In the Netskills Corner for this issue, Walter Scales summarises the 2nd International Symposium on Networked Learner Support (NLS), held on the 23rd and 24th June 1997 in Sheffield. This article appears in the Web, and not the print, version of Ariadne.
The Symposium, organised by The Networked Learning and Work Research Group at the Department of Information Studies in the University of Sheffield, was held in a very convenient location in Sheffield: lecture rooms, dining and bar facilities and bedrooms were all in one building, Halifax Hall, one of the University's halls of residence. The grounds were nice, too, complete with squirrels and at least one owl.
The programme didn't differ from the advertised programme, and ran very smoothly and exactly to schedule. The way it was arranged meant that everyone could attend all the papers. All the papers and most abstracts were placed on the Web well in advance of the Symposium, and this was alluded to more than once by speakers and participants alike as exemplifying the best spirit and practice of NLS. The papers and abstracts are shown in the programme below, under the respective links paper and abstract. A (very subjective) summary of the papers can be found by following the links summary.
The Symposium's declared aims were twofold: to focus on the potential of computer-mediated communication (CMC) in general and the Web in particular, and to discuss the organisational and professional development issues associated with the NLS role. These aims were to be tackled under the three heads of:
The welcome by Professor Tom Wilson, Project Head of NetLinkS, made formal reference to the work of Nick Bowskill and Sarah Ashton, as well as the Project Management and technical support. Tom also pointed up the fact that the term NLS seems to have now passed into commonly accepted usage.
| 10.30-11.30 | Registration & coffee |
| 11.30-11.45 | Welcome and introduction to the Symposium |
| 11.45-13.15 | Helene Williams & Anne Zald, University of Washington: "Redefining
roles: librarians as partners in information literacy education" Abstract | Paper | Summary Madeleine McPherson, University of Southern Queensland: "Practising the
paradigm shift: real world experience of on-line support" |
| 13.15-14.15 | Lunch |
| 14.15-15.45 | Bob Hunter, University of Lincolnshire & Humberside: "The development,
delivery and support of the Effective Learning Programme at the
University of Lincolnshire and Humberside" Abstract | Paper | Summary
Bob Banks, Fretwell Downing Data Systems "Beyond the on-line library -
the learning environment" |
| 15.45-16.15 | Tea |
| 16.15-17.45 | Tracey Mulvaney, University of Birmingham "The TAPIN Electronic
Libraries Project
and the experience at the University of Birmingham" Abstract | Paper | Summary
Trine Schreiber & Camilla Moring, Royal School of Librarianship,
Copenhagen: "The communicative and organisational competencies of the
librarian in networked learner support" |
| 19:00 | Bar & Symposium dinner |
Tuesday, 24th June
| 08:00-08:45 | Breakfast |
| 09.00-10.30 |
Jo Pye, University of Exeter: "Academic partnership in NLS resource
design: a European case study" Abstract | Paper | Summary Christian Langenbach & Freimut Bodendorf, Friedrich-Alexander-University
of Erlangen-Nuremburg: "Learner support in a distributed learning
environment - the use of WWW-based teachware packages" |
| 10.30-11.00 | Coffee |
| 11.00-12.30 | Gilly Salmon, Ken Giles & John Allan, Open University: "Large-scale
computer-
mediated training for management teachers" Abstract | Paper | Summary Tina Wilson & Denise Whitelock, Open University: "Facilitation of
on-line learning environments: what works when teaching distance
learning computer science students" |
| 12.30-13.30 | Lunch |
| 13.30-15.00 | Michael Hammond, University of Sheffield: "Professional learning and the on-line discussion" Abstract | Paper | Summary Philippa Levy, University of Sheffield: "Professional development for networked learner support" |
| 15.00-15.30 | Symposium close, tea & departures |
The accommodation and catering (especially the desserts!) were excellent, with lots of fresh coffee to break up what would otherwise have been a rather punishing two-day regimen. Rather surprisingly, the venue seemed to be without networking facilities. The symposium was very vigorous, with not a single instance of cardigan or spectacles-on-a-chain visible. Average age was probably late 30's, with a near-equal male/female mix.
Above all, the symposium was thoroughly enjoyable, with presentations by enthusiastic and knowledgeable speakers, and a friendly and open atmosphere, with hospitable organisers. All the papers were followed by vigorous question and answer sessions.
Note: much of the formatting, all the abstracts and papers, and many of the ideas are as contained in the NetLinkS pages at http://netways.shef.ac.uk/rbase/2ndsym2.htm. The summaries of the papers, however, do not necessarily reflect the views of Netskills or of NetLinkS.
Material on this page is copyright Ariadne/original authors. This article last updated/links checked on 11-Jul-1997