The two links are to:
Life as I know it
http://scruffynerf.wordpress.com/2007/05/30/what-constitutes-a-good-library-education/
and
Library 2.0
http://library20.ning.com/

The two links are to:
Life as I know it
http://scruffynerf.wordpress.com/2007/05/30/what-constitutes-a-good-library-education/
and
Library 2.0
http://library20.ning.com/

So that begs the question: Why not? I’ve got to assume the professors and at least some of the students (myself included) have heard of Library 2.0; so why aren’t we talking about it? I have a few hypotheses about this:

- We’re embarassed to start the discussion. We want to be dignified and serious (this is Graduate School after all) and we’re worried people won’t take us seriously if we mention blogs or web 2.0 gadgets.

- We don’t know how to tie web 2.0 to the things we’re learning. This is a distinct possibility. It’s hard to make that leap sometimes… I’m taking cataloguing right now, and I have no idea how to connect web 2.0 to my study of Marc records and XML. No clue. How would I bring that up as part of a class discussion? I’m ready and willing to be an advocate at my school for L2, but I don’t want to sound like an idiot because I can’t come up with a connection.

- Too much history, not enough crystal-ball gazing. We do like our history in library school. And there are so many things to study that demand our attention. Maybe the difficulty is that there’s no Library of the Future course. Perhaps we need a required seminar where students argue/discuss the future of libraries. I’d take a class like this in a heartbeat.

(I’m going to go cross post this to to open up the discussion about it).

So that begs the question: Why not? I’ve got to assume the professors and at least some of the students (myself included) have heard of Library 2.0; so why aren’t we talking about it? I have a few hypotheses about this:

- We’re embarassed to start the discussion. We want to be dignified and serious (this is Graduate School after all) and we’re worried people won’t take us seriously if we mention blogs or web 2.0 gadgets.

- We don’t know how to tie web 2.0 to the things we’re learning. This is a distinct possibility. It’s hard to make that leap sometimes… I’m taking cataloguing right now, and I have no idea how to connect web 2.0 to my study of Marc records and XML. No clue. How would I bring that up as part of a class discussion? I’m ready and willing to be an advocate at my school for L2, but I don’t want to sound like an idiot because I can’t come up with a connection.

- Too much history, not enough crystal-ball gazing. We do like our history in library school. And there are so many things to study that demand our attention. Maybe the difficulty is that there’s no Library of the Future course. Perhaps we need a required seminar where students argue/discuss the future of libraries. I’d take a class like this in a heartbeat.

(I’m going to go cross post this to to open up the discussion about it).

So far, little if any mention of Web 2.0, but I did have a class where all communication between teacher and students was done via a blog. Go Jill!

Rutgers is offering a Social Networking class this summer (how I wish it was also offered in fall). There is a multi-media production class that is offered pretty regularly. Finally, many teachers encourage the use of the web in our class projects. Is it perfect, no, but it is a start.

To be honest, the lack of social networking does not bother me as much as the limited offering of classes such as ‘Adult Reading Interests’.

So far, little if any mention of Web 2.0, but I did have a class where all communication between teacher and students was done via a blog. Go Jill!

Rutgers is offering a Social Networking class this summer (how I wish it was also offered in fall). There is a multi-media production class that is offered pretty regularly. Finally, many teachers encourage the use of the web in our class projects. Is it perfect, no, but it is a start.

To be honest, the lack of social networking does not bother me as much as the limited offering of classes such as ‘Adult Reading Interests’.

Technological Competencies for Entering MLIS Students

The faculty expects students entering the MLIS degree program to be technologically literate, and to build upon this foundation of literacy throughout the program. A technologically literate student will:

* Demonstrate a sound conceptual understanding of the nature of technology systems and view themselves as proficient users of these systems;
* Understand and model positive, ethical use of technology in both social and personal contexts;
* Use a variety of technology tools in effective ways to increase creative productivity;
* Use communication tools to reach out to the world beyond the classroom and communicate ideas in powerful ways;
* Use technology effectively to access, evaluate, process and synthesize information from a variety of sources; and
* Use technology to identify and solve complex problems in real-world contexts.

See Standards for Technological Literacy published by the International Technology Education Association (ITEA) in 2000.

