Cross-Disciplinary Prospecting: Educational Technology Offers Up Gold for Library and Information Science Curricula

MILLER, Michael J. Cross-Disciplinary Prospecting: Educational Technology Offers Up Gold for Library and Information Science Curricula. Electronic Journal of A-ademic and Special Librarianship (on line). summer 2005, v.6, no.1-2. Consulted the 02-08-07
Accessible at: http://southernlibrarianship.icaap.org/content/v06n01/miller_m01.htm
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Technology, Change, Professional Curricula, and Expanding the Core

"Information and communication technologies (ICT) are now ubiquitous and will continue to evolve regularly over time. Coupled with this familiar mantra is professional literature revealing that current library professional and support staff who deal with these ICT are not comfortable with them, don't know how to use them effectively, and often can't employ them efficiently or to the best learning and service advantages possible. (Skene, 2004, p.19). Amidst this confluence of battling realities we must recognize that effective teaching for students and all learners is greatly impacted by ICT today. Warnken (2004a) describes what is driving the essential shift that has affected our profession. "Librarians have traditionally seen their instructional role as one of teaching informational processes, not technological skills. However, in order for students to successfully complete the research process, they must first understand and be able to effectively use technology." (Technologies Impact section, 13).

It follows that shifts in the profession under this new ICT environment include the need for librarians to be able to understand and use ICT to build dynamic and effective learning tools and environments. We also need to be able to collaborate with other teachers and faculty while looking toward integrating information literacy across the curriculum. Both Perry (2004, p. 32), and Warnken (2004b, Change Begets section, 1) strengthen this argument by noting how adoption of ICT by librarians is a natural progression as information and learning environments merge. Furthermore, the problems of teaching faculty also plague teaching librarians as we and the products of our work move front and center in the course of modern academic librarianship. Perry (2004) states that there are "...faculty concerns about overcoming the barriers to implementation of these technologies into their curricula. Perceived barriers included their own lack of skill, equipment, and time. Further, the wide range of skill levels among faculty was viewed as hindering communication with departmental colleagues; many individuals simply did not feel comfortable with the culture of educational technology." (p. 31.) Perhaps knowing that both sets of credentialed professionals are experiencing similar ICT challenges can lend comfort while reaching toward successful teaming for teaching."

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Dublin Core Analysis

DC Title : Cross-Disciplinary Prospecting: Educational Technology Offers Up Gold for Library and Information Science Curricula
DC Creator : MILLER, Michael J.
DC Subject : library and information science, information and communication technology, misunderstanding of the Information and Communications Technologies, shifts in the profession
DC Description : This article provides an overview of the current trends in information and communication technology affecting library services and recommends how, because of these trends, library and information science (LIS) curricula should turn an inquisitive, interdisciplinary eye toward the field of educational technology. Gaps in current LIS professional training and practice are cited, curriculum standards in LIS and educational technology programs are described and compared, and examples are presented to demonstrate how educational technology pedagogy and practice help to successfully augment library skills, service, and practice. (Author's abstract)
DC Publisher : Electronic Journal of Academic and Special Librarianship
DC Date : Summer 2005
DC Type : Article
DC Format : htm
DC Identifier : http://southernlibrarianship.icaap.org/content/v06n01/miller_m01.htm
DC Language : 'en'
DC Coverage : world