PurposeResearch at the Open University Library Services in the United Kingdom has been investigating the relationship between access to online library resources and student success to help to understand whether there is a similar relationship at a distance-learning university to that found in other institutions.
Design/methodologyThe study analysed online library resource data from access logs from the EZproxy and OpenAthens systems. A data set of 1.7 million online resource accesses was combined with student success data for around 90,000 undergraduate students and a series of analyses undertaken.
FindingsThe study found a pattern where students who are more successful are accessing more library resources. A Chi-square test indicated a statistically significant association between library resource accesses and module result, while an Anova test suggests a medium sized effect. The study also found that 152 (76%) of 199 modules had a small, medium or large positive correlation between student success, measured by the overall assessment score, and online library resource accesses.
Originality/valueThis study builds on evidence that there is a relationship between library use and student success by showing that this relationship extends to the setting of a non-traditional, innovative library service supporting part-time distance learners.
The Library's Information Literacy Unit,
launched in 2002, has produced an IL Strategy
for the University and coordinates an ongoing
work programme, including face to face
training, the development of online materials,
input into courses throughout the curriculum
and stand alone online courses. The idea was to
develop a tool of some kind which would
enable us to measure the effectiveness of our
various interventions, to allow learners to
ascertain their level of skills and hence
understand their development needs in this area,
and also to help us to understand the needs of
our learners (students and staff). We were also
interested in possible research applications in
the future.
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