SPEC Kit 328: Collaborative Teaching and Learning Tools · 19
Survey Questions and Responses
The SPEC survey on Collaborative Teaching and Learning Tools was designed by Marilyn N. Ochoa,
Assistant Head of the Education Library, and Thomas Caswell, Assistant Head of the Architecture and
Fine Arts Library, at the University of Florida. These results are based on data submitted by 64 libraries
at 61 of the 126 ARL member libraries (48%) by the deadline of March 5, 2012. The survey’s introductory
text and questions are reproduced below, followed by the response data and selected comments from the
respondents.
Recent library literature emphasizes the increase in technologically savvy library users and the development of “information
commons” or “collaboration labs” to serve them. However, little has emerged to give insight on the details of offering complex and
technologically advanced collaborative teaching and learning tools, such as interactive whiteboards, to library users. The ability
of a library to offer such equipment carries with it a large learning curve, for both users and library staff, along with financial and
technical support issues.
This survey is designed to gather information about what collaborative teaching and learning tools are currently being offered to
users in ARL member libraries. It covers questions on which kinds of tools are offered, how many, and why, where they are located,
who may use them, the sources of funding, who provides training and support, and what techniques are used to promote and
evaluate the tools. Data and documentation gathered from this survey should provide a snapshot of collaborative teaching and
learning tools currently offered in academic and research libraries and also provide a basic framework for those thinking of offering
such resources in the future.
For the purpose of this survey, “collaborative teaching and learning tools” are limited to the equipment, devices, or systems being
offered to research library users in a self-service environment including, but not limited to, the following: interactive whiteboards
(IWBs, e.g., SMART Board), touchscreen tablet computers (e.g., iPads), classroom/audience response system (e.g., clickers),
interactive learning centers (e.g., TouchTables), and Wii gaming systems. Please restrict responses to this survey to those services and
equipment that result in individualized, user-initiated, collaborative teaching and learning scenarios.
Survey Questions and Responses
The SPEC survey on Collaborative Teaching and Learning Tools was designed by Marilyn N. Ochoa,
Assistant Head of the Education Library, and Thomas Caswell, Assistant Head of the Architecture and
Fine Arts Library, at the University of Florida. These results are based on data submitted by 64 libraries
at 61 of the 126 ARL member libraries (48%) by the deadline of March 5, 2012. The survey’s introductory
text and questions are reproduced below, followed by the response data and selected comments from the
respondents.
Recent library literature emphasizes the increase in technologically savvy library users and the development of “information
commons” or “collaboration labs” to serve them. However, little has emerged to give insight on the details of offering complex and
technologically advanced collaborative teaching and learning tools, such as interactive whiteboards, to library users. The ability
of a library to offer such equipment carries with it a large learning curve, for both users and library staff, along with financial and
technical support issues.
This survey is designed to gather information about what collaborative teaching and learning tools are currently being offered to
users in ARL member libraries. It covers questions on which kinds of tools are offered, how many, and why, where they are located,
who may use them, the sources of funding, who provides training and support, and what techniques are used to promote and
evaluate the tools. Data and documentation gathered from this survey should provide a snapshot of collaborative teaching and
learning tools currently offered in academic and research libraries and also provide a basic framework for those thinking of offering
such resources in the future.
For the purpose of this survey, “collaborative teaching and learning tools” are limited to the equipment, devices, or systems being
offered to research library users in a self-service environment including, but not limited to, the following: interactive whiteboards
(IWBs, e.g., SMART Board), touchscreen tablet computers (e.g., iPads), classroom/audience response system (e.g., clickers),
interactive learning centers (e.g., TouchTables), and Wii gaming systems. Please restrict responses to this survey to those services and
equipment that result in individualized, user-initiated, collaborative teaching and learning scenarios.
