International Conferenece on International Conferenece on Libraries (ICOL) 2007Libraries (ICOL) 2007

Producing library professionals : Producing library professionals : the MLIS programmethe MLIS programme

N.N. Edzan, A.N. Zainab and Diljit SinghN.N. Edzan, A.N. Zainab and Diljit SinghLibrary and Information Science UnitLibrary and Information Science Unit

Faculty of Computer Science & Information TechnologyFaculty of Computer Science & Information TechnologyUniversity of MalayaUniversity of Malaya

OverviewOverview IntroductionIntroduction

Programme and Curriculum ReviewProgramme and Curriculum Review

2006 Curriculum Review2006 Curriculum Review

Recommendations of the 10 April Recommendations of the 10 April 2007 Review2007 Review

IntroductionIntroduction First started in 1987 but suspended due to lack of qualified First started in 1987 but suspended due to lack of qualified

teaching staffteaching staff

1993 - Ministry of Education wanted the programme to be 1993 - Ministry of Education wanted the programme to be revivedrevived

1995 - classes started with 25 students1995 - classes started with 25 students

Now – offered every semester, intake of 10 – 15 students Now – offered every semester, intake of 10 – 15 students per semesterper semester

Now – 120 students within the system, 206 has graduatedNow – 120 students within the system, 206 has graduated

Working in various libraries, information centers, Ministry of Working in various libraries, information centers, Ministry of Education and library management system vendorsEducation and library management system vendors

IntroductionIntroduction Now – a Professor, a visiting Professor from India, 2 Associate Now – a Professor, a visiting Professor from India, 2 Associate

Professors, 2 lecturers, a visiting lecturer from the Philippines Professors, 2 lecturers, a visiting lecturer from the Philippines and a SLAB scholarand a SLAB scholar

We teach, write, conduct research, supervise and publish We teach, write, conduct research, supervise and publish MJLISMJLIS

Generally – okGenerally – ok

But – emerging trends & roles within the professionBut – emerging trends & roles within the profession

We need to relook at our programmeWe need to relook at our programme

How??????How??????

Curriculum ReviewCurriculum Review Various opinions on the need for curriculum reviewVarious opinions on the need for curriculum review

Curriculum review takes into account the opinions of Curriculum review takes into account the opinions of stakeholders – existing students, potential students, stakeholders – existing students, potential students, existing employers, potential employers, academics, existing employers, potential employers, academics, financing organisation, etc. – helps determine state –financing organisation, etc. – helps determine state –of-the-art requirements, expectations, emerging roles, of-the-art requirements, expectations, emerging roles, emerging trendsemerging trends

Has to be supplemented by a tracer study of Has to be supplemented by a tracer study of graduates – helps determine employability, future graduates – helps determine employability, future directions, relevancedirections, relevance

Should be able to see local emerging trends within the Should be able to see local emerging trends within the professionprofession

MLIS Programme Review & MLIS Programme Review & Curriculum ReviewCurriculum Review

1997 – programme of study and entry 1997 – programme of study and entry requirementsrequirements

2001 – entry requirements2001 – entry requirements

2000 – curriculum review – basic LIS 2000 – curriculum review – basic LIS courses retained as core & more IT related courses retained as core & more IT related courses introduced as electivescourses introduced as electives

2006 – curriculum review on 28 February 2006 – curriculum review on 28 February 2006 with stakeholders2006 with stakeholders

2006 CURRICULUM 2006 CURRICULUM REVIEWREVIEW

MLIS Programme Structure - retainMLIS Programme Structure - retain11 CourseworkCoursework 6 core courses (6 x 3 = 18 credit 6 core courses (6 x 3 = 18 credit

hours)hours)6 elective courses (6 x 3 = 18 6 elective courses (6 x 3 = 18 credit hours)credit hours)Total = 36 credit hoursTotal = 36 credit hours

22 Coursework Coursework & & DissertationDissertation

Part APart A : 6 core courses (6 x 3 = 18 : 6 core courses (6 x 3 = 18 credit hours)credit hours)Part BPart B : A dissertation = 12 credit : A dissertation = 12 credit hourshoursTotal = 36 credit hoursTotal = 36 credit hours

33 DissertationDissertation 100% research100% researchTotal = 36 creditsTotal = 36 credits

We Need to Change Because We Need To …..We Need to Change Because We Need To …..

