Motivations to Engage with Library Data Literacy Instruction

Kelly Schultz, a Data Librarian at the Map & Data Library, has recently published two articles in The Journal of Academic Librarianship on her recent research leave results: "What makes students tick? Exploring factors that affect learner motivations and challenges when engaging with optional library workshops on data literacy" and "What's in a name? Exploring how voluntary library data literacy workshop titles and descriptions affect learner motivations to enroll".

Her research involved interviewing nineteen graduate students about their motivations and challenges engaging with voluntary data literacy workshops. As part of these interviews, four sample workshop titles and descriptions were shown to participants, which they ranked, and then discussed.

From an analysis of the results, themes emerged in the form of questions students had about the workshops, illustrating their key requirements and concerns:

• Does it meet their skill/research needs, fit in their schedules, and align with their learning preferences?
• Who are the workshop instructors?
• Is the workshop meant for them?
• Do workshop descriptions contain all the relevant information, are easily skimmed, and have a welcoming/encouraging tone?
• Are there health, emotional, or social factors that could affect workshop attendance? 

In response to these findings, the Map & Data Library has been experimenting with workshop titles, descriptions, schedules, and format, to further support and engage with students, such as providing workshop instructor bios and clearly outlining prerequisites, and so far, the results have been encouraging!

Image credits: Photo by Yan Krukau