Tonight’s Adobe Connect session was a great opportunity to find out more about my fellow students – where they are, what their time challenges are, what their fears are… as we all face the challenge of returning to study, in an online format over vast distances.

Carole from the CSU Library is a model of what we all aspire to be, and her quick wit and gracious responses reminded me that the role of a University Librarian requires a cool and calm approach… must practice those attributes because they surely don’t come naturally! 🙂

Barbara also modelled lots of other skills too that represent how expertise in Information Services has morphed in this new century. Being able to manage a presentation delivered through a browser, managing chat streams and questions, sponsoring audience participation and clarity of response… all done with good cheer and encouragement to the audience in far flung places.

It’s interesting to consider the level of expertise and confidence required to manage participation in a course completed through a distance education model. It’s all very well to suggest that the answers to all questions are provided on an information dense website, but frustration levels can reach new highs when design features don’t meet user expectations… especially those users who are pressed for time and can’t dedicate the amount needed in order to become familiar with the navigation on a complicated set of websites. This mode of delivery certainly does come with a range of mountains to climb.

Having an opportunity to connect with fellow students and find out what level of access they currently have to a library space, led immediately to offers of connections in real life that will hopefully build a real sense of community amongst this current group of Masters students. Meeting over coffee always ends up resolving fears and building bridges that will provide the support we all need for the challenges that lie ahead in completing a post-graduate degree.

All in all… a great session 🙂

Deb Hogg