realize that I can go online for basically anything that I need. The teacher was very good at explaining how it was all done. Overall, I was very pleased with what I was taught.

· In class we learned how to access the virtual library provided by PCCC. It is a very useful tool for research assignments. It contains multiple tools in one main site. It is also convenient and saves time because you can research from home and prepare prior to going to the library.

· The library experience was very useful to me. I could already do a little on the computer, but the two classes we had in the library exposed us to the school's Web page, and how to access information from there. I think that there should be more classes.

· The two-day library orientation was very useful to me. It was a very good learning experience because I never would have thought of spending my time in the library until the speaker or librarian told us, as a class, what the library had to offer in terms of books, computers, resources, etc.

· The Internet library assignment made it easier for me to do my research paper that I was already at work on. I feel that you should continue to use this as an assignment because it is very helpful and it makes it so much easier to find information on the Internet.

· It is good to know that there are many sites I can go into for lots of information. It is especially great when doing a research paper because I can choose from nine online resources. The variety of information available is very helpful to me.

· Recently we visited the computer room to learn what the library has to offer. I'm glad we went there for the exercises. It's good to have an idea of just how to get around the Internet and explore all the options for resources. I was surprised to find all the material the college has to offer. My experience with computers is limited, but I did learn a lot in the classes we had.

· This week I completed the Library assignment. I learned a lot of valuable means for finding different resources that will definitely come in handy when I start having to write papers. I do not have the Internet at home, so another thing I learned is that I really need to get on line. I enjoyed doing the career exploration exercise. I followed it through and the outcome was exactly what I am majoring in. That made me feel good that I'm doing the right thing.

· After working on the library exercise for a couple of weeks in class, I had a good sense of what the college Web site has to offer us. Passaic County Community College has done an excellent job to help us, the students, to do well in college. Furthermore, whether I'm doing research or not, I use the college Web site to take me to different links of interest.

· ESL Student: I like this class because it helps me to research any information quickly and effective. This is funny but I used to use many dictionaries to find word meanings and translate words from different languages. Now I can find them easy and without spend any dollar.

· ESL Student: Right away I can tell you that I learned a lot. It was a great opportunity to get more information and more different ways how to use the computer. And it is so helpful for my studying.

· ESL Student: The instructor taught us how to use the computer to get the information you need without having the trouble of surfing aimlessly.

· ESL Student: A few days ago someone came to class and talked about computers. I learned something about it, because I didn't know you could use the website from PCCC at home. He showed us about the Learning Resource Center (Library). There you can find dictionaries that translate into different languages and newspapers from all over the world. Also, you can take classes online. And you can look for books at home and check if they have them at the library and then go pick them up.

· ESL Student: The information literacy instruction was a lot of help for me because I know more about my college, especially our library. I know how it works and what it offers to me in order to be a successful student.

· ESL Student: After this class I know how to find books, and everything what I need.

· ESL Student: In the information literacy class I learned how to use the library catalog if I want to research something. I also learned that there are a lot of websites I can go to and do my research. Before I didn't know how to use the search engines on the Internet but after that class I now know how to use it for my research. The class was really a learning experience for me.

· I'm strongly in favor of the timing and the length of this instructional component. All sections should be taught in the same two-week period. The component was neither too early nor too far into the semester. There was enough time to prepare; yet it was over with before the rush of exams and papers from late October to early December.

· I tried two different approaches to giving this class in the Fall of 2001. For the first class, I introduced the Virtual Library Tour and the LRC Homepage, but on the follow-up classes, one class was held in room A223 where each student had access to a computer, and the other class was held in the regular classroom with just my own access to the projection computer. I felt the results were much better when the follow-up class was held with each student having access to a computer.

· I'd like more "thinking questions" on the Library Exercise.

· Students in both classes seemed eager and willing to learn about the Library and the many resources available to them.

· For the most part, I found the presentations a good way to connect with the students and instructors. The product is excellent and it was satisfying to be able to demonstrate the various features of the Library Web page. The equipment worked well and was easy to use, and the people of Media Services were very cooperative.

· I would have been more comfortable knowing something about the composition of the class. One group had a number of ESL students in it and, had I known, I might have prepared to give a slightly different presentation.

· There is a lot of material to present and I believe in "hands on" demonstrations. My suggestion would be to have students at computers for the second session.

· Many students were grateful for the information and mentioned how much the information literacy instruction would help them with their homework assignments and papers. They took notes and asked intelligent questions about distance education and working online off campus.

· When the time came to go over the Library Exercise, a student informed me that he was unaware of all the resources the Library had to offer and felt that the presentation was very informative and much needed. Another student suggested that additional sessions would be beneficial for various classes. All of the students were pleased to know that they could access the Library page from their homes.

· The conclusion I think we should take away from this experience is positive. The instructional component is a monumental step toward campus-wide Information Literacy. Information Literacy is not just something that is important for libraries; it is important for entire educational institutions.

· Faculty Observer: The Information Literacy component is one of the most enjoyable and informative aspects of the course. The information is very valuable for our students. It provides them with a wealth of knowledge and is a useful resource. Students have displayed a genuine interest in this component. This is quite evident by their attendance and the questions they ask. Students have expressed positive feelings in their journals including they had no knowledge that PCCC had so much to offer. I believe that this part of the course provides a true academic quality that legitimizes this course as a valuable academic tool.