Training Objectives

The training objectives of the DepositMO project are to:

• Develop training materials for one-to-one training
• Develop a Virtual Deskside Coaching Kit to train the trainers
• Develop a sustainable programme of evaluation to supplement the existing e-prints deskside coaching service

Southampton University’s E-Prints service currently offers deskside coaching, which provides an on-demand, one-to-one training service to users.  The DepositMO training programme will be embedded into this deskside coaching service.

During the DepositMO project, we will create training materials to support one-to-one training, and develop a Virtual Deskside Coaching Kit, which will initially be used to train the trainers.  This kit will be tested on trainers in an iterative process, updating and improving the material based on feedback and on developments in the software.  Ultimately the Virtual Deskside Coaching Kit could also be used as an alternative or supplement to face-to-face coaching.

Southampton University currently runs two deskside coaching services, one for e-prints and one for subject-based queries.  The subject-based deskside coaching service is centrally co-ordinated; requests are forwarded to appropriate staff, and are then followed up for evaluation once the training has been completed.  We will use the evaluation model of the subject-based service to assess the impact of the training programme on users of the repository.  There is also the potential to transfer the administration of the e-prints deskside coaching service to the subject-based deskside training, in order to benefit from a more formalised administrative approach while retaining the specialist knowledge of the e-prints deskside team.