Be on the same level with similar programmes in other Be on the same level with similar programmes in other countries countries

Be sensitive to the requirements of the professionBe sensitive to the requirements of the profession

Meet the requirements of employersMeet the requirements of employers

Provide specialization within LISProvide specialization within LIS

Build upon our strengths and address our weaknesses Build upon our strengths and address our weaknesses

Support the vision and mission of the University and the Support the vision and mission of the University and the FacultyFaculty

Make optimun use of the physical and human resources Make optimun use of the physical and human resources availableavailable

We …..We ….. Re-look at our own program objectivesRe-look at our own program objectives

Took into consideration changes in educational environment Took into consideration changes in educational environment (e.g. the increasing number of universities and university (e.g. the increasing number of universities and university colleges, emplacement of full-time teacher-librarians in colleges, emplacement of full-time teacher-librarians in schools)schools)

Examined curricula of other top ranking universitiesExamined curricula of other top ranking universities

Took into consideration students comments about the program Took into consideration students comments about the program

Took into consideration our strengths ( eg. strong research Took into consideration our strengths ( eg. strong research output) and weaknesses (e.g. technology electives from MIT output) and weaknesses (e.g. technology electives from MIT were unpopular)were unpopular)

Learning Outcomes : replaced programme objectives; Learning Outcomes : replaced programme objectives; student-centred and not instructor-centredstudent-centred and not instructor-centred

1.1. Develop, evaluate, manage Develop, evaluate, manage and preserve collections of and preserve collections of information sourcesinformation sources

2.2. Organize and represent Organize and represent information resourcesinformation resources

3.3. Apply management and Apply management and leadership skills necessary leadership skills necessary to effectively and to effectively and efficiently manage efficiently manage information services in a information services in a variety of library and variety of library and information settingsinformation settings

4.4. Analyze and identify Analyze and identify information needs and information needs and educate users of libraries educate users of libraries information environmentsinformation environments

5.5. Demonstrate technical Demonstrate technical expertise of modern expertise of modern technology in libraries and technology in libraries and information environmentinformation environment

6.6. Conduct, analyze and apply Conduct, analyze and apply research methods to research methods to investigate acquisitions, investigate acquisitions, representation, organization, representation, organization, use and / or disseminate of use and / or disseminate of informationinformation

7.7. Approach professional issues Approach professional issues with an understanding of the with an understanding of the social, political, and legal social, political, and legal aspects of information aspects of information creation, access, and creation, access, and ownershipownership

We Benchmark Against …..We Benchmark Against …..

Universities in the US Universities in the US

and UK rated 5 or 4 and UK rated 5 or 4 + MLIS programmes + MLIS programmes offered in Australia & offered in Australia & New ZealandNew Zealand(19 universities) (19 universities)

UK = University of Sheffield UK = University of Sheffield (5), Loughborough University (5), Loughborough University (5), City University (5), (5), City University (5), University College London (4), University College London (4), University of Strathclyde (4)University of Strathclyde (4)

USA = University of Illinois, USA = University of Illinois, University of North Carolina, University of North Carolina, Syracuse University, Syracuse University, University of Pittsburg, University of Pittsburg, Indiana University, Drexel Indiana University, Drexel University, UCLAUniversity, UCLA

Australia = Charles Sturt Australia = Charles Sturt University, Curtin University University, Curtin University of Technology, Edith Cowan of Technology, Edith Cowan University, Queensland University, Queensland University of Technology, University of Technology, University of South AustraliaUniversity of South Australia

New Zealand = Victoria New Zealand = Victoria University, University of University, University of WellingtonWellington

We Found That …..We Found That ….. Our Core courses are similar to the core Our Core courses are similar to the core

course offered at the 19 universitiescourse offered at the 19 universitiesCore CoursesCore Courses NN %%

Management of information Management of information environment environment

1818 9595

Information sources and services Information sources and services 1616 8484Organization of information Organization of information 1616 8484Research Methods in LIS Research Methods in LIS 77 3737Technologies for information Technologies for information management management

1010 7474

Information retrieval Information retrieval 1414 5353

We Retain and AddWe Retain and Add…..…..

