1. Installation of ECR

In January 1996 the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) Library installed a 10-workstation electronic classroom linked to the Library's LAN, with an instructor's workstation controlled by a TECH Commander console and equipped for large screen output through a ceiling-mounted LCD projector for demonstrations to larger groups. The technical specifications for the installation are:

• 10 student PC work-stations (75Mhz Pentiums with hard disks)

• 1 instructor PC workstation (75Mhz Pentiums with hard disk)

• TECH Commander RGB 200 console

• nVIEW, nFINIT, LCD projector in overhead bracket, linked to console.

To our knowledge, this is the first such installation in a university library in South Africa; this joint paper reflects the experience of its first year of operation, which has been a learning curve for the authors as well as the students. It is not an academic paper but a description of some practical experiences and empirical conclusions drawn from them.

The Internet bibliographic instruction listserv, BI- LIST, regularly carried, during 1994 and 1995, requests for information about equipment for, and academic applications of, "electronic classrooms" and, when Wits Library was starting to investigate further IT systems development, a generous allocation from the budget made feasible serious consideration of such a facility. The head of the Library Computer Services department was able to obtain quotations from a number of vendors; it soon became clear that one Johannesburg company was significantly the most experienced in such installations. They have proved to be an excellent choice and have maintained an interest in their installation and continued to provide support whenever it has been needed.

The ECR was installed in a large area of the main Wartenweiler Library, which could be well secured physically and alarmed to limit all but authorized access. The supply and installation of purpose-built workstation desks, an workstation with the console, a ceiling-mounted LCD projector, a large projection screen, track-mounted white board and flip chart were all carried out by the company selected. The Pentium PCs for the workstations and the hub and data points connecting the ECR with the Library's LAN were supplied and installed by other vendors regularly used by the University's central Computer Network Services. Additional separate air-conditioning and security were supplied through the University. The optional system of audio links between the instructor's desk and each student workstation could not be included on the budget available but is not essential and can be added subsequently.

The ECR is laid out and connected on the same principles as a language laboratory. The instructor's console allows several screen and instructor/student workstation permutations. The student keyboards can be locked; the instructor's screen can be shown at each workstation and, simultaneously if required, through the LCD projector on to the large screen. Student screens and keyboard scan be released for independent work. The console can be set to scan each screen in rotation, or show any particular student screen, on the instructor's monitor or, if required, on the large screen. Student screens can be blanked out if the instructor only wishes to demonstrate on the large screen (if for example, a larger class than can be accommodated at the workstations, is present). While the audio links would enhance the ECR, it is still possible for the instructor to monitor and intervene very effectively with individual users on the basis of the scanning process. All console settings can be changed with a keystroke at any stage in a training session.

2. Use of the ECR for Training Library User

The ECR was commissioned in time for the orientation period at the beginning of the 1996 academic year. At this time of year Wits Library, in common with all tertiary academic libraries, is inundated with new students who have never experienced a library of this size and complexity and need to learn, in the first place, how to find their prescribed reading. The traditional way of doing this has always been to assemble groups of students at regular times throughout the day followed by hands-on practice around the OPACs. The ECR immediately provided a vastly improved physical environment in which to carry out such a demonstration and practice, allowing at least 20 students at a time, in pairs at each workstation, to follow the Readers' Adviser. The ECR proved also to offer an added advantage in the formal classroom setting, which tended to encourage more attentive attitudes in new students. At the same time, the OPACs for general use in the Library were not occupied by training sessions for several weeks. Once the pressing physical need for OPAC training during the first few weeks of term had eased a little, more extensive applications of the ECR for enhancing information skills within the context of the Library became apparent and have been the main focus of the use of the ECR.

In addition to OPAC circulation and catalogue access, the Library has a separate server providing access to networked CD-ROM databases. These can also be used in the ECR. Public access to the Internet is not yet widely provided in the University as a whole. The Library, however, has two public Internet work-stations (for which bookings can be made), and the ECR offers training for staff and students in accessing academically-related resources. (It should be stressed at this point that the ECR is not a "walk-in" computer lab; it is specifically used for training students, academic staff and Library staff to access and use the electronic resources available through the Library.)

Training, either at first year undergraduate or more sophisticated research student levels, is never presented simply as technical hands-on experience but as a broadening of the students' information spectrum. The structure of each session varies according to the time available and the size and level of skills and subject knowledge of the group. They are usually planned and run by two or three members of the Library staff including, as the library network develops, divisional librarians.

