The aim of the RIS course is to develop the necessary skills for effective retrieval, evaluation, organisation and use of information for research. The course was presented by distance education and therefore it was essential that the students attend a workshop in order to gain hands-on skills.

Thus the aim of the workshop was to equip the postgraduate students with information skills that they could apply to the research component of their Masters degree course. A second aim was to equip the students with lifelong learning skills and enable them to satisfy future information requirements. The workshop was tailored to the students fields of study, namely environmental and chemical education, although the content of the course material in the study guide was generic.

The University of South Africa (Unisa) is a distance education institute. The students, therefore, are not resident on campus and receive tuition through text based materials. Thus the students taking the RIS course were all working, many being professional teachers and adult learners, who had taken advantage of this unique opportunity to further their studies. Accordingly, we had a highly motivated group, involved with their communities but who were struggling with time-pressures and a lack of resources.

Presently, many students at Unisa come from educationally disadvantaged backgrounds with little exposure to libraries at school or at undergraduate level. At honours or postgraduate level, the students are introduced to research concepts and consequently many are ill-equipped to investigate a topic. They require guidance in solving the problems presented by their research, many of which require information-handling skills.

It was obvious that a need for a course in research information skills existed, including hands-on training in practical skills. Fundamental to the course design was a definition of information literacy, which includes, briefly: the recognition of a need for information; the formulation of questions based on the information need; the identification of potential resources; realising the importance of organising information so that it can readily be retrieved; the ability to evaluate information and to apply critical thinking skills (California Media and Library Educators Association 1994:2-3). Sayed & de Jager (1997:6) recommend that the acquisition of information literacy in the South African tertiary (university) education context should go together with mastering academic literacy. We felt that a written examination was not an appropriate method of evaluation for a skills-based course. A portfolio, which requires the student to purposefully collect evidence of his efforts and progress, seemed a more applicable method of assessment (Paulson, Paulson and Meyer (1991:60). Several of the workshop activities were included in their portfolio assignments. The students were encouraged to think; to justify the inclusion of material in their portfolios and not only to provide answers to assignments. The intention is that the portfolio will provide a student with a basis for further information-seeking as the progress of a search and its refinement and improvement will be recorded in the portfolio.

In the week-long workshop, we endeavoured to link the theory in the study guide to the practice. Analysis of Workshop Schedule In the following section, each day's activities will be evaluated, based on the feedback received from the students in questionnaires at the end of each day; in a focus group interview (Focus Group Interview:1998) and in their final portfolio assignments. Based on this analysis, the lessons we as trainers learnt and wish to apply in the future are shared.

Day 1 : Orientation Objectives

To welcome the students to the workshop To take the students on a tour of the Unisa Library. To train the students in the use of the Unisa Library catalogue Lessons learnt As the students arrived, we realised that for many of them, coming from a rural situation to the largest academic library in South Africa, was an overwhelming experience. The students were ill-prepared for what they encountered on entering Unisa Library's electronic learning centre. Many of them experienced fear and we realised that computer anxiety is a real phenomenon when one of the students described the computer as a "monster". We had incorrectly assumed that they would have acquired basic computer skills as they had been advised to consult a computer-aided-instruction (CAI) package, Comuser, which would have prepared them for computer usage (Comuser 1998). However due to a lack of computer experience, some of the students had been unable to load the software and hence arrived 'computer-naive'.

It was important to take into account the students' prior learning experiences: their backgrounds were not homogeneous, some of them having been educationally disadvantaged during the apartheid regime. It became apparent that basic library skills in finding books and journals on the shelves were required and thus physical orientation in the library played an important role. Makhubela and Koen (1995:18) state that successful information literacy tuition "is as much about library resources and facilities...as it is about changing approaches to learning".

Basic computer skills training was incorporated in the session on the use of the online library catalogue, giving the students practise and re-in forcing their learning. One of the student's felt empowered, expressing: "now I know how to find the information I want – on my own!" and by the end of the day, another admitted: "the computer fright vanished..." and was replaced by acommitment to learn how to use the computer.

