It is time to switch topics. William Liebi will be our guest editor for our next discussion on the "Relationship of Theory and Practice in Information-intensive Environments." Mr. Liebi holds a Master of Science in biochemistry from the University of Bern, has certification as high school teacher and in clinical chemistry from the Swiss Society of Clinical Chemistry, and has continuing education and training in information and library science from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zuerich.
His previous professional activities include positions as the Assistant at the Central Chemical Laboratory, University Hospital, Bern, high school chemistry teacher, Collaborator for serodiagnosis of parasitic diseases at the Medical Division of the Swiss Tropical Institute, Basel. Since 1977, he has been an academic librarian at the University Library of Bern where he performs the following activities: collection development, subject specialist, coordinator. Also, since 1977 he has been a Librarian of the Swiss Academy of Sciences.
Please welcome our new guest moderator, Mr. William Liebi, and join us in a discussion on the relationship of theory and practice in information-intensive environments.
Through basic and continuing education and learning, practitioners become "knowledge-workers" that renew their skills and services; or evolve to entrepreneurs, to leaders that reengineer their institutions into learning organizations.
Beginners prepare themselves through a formation in schools for information and library science; a different approach is the training on the job, a sort of apprenticeship. Which way leads to a better professional education?
Within a frame of formal education, beginners are taught by qualified teachers but the students do not participate in professional work. In an apprenticeship, the newcomers are integrated into a professional setting, but they are instructed by "master practitioners," often amateur teachers with little spare time to prepare their lessons.
A combination of both, school and learning by doing at a workplace, might be the most efficient way.
Pertinent questions arise:
The work the students do is entry level public or technical service alongside professionals. This integration provides opportunities in class to discuss and analyze actual, live experiences and to relate them to theoretical principles. Students write analytical reports evaluating their experiences and their performances using criteria provided by instructors.
In the advanced courses, the fieldwork takes on the character of field research, with students gathering their own data in actual library settings. These research projects are done within the context of providing an information service (e.g., assisting users with searches at the CD-ROM workstations). The experience coupled with analysis of it permits the students to develop new types of management information that can be used in decision making about services, staffing levels, etc. The students come away from the field research with insights and tools for analysis, as well as confidence in their ability to perform information services and to develop useful management information.
The librarians receive a bonus in the form of not only service (at no dollar cost, but only the training cost) but they also can use the information in the research reports. The relationship we have been able to forge with the librarians in the research library is crucial to the success of such integration of theory and practice. Their cooperation supports the curriculum and the students themselves at the service points. In addition, when librarians are able to hire interns, the students who have completed field assignments are able to advance their skill through these jobs.
We also have a nonpaid internship program that permits students to apprentice in special collections and units to enable them to advance in their specializations (e.g., asia collection, preservation, systems, etc.). A practicum permits them to do fieldwork in public, school, and special libraries under the supervision of professionals.
Forms of evaluation vary in all of these opportunities for students to integrate theory and practice, but librarians and students are unanimous about the success of such strategies. Librarians agree that the students are advanced in their ability to begin professional work immediately upon graduation with less training needed on the job.
Both apprenticeship and formal instruction methods work well if there is a distinct purpose or goal to the program. Practice students gaining experience can be exposed to valuable training if their time spent is structured by the staff member or instructor supervising it. The key is that someone must be willing to supervise and capable of making it an informative as well as an interesting experience.
Diane Nahl sketched the LIS program with fieldwork components taught at the University of Hawaii. I estimate that this is not the only practice-oriented curriculum in the world; or should all beginners who want to integrate theory and practice in an efficient manner to go to Honolulu?
CRISTAL-ED has the purpose to inspire, stimulate and challenge the creative imagination of its members. If you could share information with the other members, they surely would be glad to hear about existing or planned practice-integrating curricula:
I just want to mention that in Switzerland, academic and the bulk of undergraduate librarians get their professional education and training through a -- salaried -- category-specific apprenticeship, in which the practitioner stays under supervision, but is fully integrated into the professional work, having duties and responsibilities. This apprenticeship of two years is combined with formal education (one day per week, during one year), organized by the Swiss Association of Librarians (BBS). To get certification, both categories of librarians have to pass a category-specific final examination.