A session requested by academic staff for a particular course is generally through the Library, as well as in the students' own wider environment, and the application of this to learning and research needs. This approach is not always successful: confronted with a 20-minute introduction about the nature of information searching as experienced by students at different levels, from looking for prescribed reading lists to subject searches in which they must now exercise selection and discrimination and enter into an interactive and personalized relationship with a much wider range of resources, some academic staff express a wish to cut out all the "theory" and get on with the specific application. On the other hand, there are those academic staff who are delighted that these aspects of research methodology have been reinforced.

This introduction is followed by a demonstration showing how to access resources, after which the group works on supervised hands-on individual information retrieval. Interactive and personalized training can be tailored to a group's interest, needs and skills as it progresses. Printed handouts reinforce the electronic information experience. Finally, because the output of academic information retrieval is often in the form of references to primary sources, the third part of the training session, whenever possible, is a subject-specific visit to relevant sections of the University Library system.

3. Use for Library Staff Training

In addition to the impact on academic users, the increased availability of electronic information resources in the very decentralized Wits Library system has created an urgent need for more staff training at every level. Wits Library offers its services through two large "main" libraries on campus, two off-campus professional libraries (medical and business) and several smaller divisional ones physically linked to different teaching faculties. The staff in these libraries are not always trained subject librarians but become so; most library assistants are required, through chronic staff cutbacks, to carry out a range of "professional" information functions which include considerable guidance to users in information work. Through the ECR, staff attend regular training sessions and demonstrations on how to use more more basic skills such as WordPerfect and Windows. Outside organizations (e.g.. SABINET, NISC, ISI) also arrange to use the ECR to introduce Library staff to new features or versions of their products.

4. The Effect of the ECR

The effect of the ECR has been, in its initial 9 months, beyond our expectations. Records kept of the use of the ECR since the start of the 1996 academic year show that over 1000 people attended close to 100 training sessions from mid-January to September 30. Further analysis shows that this total includes approximately 500 first year undergraduates and 300 senior undergraduate and graduate research students. There were over 200 registered attendances from Library staff at all levels. The ECR has become a powerful means by which we are able to "retool" our library to meet the challenges of the new information technology, to the benefit of all library users at the University. It has provided a direct, active learning environment for undergraduate and graduate students and their teachers, and the staff of the university library. The aim of training carried out in the ECR is the empowerment of information users at all levels, to develop information handling skills not only in the technical use of the Library's electronic resources but in the critical broader arena of information literacy in South Africa today.

The section that follows gives concrete examples from these training sessions. In the future we hope to expand our training to academic staff, particularly those with small graduate research classes, so that they can integrate the use of electronic resources in particular subject fields into their research methodology teaching. The third part of this presentation, from the School of Law, shows how this can be done.

PART 2. CASE STUDIES IN TRAINING WITH THE ECR

For every type of training, remember the following table:
 

CASE 1:

Library staff acquiring new skills, e.g. Windows

Level of skills: Basic computer literacy.

The complete lesson took one and a half hours. At the end, staff were asked to practice the tutorials from their own workstations (on the Network). They were told they would be tested before being allowed to continue to the next training session.

CASE 2:

M and D Education students (Maths and science)

Level of skills: High subject knowledge, but low level computer skills. First exposure.

Wits University is making a special effort to offer upgrading courses to Education graduates and there are many classes of experienced teachers who are about 10-15 years away from their original studies. Many of them are from the historically disadvantaged black community and have few information-handling skills to begin with. Many of the white students, however, have also not had exposure to electronic resources because they too qualified in the early 1980s when these were not generally available.

This training session followed the format described in Part 1 above.

Typically, the large screen is used to give an overview and simple demonstration, then the class switches to the individual PCs for hands-on practice.

The whole lesson focuses on the extent of the resources available. There is no attempt to teach the students in detail HOW to do the search at this stage, but they are encouraged to to come back later, when they have an actual need and get more personal instruction on their particular situation.

One of the greatest problems with this sort of class is that the students have been in teaching positions themselves, and have difficulty in turning themselves around into the role of the inquirer. The class is usually asked for suggestions for topics, or authors to use in the searches. This in itself is part of the learning exercise. Students need assistance in actually formulating the questions.

CASE 3:

Staff of the Department of Civil Engineering.

Level of skills: High subject knowledge, average computer skills, mainly in computational applications.

Engineers are a delight to teach! They are usually confident in their own knowledge, but also eager to ask questions about anything that catches their interest. In this case the class was a group of hydrology staff members who wanted to know more about the Internet.