Technological Competencies for Graduating MLIS Students

Students come to the MLIS program with technology literacy competencies. The goal of information technology education within the framework of the MLIS program is for students to become technologically fluent, as defined in the 1999 report, Being Fluent with Information Technology:

Fluency with information technology requires three kinds of knowledge–contemporary skills, foundational concepts, and intellectual capabilities–that prepare a person in different ways for FITness:

* Contemporary skills, the ability to use today’s computer applications, enable people to apply information technology immediately. In the present labor market, skills are an essential component of job readiness. Most importantly, skills provide a store of practical experience on which to build new competence.

* Foundational concepts, the basic principles and ideas of computers, networks, and information, underpin the technology. Concepts explain the how and why of information technology, and they give insight into its opportunities and limitations. Concepts are the raw material for understanding new information technology as it evolves.

* Intellectual capabilities, the ability to apply information technology in complex and sustained situations, encapsulate higher-level thinking in the context of information technology. Capabilities empower people to manipulate the medium to their advantage and to handle unintended and unexpected problems when they arise. These intellectual capabilities foster abstract thinking about information and its manipulation.

See Being Fluent with Information Technology. Committee on Information Technology Literacy of the Computer Science and Telecommunications Board; the Commission on Physical Sciences, Mathematics, and Applications; and the National Research Council. Washington , D.C. : National Academy Press, 1999. ( http://books.nap.edu/html/beingfluent/es.html )

Affirmed by the faculty of the Department of Library and Information Sciences
November 3, 2004

Technological Competencies for Entering MLIS Students

The faculty expects students entering the MLIS degree program to be technologically literate, and to build upon this foundation of literacy throughout the program. A technologically literate student will:

* Demonstrate a sound conceptual understanding of the nature of technology systems and view themselves as proficient users of these systems;
* Understand and model positive, ethical use of technology in both social and personal contexts;
* Use a variety of technology tools in effective ways to increase creative productivity;
* Use communication tools to reach out to the world beyond the classroom and communicate ideas in powerful ways;
* Use technology effectively to access, evaluate, process and synthesize information from a variety of sources; and
* Use technology to identify and solve complex problems in real-world contexts.

See Standards for Technological Literacy published by the International Technology Education Association (ITEA) in 2000.

Technological Competencies for Graduating MLIS Students

Students come to the MLIS program with technology literacy competencies. The goal of information technology education within the framework of the MLIS program is for students to become technologically fluent, as defined in the 1999 report, Being Fluent with Information Technology:

Fluency with information technology requires three kinds of knowledge–contemporary skills, foundational concepts, and intellectual capabilities–that prepare a person in different ways for FITness:

* Contemporary skills, the ability to use today’s computer applications, enable people to apply information technology immediately. In the present labor market, skills are an essential component of job readiness. Most importantly, skills provide a store of practical experience on which to build new competence.

* Foundational concepts, the basic principles and ideas of computers, networks, and information, underpin the technology. Concepts explain the how and why of information technology, and they give insight into its opportunities and limitations. Concepts are the raw material for understanding new information technology as it evolves.

* Intellectual capabilities, the ability to apply information technology in complex and sustained situations, encapsulate higher-level thinking in the context of information technology. Capabilities empower people to manipulate the medium to their advantage and to handle unintended and unexpected problems when they arise. These intellectual capabilities foster abstract thinking about information and its manipulation.

See Being Fluent with Information Technology. Committee on Information Technology Literacy of the Computer Science and Telecommunications Board; the Commission on Physical Sciences, Mathematics, and Applications; and the National Research Council. Washington , D.C. : National Academy Press, 1999. ( http://books.nap.edu/html/beingfluent/es.html )

Affirmed by the faculty of the Department of Library and Information Sciences
November 3, 2004

I think the notion that a library student should be taught web 2.0 (or in my day Dialog searching) is short sighted.

The dynamic nature of libraries requires librarians who can easily adapt to new technologies and incorporate them into the mission of the library.

I am not certain that the ability to adapt and syntesize can be taught by focusing on teaching a technology specific set of skills.

I think the notion that a library student should be taught web 2.0 (or in my day Dialog searching) is short sighted.

The dynamic nature of libraries requires librarians who can easily adapt to new technologies and incorporate them into the mission of the library.

I am not certain that the ability to adapt and syntesize can be taught by focusing on teaching a technology specific set of skills.