VALA2022 Onsite Session 25 Johnston

Peer support for learning technologies: supporting students throughout COVID-19 and beyond

VALA2022 CONCURRENT 25

Thursday 16 June 2022, 15:00 – 15:30

Dr Nicole Johnston
  • Edith Cowan University
Danielle Degiorgio
  • Edith Cowan University

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Read the paper and view the presentation recording and slides here:

Abstract

This paper is an overview of a peer support service for learning technologies at Edith Cowan University (ECU) Library. The online chat service successfully filled a gap in support for students who were transitioning to online study during the COVID-19 crisis. From 2020 to July 2021, the service received over 2,500 face-to-face and online queries with the majority of queries being about Blackboard and Microsoft Office. An evaluation of the program has shown that although online peer programs are successful at supporting students in times of crisis, students still prefer to receive support from peers face to face.

Biography

Dr Nicole Johnston is the Associate University Librarian of Digital and Information Literacy at Edith Cowan University in Perth, Australia. Previously, Nicole was a Lecturer of Library and Information Studies at Edith Cowan University and University College London in Qatar. Nicole has also worked as a librarian in various roles in Australia, Ireland and Dubai. Nicole is currently a member of the ALIA research advisory committee and a recent recipient of the ALIA Research Grant Award.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License