Module 4 Learning Objectives & Overview
Goal
The students will acquire an appreciation for the responsibilities of the information professionals to participate in information professional associations.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Examine the websites of different professional associations;
Investigate the continuous learning opportunities in different professional associations;
Explore the funding and scholarship opportunities in different professional associaitons;
Understand the publications (e.g., journals, newsletters, conference proceedings) of different professional associations.
PROFESSOR NOTES
The societal transformation and the shift toward the knowledge-based economy have impacted information services as well as the roles and responsibilities of the information professionals. While new information services are being created, others are shrinking or heading for extension. Given the continuous change in information, the field represents an opportunity for information professionals, it also created challenges. As the roles change, information professionals are required to justify their work and their value. Information professional associations play an important role in defining the set of skills and competencies needed for the information professional to perform a specific task or take on a specific job. In this module, you learn about the different types of information and knowledge professionals, the roles and responsibilities of the information professionals, as well as the role played by the information professional associations.
CAREER DEVELOPMENT PROJECT
Purpose: To enhance understanding of the real-world practice of information and knowledge professions, the project asks students to work/discuss with information professionals on various information projects/topics.
Each student will participate in one of the following leadership activities. Note: The activity must be new to you and must be completed by the end of the semester.
Becoming a volunteer of an information organization and working on a project with a mentor/supervisor ;
Identify a challenging/widely-debated topic and conduct an interview with at least one library/information professional on this topic. An interview refers to 1) includes carefully designed interview questions; 2) involves in-depth discussion on a course-related topic that lasts at least 20 minutes; 3) The interview process should be recorded with the interviewee’s permission. Interview questions should be included in your project proposal.
Join at least one LIS professional association/organization and attend the events or online webinars hosted by a professional association. Recorded webinars are not acceptable.
Design and give an information-related presentation to a group of professional peers or other adult audience. For example, reading a story to children will not work. Presenting a new story time technique to librarians will.
Join a LIS professional organization’s social media site to initiate and facilitate discussions on some timely/important issues related to one area of LIS or professional group/community.
Join an LIS related committee and take on the leadership role of an LIS professional organization. Example: take a leadership role in a student chapter of an information organization like UNT-LISSA.
Propose another type of activity that demonstrates leadership growth or professional development. Students are encouraged to identify additional methods to enhance their leadership activities, but every activity should have an “information professional” component. That is, students must interact with at least one information professional to gain more understandings about the professional world and perspectives.
Students will submit their proposal to the instruction team via the Assignments forum . Once the activity is approved, the student can proceed with the activity. Finally, before the end of the semester, each student will post a minimum of a 700-word summary of their project, including:
An overview statement of the project;
A statement as to what the student learned and/or gained from the leadership activity;
How could this project be done better?
Create an action plan to implement in your future professional life for improving leadership or management potentials.
Note: Evidence of participation should be provided in the project summary as Appendix.
This is an excellent opportunity for you to learn more about your area of interest and to expand your professional network. The Career Development Project proposal and summary should be posted in a corresponding Assignments forum.
INSTRUCTIONS:
For each module, choose four to five articles to read from the following list.note that a proxy link is provided for many of the references–do not include this proxy link in your citation.
Last Completed Projects
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