Putting effort into learning: Do evaluative focus and motivational intervention play a key role in performance?

This study examined two factors hypothesized to affect performance in a learning environment. Participants completed a tutorial about evaluating arguments under varying conditions in a 2 (evaluative focus) x 2 (motivational intervention) between-participants design. A personal evaluation focus was emphasized for some participants and not for other participants. Moreover, some participants were exposed to a motivational intervention highlighting room for skill development whereas other were not. After participants completed the tutorial, they completed a post-test that assessed their skills. According to prior research, it was expected that participants who felt either personally evaluated or exposed to a motivational intervention would exert more effort leading to better taks performance. Results indicated that, participants performed better on the post test than the pretest regardless of condition. Howver, these factors may also have consequences for other variables such as task interest and performance anxiety. Therefore, we also measured task interest, and anxiety. Participants in the motivational intervention conditions showed slightly more interest in the task than the participants in the no-motivational intervention condition. There was not a significant effect of motivational intervention on anxiety. While looking into the effects of anxiety, participants reported low levels of anxiety. In general, we hope that this study will inform instructors how to present tasks in order to maximize both performance and motivation.B.S. (Bachelor of Science

Autoimmune Allies Blog Project

My project was based around starting a blog summarizing and sharing my own experiences with autoimmune diseases. I was diagnosed with my first autoimmune disease when I was eight and it drastically impacted the way I grew up and have subsequently lived my life. I wanted to create a platform that both shared these experiences as well as shared information and resources to other people who might be struggling through something similar. I also paired it with another capstone project that involved organizing a local meetup support group for individuals

Privacy, Ethics, and Access in Digital Libraries

This presentation shares privacy challenges that librarians in the Digital Collections Center at FIU have encountered when working with the creators of content in the institutional repository and digital collections. The presenters share a brief history of privacy laws and the ethical concerns inherent in the juxtaposition between access and privacy. This presentation suggests possible solutions for other digital librarians concerned about privacy and take down requests

dPanther: Benefits and Challenges of Building and Managing Your Own Digital Repository

This article addresses the benefits and challenges associated with building your own digital repository platform and managing content, technical hurdles, and partners. The authors discuss the advantages of building a repository that can evolve as standards in the field do and how to handle the problems that arise when you are both the metadata manager and technical support. The authors also discuss difficulties their partners have experienced with the platform and lessons learned. It is the hope that this information will provide those who may be either managing a digital repository or considering a new digital platform, relevant information that will prove to be helpful in the decision-making process

Managing Digital Collections: Case Studies in the Ethics of Privacy

This session explores the often unforeseen challenges and issues associated with the creation and management of digital collections and the privacy concerns that can arise. We will explore how to handle the need for digital anonymity on the part of content creators facing issues such as stalking, harassment, and violence. We will also discuss how to deal with the need for privacy when it stems from issues such as plagiarism and false claims of ownership that are almost always unexpected. We will offer possible solutions and creative ways in which FIU has helped its students, faculty, and researchers maintain their privacy, while simultaneously balancing our institutional goals of open access and accessibility of resources. Our hope is to provide a framework of best practices based on these examples

The Dark Side of Digitized Content: Stalking, Consent, and Subpoenas

Digital librarians work to balance the sometimes competing goals of stewardship and access all while being responsive to the needs of patrons, content owners, and creators. This presentation explores the often unforeseen challenges and issues that can arise with the creation and management of digital collections. While ingesting digitized works into a repository brings up ever-present concerns such as copyright, others challenges exist within the realm of privacy (stalking, harassment, digital anonymity), plagiarism, and ownership (false claims of ownership) that are almost always unexpected. The goal is to further a discussion on these types of issues that digital librarians may face and explore best practices for preventing and dealing with unexpected responses and actions with both the patron and within the digital collection. As a starting point for discussion, we will share examples of subpoenas, plagiarized content, take-down notices, awkward responses from contacted alumni, and the challenge of dealing with victims of stalking and violence. Our hope is to engender a discussion and provide a framework of best practices based on examples and discussion from the presenters

Delivering Bad News: Crisis Communication Methods in Academic Libraries

This exploratory study analyzed the specific crisis communication methods of academic libraries. A survey was sent to library staff at Association of Research Libraries-member colleges and universities to describe if, who, when, and how they communicated bad news to their stakeholders for major, minor, and emerging crises. The findings show that respondents used multiple communication strategies, which varied based on the crisis. The data show that libraries communicated journal and database cancellations and health and safety emergencies more slowly than access issues and were more likely not to communicate those crises at all. Respondents also more frequently chose to communicate journal and database cancellations only when asked as compared to other crises. While access issues and health and safety emergencies were primarily communicated through social media and the library’s website, stakeholders received communication about journal and database cancellations primarily through targeted emails from library liaisons, face-to-face meetings with faculty, and the library’s website. These findings suggest that respondents communicated more quickly for minor crises but were more hesitant for crises that may have presented the potential for reputational harm. The varied responses between crisis types often conflicted with best practices for whether to deliver bad news, and if so, when and by whom. These findings indicate a need for academic libraries to develop comprehensive crisis communication plans which emphasize timeliness and transparency

Facing Truths: Facial Recognition Software in Digital Archives

This presentation discusses research conducted on various facial recognition software and was funded by a LYRASIS Catalyst Fund grant. The goal of the research was to determine whether facial recognition software could be adapted to work with older, often faded or discolored historical photos and still accurately identify faces in photographs. Such software capabilities would be highly beneficial for librarians and archivists in creating quality metadata by identifying unknown people in photos. It would also assist archivists in finding the photos patrons and partners are seeking. The research brought to light the many ethical controversies associated with facial recognition technology, which are discussed here

Consumer Interest in Gardening Topics and Preferred Information Sources

A survey was conducted to quantify what gardening topics consumers were interested in learning and what sources they used to learn about these topics. Approximately half of the participants (48.2%) responded that they were currently interested in a topic. Friend/neighbor/family members (53.4%), garden center staff (51.0%), and gardening books (48.2%) were the most popular sources for this information. University Web sites, Extension offices, and Master Gardener programs were among the least five sources used. Survey results can help Extension personnel with consumer horticulture responsibilities provide appropriate information to consumers. Results can also help provide a measure of Extension impact

Managing privacy: A survey of practices in digital archives and libraries

Building on past research regarding privacy and digital librarianship, this study surveyed managers of digital libraries across the USA to gauge prevalent attitudes regarding individual privacy versus access to information. In the wake of controversy surrounding the European Union’s 2014 ruling regarding the ‘right to be forgotten’, the authors sought to develop a better understanding of how digital library managers in the USA handle privacy concerns, such as takedown requests, especially in light of the strong protections for first amendment rights in the USA. This research explores whether the majority of archives and digital libraries have developed privacy policies and what they consider to be the key elements of a robust privacy policy. The study also explores the shifting attitudes around privacy and access, both of digital library managers and of their institutions, in an effort to determine how these relate to the handling of such requests. Finally, the research examines how often information professionals receive takedown requests from their communities, with the hope of tracking this trend over time. This paper provides an overview of the current landscape involving privacy policies and takedown requests, and highlights some of the fundamental issues facing information professionals so that they may have the necessary resources to develop and implement privacy policies at their institutions