Some preliminary "surfing" on the part of the trainer before the session was needed, to establish what was available. LISZT was used to look for listservs that discussed hydrology, or related subjects, and Yahoo directories to trace hydrology resources. A Net Search was also done on hydrology. There seemed to be quite a lot available.

A handout was prepared with the addresses of the listservs, and the URLs of some of the resources, and included a fairly standard guide to the Netscape screen from a personal file. The most promising site was also downloaded, together with as many as possible of the most promising links, so that a simulated search could be demonstrated. This is always done, especially if the demonstration is in the afternoon, firstly because the 'Net in South Africa is very slow at that time, and secondly because it sometimes does not work at all.

The class was very computer literate, but for computational purposes only. The idea of using a computer for information retrieval was a novelty to them. The validity of the information on the 'Net, and related subjects like copyright, were discussed. Next they were taken through the Netscape screen, and discussed the available options and buttons. The Wits Sunsite page is used as a home page for this sort of demonstration, as it has a fairly typical layout and good local links.

A quick run through the simulated package wrapped up the demonstration part of the lesson. The PCs were released to the class and the rest of the time was spent experimenting. As a student found an interesting site, it could be displayed for the class on the large screen.

WHAT WE'VE LEARNT FROM THE ECR

Evaluations

After each class staff are asked to fill in a simple evaluation form which helps assess how the criteria mentioned above have been met. At this point training appears to be meeting perceived needs very well. The classroom is an excellent facility for training but the problem remains that students need to be able to put their skills into practice. There is a lack of easily accessible computer facilities throughout the campus that needs to be seriously addressed.

General Conclusions

The first principle of Information Transfer is compatibility. This applies to humans too! The trainer/teacher needs to be 'downwardly compatible'. This means that in order to raise the information consciousness of the trainees, the trainer needs to be aware of where they are at present. Otherwise it is like trying to make Windows 95 work on an XT. It is necessary to work through a series of upgrades, uniquely tailored to the needs of the students: who are they? What do they need to know? What do they NOT need to know? What is the best method of achieving this goal? I do not believe that one can use a completely standardized training format to suit all cases; human intervention is necessary. The technology is there, but it is the sensitivity of the human trainer to the unique needs of the students that determines the ultimate success of any program.

The medium is the medium. What happens to the message? At the Hypermedia conference held in Pretoria earlier this year, there was an incredible display of multi-media presentations. Which presentation do I remember best? The one by Dana van der Merwe, on copyright and the new technologies. What sort of presentation was it? A simple one using hand-written overheads! As trainers we should not to get carried away by the ease with which it is possible to present information using the new technology. What the audience should remember is the content of the message, not the presentation graphics! Communication is a two-way process and the recipient has to receive and understand the message before true communication, or teaching, can be said to have taken place.

The message should suit the starting level of the audience. Why is someone doing a training/presentation? Is it to show the audience how much s/he knows about the subject, what an expert s/he is? Unfortunately this very often is the case: how often has one not asked an expert a simple question, only to be swept away by a whole lot of words that in fact do NOT answer the question? Trainers should also be asking the question "Why do they want to know", or, "why are they here at all?". Training should be tailored to the needs of the audience in order to be effective.

Timing is also crucially important for teaching/training. A first exposure should be informational only. Training works best when there is a genuine need for it, and if the audience is not ready for training, it is wasted. A certain amount of informational preparation is necessary before actual hands-on training takes place. When all that is needed is a "quick-fix", then a "cook-book" approach may well be justified.

PART 3. COMPUTER LITERACY COURSE AT WITS LAW SCHOOL AND USE OF THE ELECTRONIC CLASSROOM

In a paper entitled "Research in a changing world of law and technology" Morris Cohen refers to the three pillars of legal education as books, libraries and research (Cohen 1990). Information technology provides the key for optimal access to and use of these three elements.

Law is notable for the enormous volumes of text which practitioners and students have to use. Computers are ideally suited to storing and processing large volumes of text-based materials, and we are therefore rapidly moving towards the marriage of information technology and the law.

The ECR in the Wartenweiler Library at Wits has provided an ideal arena for developing computer and information literacy skills in LLB students. For the past two years, the faculty has offered an optional course in computer literacy for law students. This course aims to equip students with the skills required in legal practice. The ECR has made it possible to cover a wider range of computer resources, and promote the exploration of the computer by law students.

