For this activity I attended training on Studiosity via Zoom which was conducted through my workplace on April 1, 2021. The training was hosted by Chantelle who is part of the Studiosity team and ran for approximately 40 minutes. Throughout the training I took notes and at the conclusion of the session we received a link and password to access the recording. Prior to the training I was aware that my workplace provided free access to Studiosity via our website but was not fully acquainted with the services they provide.
Studiosity is an online learning platform where people of all ages can seek 24/7 help with a variety of subjects. Studiosity is available to members of participating libraries including public libraries where users must have a library card and pin number to access the service. Studiosity is operated by a team of subject specialists with a minimum of an undergraduate degree qualification. Subject specialists are screened, have working with children checks conducted and are knowledge tested to assess their suitability for the role.
Studiosity offers three main services:
- Quizzes are designed for students to practice their skills and focus on individual subjects such as biology, chemistry, maths and English.
- Connect live is available 24/7, 365 days a year. Students can ask questions, chat back and forth, draw on the whiteboard and share files.
- Get writing feedback is open to any subject and students can receive feedback about an assignment before submission. Tutors can also give feedback on resumes and make suggestions. Studiosity provides a glossary of terms to explain words used within the feedback. This is a great service for people still learning English.
Studiosity is a relevant service within public libraries because it supports literacy development. The UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (2016) agrees libraries have a critical role in supporting literacy development through the provision of literacy resources that will facilitate a literate society. Green (2019) advocates that Studiosity achieves this by providing an additional resource for university students which allows greater access. This is beneficial for universities which have limited library hours or for students in remote areas. Additionally, Devlin and McKay (2018, p. 33) state that students felt “more confident and more prepared to avoid plagiarising after using the online study support” provided by Studiosity. For younger students, Studiosity can build a child’s confidence and provides support for parents or carers who may not possess the skills to assist. Additionally, Studiosity provides a crucial service for low-socioeconomic areas where students cannot afford private tutors. Users depend upon libraries to provide access to a range of resources so they may have opportunities to become successful participants in society (Kowalsky and Woodruff, 2017). Studiosity successfully achieves this by providing educational support to anyone in need.
After concluding this training, I explored my workplace website further and discovered that there are many resources available that I am unfamiliar with or could learn more about. This is important because knowing the resources available will enable staff to assist patrons with their information needs. Kowalsky and Woodruff (2017) agree that library users depend upon staff recommendations to locate appropriate resources. I aim to explore the website further to familiarise myself with the available resources to better assist patrons.
References
Devlin, M., & McKay, J. (2018). Plagiarism impact research project report. https://www.studiosity.com/hubfs/Studiosity/Downloads/Research/Final%20report%20-%202018%20Plagiarism%20Prevention%20study.pdf
Green, P. (2019, May 01). Partnering to improve student success. Incite Magazine, May/June, p. 29. http://web.b.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=1&sid=f9c0af11-3d77-4403-aeae-575becc3ce01%40sessionmgr103
Kowalsky, M., & Woodruff, J. (2017). Creating inclusive library environments: a planning guide for serving patrons with disabilities. American Library Association. https://portal-igpublish-com.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/iglibrary/obj/ALAB0000437
UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning. (2016). Libraries and literacy: using libraries to support national literacy efforts – UIL policy brief 6. https://uil.unesco.org/literacy/libraries-and-literacy-using-libraries-support-national-literacy-efforts-uil-policy-brief-6