Day 2 : Search strategy formulation Objectives

To reinforce the theory through searching practically on the ERIC database Lessons learnt

The students were trained in the use of a subject-specific computerised database, Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC). Topics in environmental education were provided and they were guided in identifying keywords and formulating a search strategy using Boolean logic. This was found to be a difficult concept and required further explanation and pictorial representation. The students were encouraged to use the CAI package, Search (1998), designed for them, dealing with the formulation of a search strategy. Again, their lack of computer skill shad prevented them from accessing this package before the workshop. The importance of using CAI to teach information skills to students with different learning backgrounds has been stressed (Wood, Ford & Miller 1996). Nevertheless their computer skills were enhanced by learning how to mark selected records, to save results retrieved and to print those desired.

The students, as end-users and experts in their own fields, were encouraged to select relevant references. Cheney (1991) has shown that training based on evaluation rather than procedures is more successful in obtaining quality search results. However due to their lack of computer skills, the students worked very slowly, limited by the process and unable to grasp the broader concepts required in search strategy formulation. In the future it may be necessary to simplify the training, dependent upon the skill of the participants. We, as organisers of the workshop, learnt how important it is to have sufficient helpers to assist and guide the students. As one student described it: "I nearly became frustrated – but thank fully there was someone around to help me".

Day 3 : To learn how to navigate and use the Internet Objectives To learn Internet terminology and understand Internet addresses To use subject-specific tools To enable the students to access the Internet in the future Lessons learnt

Even the most computer literate student felt overwhelmed when faced with countless sites after a search on a search engine. Many of the students, used to a highly structured learning environment were reluctant at first, to explore the world of information and felt insecure in making decisions and choices themselves. It was then that one of the students remarked insightfully, that it was critical to know exactly what one was seeking; to identify synonyms and to plan one's search before-hand. The students were taught how to store sites in Bookmarks, to download files via ftp and applications like winzip. Emphasis was placed on evaluating the information retrieved from the Internet with reference to both content and context.

Directing the students to subject-specific resources was rewarding as, particularly the teachers, realised that there were many resources available on the Internet that they could use creatively inthe class room!

Day 4: The construction of a personal database Objectives To organise information in a personal database Lessons learnt

Prior to the workshop, we had planned to show the students how to create a database using the merge function found in word-processing packages. However, realising the inadequacy of their computer skills, we decided to adapt this training to physically create a database consisting of cards (like a card catalogue). The students were required to search on ERIC, retrieve and print records with abstracts, identify indexing terms and then create a database on cards. At this stage of the workshop, the students were tired and welcomed a physical activity that was less intellectually demanding. The value of organising one's references was emphasised and some of the teachers in the class expressed their intention to apply this skill in their school work in order to retrieve information more efficiently.

As trainers we learnt how important it is to be flexible and to adapt one's training so that it is relevant. During this session on database creation, the students suddenly realised the purpose of the RIS course and a transformation took place! From this moment, they became enthused to search for and to find books, articles and information.. A CAI programme, Database, has now been designed to assist the students in understanding the structure of databases (Database 1999).

Day 5 : Revision Objectives To practise on databases of choice To re-inforce learning Lessons learnt

The students had gained sufficient experience to continue on their own, completing their portfolio assignments. Evaluation of the workshop as a whole On being asked how the workshop had been experienced, one of the students expressed: "We've been to another planet!". We observed that it had instilled much enthusiasm in the students for their work and studies. They also appreciated the structured schedule but had experienced the workshop as being too intense, leaving insufficient time to practise the skills learnt. The uneven level of skills had caused anxiety and an orientation session on basic computer skills was suggested. In our opinion, many of the problems experienced by the students were due to their lack of preparation. An issue, which will have to be addressed in future workshops.