The future academic librarians begin their apprenticeship after getting a masters degree. The undergraduate librarians are at least 18 years old, have usually finished high school with success or have received an adequate education and training which prepares them to become a librarian. To get certification, all candidates have to accomplish, under supervision, a work of three months which is to be described in a final report. This way of professional education for undergraduate librarians is not "eurocompatible" and will soon be abandoned.
A minority of undergraduate librarians get their formation at the school for librarians which is integrated into the University of Geneva. Within the coming years, it is planned to establish a second library school at Luzern, a school that will fulfill the criteria of an European "Fachhochschule."
Does this really mean that nothing is going on in this domain? The following especially interests me:
We are looking forward to a lively and fertile discussion with numerous participants.
We can start the discussion on theory by stating that all organisms are information systems. From that concept we can develop a platform for understanding information science.
Let me suggest a radical idea: someone should offer a distance-learning Ph.D. in information and library studies. Too many practitioners, like myself, have too much invested in a career to uproot themselves, and take a vow of poverty to spend seven years away from their homes. There must be others like me who have an active interest in theoretical work, but who live, as I do, 300 miles from the nearest Ph.D. program in the field. As a Michigan SILS alum, I'd love to see my alma mater take such a daring step.
To reach that goal, the school offers a noncredit extern program which provides students opportunities for "participant observation" in a library or an information center during recess or vacation periods. A placement advisor helps to arrange these extern activities.
The Department of Library and Information Science at the University of California - Los Angeles goes a step farther. With the support of the professional community, the department has established an LIS Internship Program with an internship program coordinator.
An internship file of all approved sites is at disposition (at present, there are more sites than available interns). Parts of the internship course are: several class meetings on campus, complete written assignments.
Interactive multimedia learning tools allow problem-based, self-directed learning.
Appropriate designing for computer-based training facilities considers the new learning strategies. Useful features of learning programs are:
Discussion Points:
Organisms are information systems; this concept allows us a better understanding of information science (Anthony Debons).
The only constants for information specialists are:
There is no "best method" for introducing novices to the profession; answers, influenced by the cultural background, are always mere adjustments for a certain period (Margaret Slusser).
The Core Question
Rutgers SCILS offers their students opportunities for participant observation in information environments.
Diane Nahl outlined the program at SLIS, University of Hawaii. During their practice, students are supervised. They evaluate their experiences in written reports using defined criteria. Advanced level fieldwork becomes field research. After graduation, less training on the job will be needed.
At SLIS, University of Hawaii, exists also an internship program which permits students to apprentice in special environments. The Department of LIS, UCLA, established an internship program. During their practicing period, the students are supervised by practitioners as well as by faculty members.
Swiss academic librarians and most undergraduate librarians get their professional qualifications by a supervised practice, completed through formal education, organized by the Swiss Association of Librarians (William Liebi).
Bethany V. Thomson pointed out the values of volunteering in a library. Even if the volunteer receives an attestation from his Mentor/supervisor at the end of his work, he has to face a serious problem, which Drew Racine expressed in an earlier discussion: "Certified librarians will command higher salaries and better positions than their non-certified peers."
There is a need for more theoretical LIS work and for the implementation of distance-independent learning. Even remote from the centers, one should have the opportunity to get a Ph.D degree (Don Beagle).
SLIM, Emporia State University, recognized the situation of adult students returning to school for advanced degrees.
In addition to the regional programs for the MLS, there are on-campus Ph.D classes in weekend intensive format (Ellen Salle).
Prof. Charlie Hurt, SLS, University of Arizona, coordinates a Ph.D program with eventual distance learning options (Francis Steven Griego).
Interactive Media
Interactive multimedia learning tools support new learning styles, for instance problem-based, self directed learning. The development of such tools with user-friendly interfaces in the domain of LIS would be appreciated (William Liebi).
Assessment Methodology
We may consider it as key element. But the focus is on client-oriented course work, not on examinations (Keith V. Trickey).
For Further Consideration
The following question got no answer; it remains rather a problem for education specialists:
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