Incorporating an Internet-Mediated Community of Practice for the Analytical Sciences Into the Analytical Sciences Digital Library

Depauw University, Greencastle IN

Investigators

Abstract

The Analytical Sciences Digital Library (ASDL) is a web-based collection of resources for undergraduate STEM education in the analytical sciences. This project increases the usefulness of the ASDL by adding new services to promote the library's visibility to its users and foster community building between teachers and practitioners of the analytical sciences. New features to the library include automatic notification of newly added content through utilities such as email alerts or RSS feeds, personal space where users can organize ASDL content, a system to allow user ratings and annotations to library content, user-generated discussion forums and the ability to share pedagogical methods based on library content. The added features emphasize the creation of a disciplinary-focused internet-mediated community of practice to serve as a model for how an NSDL digital library can foster shared development of resources and bring together faculty from remote regions. The internet-mediated community of practice developed through this project serves as a model for broadening participation by faculty members at comprehensive universities, liberal arts colleges, and community colleges. The ASDL features cumulatively work to increase effective teaching and resources for undergraduate analytical sciences.