The Internet As a Medium for Online Instruction

A task force of librarians developed an introductory course on the Internet which was conducted over the university’s e-mail network. This sixteen-lesson course was distributed via listserv to students, staff, residents, and faculty, some using university facilities and some using equipment at their home or office, in various locations throughout the state. Initially, more than 450 people subscribed. Subscribers received two lessons a week for eight weeks. Lessons were made available via FTP or gopher after initial distribution. Content included basic information, troubleshooting advice, and exercises for practice. Pre- and post-tests were conducted via listserv to assess the participants’ prior knowledge and subsequent knowledge gain. This article describes the development of the online course. It also discusses the results of pre- and post-tests, and the implications for the library’s instructional role of using an online instruction medium.