Students as Knowledge Ambassadors Presenter: Jane Gikandi Ag University Librarian Cooperative University College of Kenya (CUCK) [email protected] http://www.cuck.ac.ke/
Apr 01, 2015
Students as Knowledge Ambassadors
Presenter: Jane Gikandi Ag University Librarian Cooperative University College of Kenya (CUCK)[email protected]
http://www.cuck.ac.ke/
Outline Objectives Introduction Knowledge Ambassadors Rationale for Student Engagement The ambassadors participates in various activities
Information Skills Training Exhibitions Open Access week Participation in workshops Documentaries Collaborative efforts
Challenges Solutions
Objectives Discuss rationale for student engagement Discuss student library advocacy in selected
Universities Share some collaborative efforts Challenges and solutions
Introduction The Kenyan libraries subscribes to thousands of e-journals through the
Kenya Library and Information Services Consortium (KLISC) in collaboration with International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications (INASP).
To promote the resources various libraries use social media, hold exhibitions, develop websites and brochures among others.
These resources are underutilized despite various efforts by libraries to improve utilization
Low usage of the resources due Lack of awareness of availability of the e-resources Inadequate search skills Use of search engines like Google Overreliance on lecturer notes Lack of an information literacy policy Many Lecturers don’t use the resources
Many libraries are developing partnership with students and other stakeholders to maximize on electronic resources use. Some institutions call them student champions, student ambassadors or knowledge ambassadors
Knowledge ambassadors
Knowledge Ambassadors are student volunteers passionate and enthusiastic about promoting library services to their peers.
The ambassadors in collaboration with libraries have been involved in various activities
Rationale for Student Engagement
Need for stakeholders’ involvement Improve communication between library and the
student community Develop user centered services To tap on their energy and creativity More access to their peers in term of time and
numbers The h have their own language of communication
The shift to electronic resources from print requires library users acquire Information Literacy Skills training
Most institutions in Kenya are carrying out information skills training to enable students carry work out their research effectively
Ambassadors have assisted in are mobilizing their peers and class to mount information skills training
The ambassadors suggested training notices at Catholic University of Eastern Africa CUEA- its on notice boards
Information Skills Training
Information Skills training cont…Peer training A knowledge Ambassador demonstrates use of e-resources after training @CUCK Peer training at CUEA
ExhibitionsStudents participation attracts many of their peers to the exhibition stand
Open Access week Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology(JKUAT), Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA), University of Nairobi has been promoting the open access and Institutional repository.
Open access ambassadors @JKUAT
Mr and Miss Open access JKUAT 2010
Open Access week cont…
Participation in Workshops
Student registers for Anti-plagiarism workshop
Student moderating a discussion during anti-plagiarism workshop
Student registers for Anti-plagiarism workshop
Student moderates a session at anti-plagiarism workshop
Documentaries
Taken by Knowledge Ambassadors during the Standing Conference for Eastern Central and Southern Africa (SCECSAL 2012, Nairobi
SCECSAL Documentary
SCECSAL Cultural Evening
Participates in Corporate Social Responsibility
Collaboration with EmeraldEmerald first contact with Knowledge Ambassadors was
during a training of student ambassadors at CUEA
Collaboration with Emerald
1st workshop Knowledge Ambassadors workshop The 1st Emerald Knowledge Ambassadors workshop brought together students and staff from CUCK, JKUAT, Presbyterian University of East Africa (PUEA) and TU-K. Program included ambassadors role and benefits
Collaboration with EmeraldEmerald Publishing has Supported training workshops and promotional materials
Collaboration with Emerald
2ndst workshop Knowledge Ambassadors workshop Support by University Administration CUCK Principal Opened the 2nd Emerald Knowledge
Ambassadors Workshop
Collaboration with Emerald
Nurturing innovation and creativity cont…• During the second Emerald ambassadors
workshop, Emerald had awards for best creativity, presentation and best Emerald user.
• The next slides shows some of the student presentations
Collaboration with Emerald
Nurturing innovation and creativity cont…
Poster by Daystar University Book mark by CUCK
Collaboration with Emerald Cont….Nurturing innovation and creativity cont…
Below is a link to a feature by Daystar University Emerald Ambassadors depicting the use of Emerald on-line resources by Daystar students
https://soundcloud.com/user22894890/daystar-emerald-2014-featurehttps://soundcloud.com/user22894890/commercial-emerald-shine-2014https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXlCCZnvL-Q
Collaboration with Emerald Cont….
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXlCCZnvL-QEmerald Cartoon Promotion Documentary by St Paul’s University
Collaboration with Emerald Cont….
Poem by Cooperative University College of Kenya Student
Collaboration with Emerald Cont….Tangaza University College presentation
Making Emerald’s published matterials accessible to persons with disabilities.
Presented by Samson Waweru.Student, The University of Nairobi.
Chair, University of Nairobi Students with Disabilities Association (unswda).
Collaboration with Emerald Cont….
Multi-Media University presentation
Challenges
Sometimes the student loose focus and want to carry out mane tasks some of which are not library related
Many times student don’t meet on assigned ambassador tasks
Some student want use Ambassador program as a springboard to venture into politics
For library staff it requires patience and a lot of mentoring
Infrastructure and inadequate computers
Possible Solutions
Give incentives like participation certificates and publishers’ token (mouse pads, pen, flash disks etc)
Ambassador competition to encourage creativity and fun Workshops to give skills to knowledge ambassadors Consult with students on events they would like to carry
out.
THANK YOU