The benefits of the workshop included becoming computer literate (for some) or expanding their computer skills (for others). The majority of the students felt they would be able to apply the skills learnt – especially in creating a database for their studies, research or work and in gaining computer skills. They remarked that theoretical aspects covered in the study guide had been re-inforced and integrated into a whole in the workshop. As trainers, we do not think it is possible in a week-long workshop to expect students from different and disadvantaged backgrounds to become information literate. Information literacy is acontinuing process, a life-long learning skill. But having initiated the process of recognising information needs; searching for information; realising the importance of organising information and applying critical thinking, we do think that we equipped the students with the ability to make informed decisions (be they in their research, private or public lives).FUTURE IMPROVEMENTS We are aiming at introducing improvements to the workshop in the following areas. Greater communication with students Communication with students is to be improved by the following means: sending out frequent printed letters; e-mail contact, when possible; encouraging 2-way communication; giving comments in marked assignments; following-up students who do not submit assignments or attend the workshop; creating a discussion forum on a RIS Web-site. Basic computer skills training The importance of having basic computer skills before attending the workshop will be emphasised in written communications; the students will be encouraged to work through the CAI package, Comuser; orientation sessions in the regional centres have been proposed; several videoconferences, beamed at specific regional centres have been planned – demonstrating basic computer skills and search strategies; and lastly an opportunity has been created to practise computer skills during a pre-workshop week-end. Adjustment of workshop schedule Modifications to the schedule have been made in order to reduce time pressures' by providing a basic computer skills course on day 1; and to reduce the intensity of the workshop by eliminating non-essential elements. Encouraging computer usage Students are to be encouraged to use computers wherever possible: in churches, post-offices, public libraries or Internet cafes. CAI packages They are to be frequently reminded to work through the three recommended packages: Comuser; Search and Database before attending the workshop. Alternatives for students unable to attend the workshop Internet access will be essential for these students. In addition to e-mail communication and the CAI packages, the following opportunities are to be provided:

a. a Web page for RIS students is being created with hyperlinks to relevant URLs; a discussion forum for students; guidelines on the construction of a portfolio; etc

b. access to the Unisa library catalogue via the Library Homepage

c. authorised access via SOL (Unisa's Students Online Web page): to databases; to manuals giving training on different databases and the Internet; to despatch assignments.

Based on the feedback given by students who attended the first Research Information Skills workshop for Masters' students at Unisa, many valuable lessons have been learnt and improvements will be introduced in the future. The value of teaching information skills for application in research and life-long learning was demonstrated by their positive responses, phenomenal growth and the feeling of empowerment that the students experienced.

California Media and Library Educators Association. 1994. From library skills to information literacy: a handbook for the twenty-first century. Castle Rock, Colo.: Hi Willow Research and Publishing.

Cheney, D. 1991. Evaluation-based training: Improving the quality of end-user searching. Journal of academic librarianship, 17(3):152-155.

Focus Group Interview. 1998. Moderated by P.J. Willemse, Department of Library Services, 1 October 1998.

Makhubela, L and Koen, Z. 1995. Another angle on access: information literacy and student learning. Academic development, 1(1):13-19.

Paulson, F.L., Paulson, P.R. and Meyer, C.A. 1991.What makes a portfolio a portfolio? Educational Leadership, 48:60-63.

Sayed, .Y and de Jager, K. 1997. Towards an investigation of information literacy in South African students. South African journal of library and information Science, 65:5-12.

Thompson, J.E. 1998. Work in progress: development of Research Information Skills course for master's students. Musaion, 16(1):125-129.

Wood, F.E., Ford, N. and Miller, D. 1996. Information skills, searching behaviour and cognitive styles for student-centered learning: a computer-assisted learning approach. Journal of Information Science, 22(2):79-92.

Computer Aided Instruction packages: Comuser. 1998. CAI developed by the Centre for Software Engineering, Unisa.

Database. 1999. CAI developed under the direction of P.M. Alexander, Centre for Software Engineering, Unisa, by J.E. Thompson.

Search. CAI developed under the direction of P.M. Alexander, Centre for Software Engineering, Unisa, by I. Fourie.