The need to produce marketable graduates is essential as competition for placement intensifies, and as the legal profession becomes increasingly business oriented. Efficiency and effectiveness of staff in legal practice is closely monitored and there is pressure for cost effective services to clients in order for law firms to remain competitive. Practically everything a lawyer does involves dealing with (or producing) written documents. Word processors are now integral in the efficient preparation of documentation. The number of support staff in law firms is diminishing as more and more practitioners prepare and store their own documentation. Furthermore, most large law firms now have some form of local area network in place, and inter-office communication over the LAN is now standard practice.

The LLB curriculum is currently under review nation-wide in South Africa, and proposals for new curricula emphasize an increased skills component, particularly focusing on effective research skills. While the computer is the key to the vast and rapidly increasing body of law, it is essential to highlight the need for critical evaluation and assessment of research sources and results. It is anticipated that this computer literacy course will be integrated into a wider credit bearing course focusing on research and computer skills for law students in the near future.

The Computer Literacy Course

The course begins with basic computer and word processing skills (with legal functions and documentation in mind) and then introduces students to searching and effective use of electronic legal resources on CD-ROM and online. The outcome will, it is hoped, be students who can effectively search for and retrieve relevant information from a range of electronic sources, and integrate this retrieval into their research and final documentation. The aim is to get students to use the computer as a tool for effective legal practice, and introduce them to the scope and potential of computing in general, which is useful for both their academic and professional careers.

Electronic mail is used for communication between the lecturer and students on a regular basis. They are encouraged to use e-mail for casual communication to familiarize themselves with it. Students seem to find e-mail very gratifying and easy to use, which is helpful in breaking down the fears and resistance to technology which some students have.

Ethan Katsh suggests that law itself is currently undergoing a fundamental change as a direct result of the improved access to legal information resources facilitated by information technology (Katsh 1989). In essence communication is the lifeblood of the law and, as communication technology is enhanced, so it has a direct impact on the practice of law. The ECR introduces students to the networked environment, and helps to produce functionally computer-literate graduates.

Electronic Classroom vs Standard Computer Laboratory

The ECR allows the teacher to demonstrate clearly a new function to all students, and then give them each a chance to practice the new function at their own pace. Other PC laboratories at the University have no facilities for demonstrating to students, which makes it much harder for students to understand the task they are aiming towards in their learning. The ability for the teacher in the electronic classroom to switch and view what a student is doing from the instructor's monitor, makes it very easy to pinpoint particular difficulties a student may have. Similarly students who are more advanced, can explore additional options and the instructor can coach them at their own specific level during the "practice" times.

In the laboratory situation additional tutors are required to ensure that students are not floundering, whereas in the ECR there is less need for assistant tutors in the class and the relationship between the students and the instructor is emphasized, which is also advantageous. This is also a cost saving for the department. Cultural diversity in our student population places unique challenges on teaching in a skills-based course. The flexibility of interaction between trainer and student provided in this environment prevents students some from becoming bored while others are unable to keep up. The classroom provides an excellent environment in which to focus on "student based learning," where the student learns through exploration of resources under the supervision of the teacher (Goh 1994). This ability for students to learn and experiment on their own following basic instruction in the classroom is emphasized when students work in pairs. It is noticeable how much better students progress when they work together. Again this emphasizes the interactive element, fostered by the ECR, which is very beneficial in the learning process. Experimentation is encouraged, with reference to the instructor being quick and specific.

For the research component of the course, students are taught Boolean searching on reference and full text legal databases on CD-ROM. Students are introduced to the Internet, focusing on the World Wide Web as a convenient platform for accessing the huge range of legal materials now freely available on the Internet. An emphasis on critical evaluation of resources and search results. The pitfalls and the highlights are discussed with the intention of making students more selective and "critical" of their selection and use of legal resources. The ECR has helped to change the learning behavior of the students by being a more interactive environment and resulting in more motivated learners. Furthermore, I believe that it is vital for students to see the "computer skills" component of their education as being based in the library, because the law library is the center for learning and research.

The ECR has provided a substantially better teaching environment than the computer laboratories on campus, and has equally provided a significantly improved learning environment for all its users.
 
 

REFERENCES

Cohen, M. L. (1990). Research in a changing world of law and technology. Dalhousie law Journal, 13: 5-19.

Erwin, R. (1995). User Friendly. 3rd ed. Durban: Upward Trend.

Goh, B C. (1994). Some approaches to student-centered learning in legal education. Law Teacher, 28: 158-167.

Katsh, M E. (1989). The Electronic Media and the Tansformation of Law. Oxford: Oxford University Press.