Librarians’ Attitudes Toward Providing Environmental Education Services in Georgia

This article reports on the findings from a survey of the Georgia Library Association (GLA) members on their attitudes toward providing environmental education services in libraries, and their perceptions of the role libraries should play in developing environmentally sustainable community. Information on the environmentally sustainable practices within libraries was also collected, along with the libraries\u27 environmental education services. Most respondents agreed that it is vital to integrate environmentally sustainable practices into library operations and provide environmental education services. However, the study also identified a gap between librarians’ attitudes and the actual environmentally sustainable practices and environmental education services in their libraries due to the reported lack of money, time, and public interests, among some other factors. Findings from this study can inform the discussion on how to support libraries so they can undertake this critical endeavor

ALISE 2019: Exploring Learning in a Global Information Context

The 2019 Association for Library and Information Science Education (ALISE)  annual conference was held in Knoxville, Tennessee from September 24-26th.This year’s conference theme is Exploring Learning in a Global Information Context.

Editorial: Special Issue on Pandemic and Libraries

Editorial: Special Issue on Pandemic and Librarie

Guest Editorial: Celebrating the Two Year Anniversary and Announcing the Fifth Issue

Guest Editorial: Celebrating the Two Year Anniversary and Announcing the Fifth Issu

Evaluating the effectiveness of collaborative learning in online asynchronous courses

Many empirical research has been conducted to investigate the sense of community in online learning environment, and its impact on students’ success. In those studies, collaborative learning is often identified as an effective way to foster the sense of community, therefore to improve students’ overall learning experience and learning outcome in online classroom. But it remains unclear how online instructors can evaluate the effectiveness of the collaborative learning activity they implemented in their classroom and to revise or improve the activity accordingly. This study sets out to answer this question by looking at an online course taught in a fully online asynchronous MLIS program. The effectiveness of collaborative learning activities implemented in this course was investigated using multiple research methods. First, students in this online course were surveyed about their perception, satisfaction, and expectations of collaborative learning experience and their sense of online learning community. Secondly, the online course discussion board was examined using content analysis to identify the occurrences of knowledge sharing, knowledge creation, and social learning happened during the discussion. Next, self-selected students will be interviewed to get further understanding on what factors contribute to their success or failure in this online course. The ultimate purpose of this case study is to develop a tool set that MLIS online instructors can customize and use to evaluate their courses and to improve their students’ overall learning experience and outcome

A Directory to International LIS Education Accreditation Processes: Part III

We will continue to look at LIS education accreditation processes across the world in Part III of this directory. This time, readers will find information on the accreditation processes for LIS education in New Zealand. Any new LIS education programs and degrees offered by universities in New Zealand, or any significant changes made to the existing structure of LIS education programs in New Zealand universities must get approval from the Committee on University Academic Programmes (CUAP). The Library and Information Association of New Zealand Aotearoa (LIANZA) assesses the LIS education providers in New Zealand on their coverage of the body of knowledge regularly

A Directory to International LIS Education Accreditation Processes: Part II

Let us continue to look at the LIS education accreditation processes across the world in Part II of this directory. This time, readers will find information on the accreditation processes for higher education in general, and LIS education in particular in Ireland, Germany, and South Africa. In Ireland, the Library Association of Ireland (LAI) accredits only LIS programs that meet the academic quality assurance requirements of the state agency Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI). In South Africa, a LIS program provider will first contact the Library and Information Association of South Africa (LIASA) for input before submitting the accreditation application to The Council on Higher Education (CHE), the statutory body in South Africa for quality assurance in higher education. In Germany, the Accreditation Council is the central decision-making body that is responsible for the accreditation of all study programs of any disciplines in Germany. There is no specialized accreditation institution for LIS accreditations, and German Library Associations is not involved in the LIS education accreditation processes