The internet navigator: an online internet course for distance learners

Library Trends, Summer, 2001 by Carol Hansen

A brief summary of the job descriptions for the three major phases follows:

Project Director (UALC Librarian, will rotate annually)--Oversees project and personnel, reports to UALC directors.

* Development Phase--Hires and trains project personnel with input from the development team, manages content development team, sets up the server.

* Implementation Phase--Trains the maintenance team to load and update modules and units, oversees implementation phase.

* Maintenance Phase--Oversees maintenance team

Content Development Team (UALC Instruction and/or Reference Librarians)--Provides detailed complete content for learning units and assessment tools.

* Development Phase--Selects resources for unit development, develops content to meet standardized Information Literacy Competencies criteria, develops assessment tools, works with graphic designer to develop agreed upon layout, plans for marketing and promotion of site, meets with UALC instruction/reference librarians statewide to get input on content needs (meeting in Logan, Cedar City, and Salt Lake).

* Implementation Phase--Meets deadlines on content development and assessment tools, implements marketing plan.

Maintenance Team (UALC Instruction and/or Reference Librarians and Graphic/Web Designer)--Provides updates and revisions (may overlap with Development Team in the beginning). Members will rotate in as Project Director.

* Maintenance Phase--At least one person per module or major unit. These people will monitor changes in resources and review assessment data. Update links, content, and graphics as required.

Graphic Artist/Web Designer (Part-time, Consultant or Contract--possibly student--should also know HTML and be proficient in graphics layout and design software).

* Development Implementation, Maintenance Phase--Work with content development team on design.

Programmer (Part-time, Consultant or Contract--possibly student)--PERL, CGI, HTML, JavaScript, and possibly Java and XML

* Development Implementation, Maintenance Phase--Work with content development team on programming needs.

The development and implementation of an Intranet for the task force greatly enhanced team efforts during the 2000 revision. This had not been used previously as a management tool. Due to the extreme distances between some academic libraries in Utah, face-to-face meetings were very time consuming for some team members, and meetings, therefore, occurred approximately every three months. The task force Intranet greatly facilitated team communication. The Intranet consisted of:

* list of team members, names, addresses, phone numbers, and e-mail links;

* copy of Information for Life proposal to UALC Directors, including budget;

* link to team mailing list;

* agendas and minutes of development team meetings;

* list of links to useful information literacy and distance learning Web sites;

* job descriptions;

* drafts of new content outline, with names of those assigned to develop;

* drafts of new content;

* timelines; and

* list of agreed upon information literacy competencies (Utah Academic Library Consortium Information for Life Task Force, 1999).