1/3/07 EAA
Information Competence Project
CSU Summer 1999 Fellowship
Stephanie J. Coopman, Associate
Professor Communication Studies
San José State University
January 21, 2000
My project entailed developing a web-based tutorial on Conducting the Information Interview. I developed seven modules and corresponding activities. The site also includes a pre- and post-test, references, and resources.
I completed the tutorial at the beginning of December. Without any "advertising," the site had about 100 visitors in a month. Then, on January 18, I posted the web site address and brief description of the tutorial on a communication studies listserv. The site had over 400 hits in 4 days. I received several emails complimenting me on the site. A colleague from Weber State wrote: "I like your interviewing tutorial. Thanks for making it available." Another from Columbus State U wrote: "This [the interviewing tutorial] is impressive." I even received an email from someone who wants to "buy" the content! (Of course, the tutorial is not for sale. I want faculty and anyone else to use it free of cost.) Finally, a faculty member from Rutgers wrote:
A quick piece of fan mail...I am teaching a grad/undergrad seminar that deals with participatory processes concerning environmental issues. As part of the seminar, I am asking the students to go into the field and do qual research.
Your site is superb. It is the clearest, most insightful explanation I have seen yet of the art of interviewing. In particular, I am pleased that you stress the need to consider purpose. Far too much emphasis is usually placed on technique and too little on the thinking that needs to go on before an interview takes place.
Also, I like the applications. They work.
The question is how the target audience responds. I plan to recommend the site to my students and probably will use some of the exercises. Thanks for your hard work.
Six people have completed the pre-test, although based on the high scores, I suspect they're all faculty members who teach or who are familiar with information interviews. As more faculty incorporate the tutorial into their classes, I'll get a better sense of the utility of each module and application. I am suggesting, although not requiring, that students in the two classes I am teaching online this semester complete the tutorial.
The project was much more work that I had anticipated. For example, I found I needed to include supporting information on critical thinking, observations/inferences, and research on the WWW. I adapted material that I had previously developed for my online classes. I also developed all my own graphics and completed all coding without a web editor for ease of visitor use. This work does not take a great deal of brain power, but it is time-consuming.
I have taught interviewing countless times over the past 12 years. However, I found that I had to think in new and innovative ways to adapt content and activities to a web-based format. While I enjoyed the challenge and opportunity to put my creative skills to work, the time involved was considerable. Nonetheless, I am pleased with the outcome. I will update the site as I receive feedback from faculty who use it in their classes. I thank the CSU Information Competence Work Group for the opportunity to develop the tutorial.
1/3/07 EAA