We retain 5 of the core courses out We retain 5 of the core courses out of which rename 2, move 1 core of which rename 2, move 1 core ((Information retrievalInformation retrieval) to elective) to elective

Add 1 new core offered by most of Add 1 new core offered by most of the 19 universities as a core subject the 19 universities as a core subject = = Libraries, information and society - Libraries, information and society - offered by 14 (74%) of the 19 offered by 14 (74%) of the 19 universities and recommended by universities and recommended by February 2006 reviewFebruary 2006 review

Core : We Changed …..Core : We Changed …..CurrentCurrent ProposedProposed

Management of Management of information environment information environment

Management of Management of information services information services **

Information sources and Information sources and services services

Information sources and Information sources and servicesservices

Organization of Organization of information information

Organization of Organization of informationinformation

Research Methods in LIS Research Methods in LIS Research foundations for Research foundations for LIS LIS **

Technologies for Technologies for information management information management

Technologies for Technologies for information managementinformation management

Information retrieval Information retrieval »» Libraries and society Libraries and society ++* Rename & reorganise* Rename & reorganise+ New

» » moved to elective

Electives Electives : We Retain & Add…..: We Retain & Add…..

We retain 12, remove 6 (all MIT We retain 12, remove 6 (all MIT courses), convert 1 core to elective, courses), convert 1 core to elective, add 12 new courses + group add 12 new courses + group electives into trackselectives into tracks

Justification : The 19 universities Justification : The 19 universities offer specialization tracks but retains offer specialization tracks but retains modularity by allowing students to modularity by allowing students to choose subjects from any track if choose subjects from any track if they so wishthey so wish

Electives Electives Retained RemovedRetained Removed

Legal issues in information Legal issues in information sciencescienceHuman aspects of information Human aspects of information systems designsystems designUser needs and behaviourUser needs and behaviourDevelopment of information Development of information collectioncollectionIndexing, abstracting and Indexing, abstracting and thesaurus constructionthesaurus constructionElectronic publishingElectronic publishingSpecial topics in LISSpecial topics in LISDirected individual studyDirected individual studyPracticum in Library & Practicum in Library & information servicesinformation servicesManagement of Internet Management of Internet resourcesresourcesDigital librariesDigital librariesDissertationsDissertations

Information systems, Information systems, fundamentals, procurement fundamentals, procurement and operational issuesand operational issuesVisual programming: concepts Visual programming: concepts and applicationand applicationInformation systems Information systems managementmanagementKnowledge managementKnowledge managementMultimedia system Multimedia system developmentdevelopmentEnterprise reengineering and Enterprise reengineering and restructuringrestructuring

All these are MIT courses All these are MIT courses which had previously which had previously contributed to the IT contributed to the IT related options for the related options for the MLIS programmeMLIS programme

Electives Electives Retained AddedRetained Added

Legal issues in information Legal issues in information sciencescienceHuman aspects of information Human aspects of information systems designsystems designUser needs and behaviourUser needs and behaviourDevelopment of information Development of information collectioncollectionIndexing, abstracting and Indexing, abstracting and thesaurus constructionthesaurus constructionElectronic publishingElectronic publishingSpecial topics in LISSpecial topics in LISDirected individual studyDirected individual studyPracticum in Library & Practicum in Library & information servicesinformation servicesManagement of Internet Management of Internet resourcesresourcesDigital librariesDigital librariesDissertationsDissertations

Malaysiana information resourcesMalaysiana information resourcesKnowledge management for Knowledge management for information professionalsinformation professionalsUser educationUser educationInformation entrepreneurshipInformation entrepreneurshipWeb publishingWeb publishingSystem analysis and design for System analysis and design for information professionalsinformation professionalsInformation retrievalInformation retrievalStatistical methods for LISStatistical methods for LISQualitative research for LISQualitative research for LISProject paperProject paperResources and services for Resources and services for children and youn adultschildren and youn adultsEducational roles of teacher Educational roles of teacher libarianslibariansInformation literacyInformation literacyIT for school librariesIT for school libraries

Regroup Electives into 5 TracksRegroup Electives into 5 TracksInformation Resources & Services

Information Science & Technology Track

Research Track School Resource Center Management Track

Legal issues in information scienceMalaysiana information resourcesDevelopment of information collectionKnowledge management for information professionalsIndexing, abstracting and thesaurus constructionUser educationInformation entrepreneurshipUser needs and behaviour

Human aspects of information systems designElectronic publishingManagement of internet resourcesDigital librariesSystem analysis and design for information professionalsInformation retrieval

Statistical methods in LISQualitative research for LISDirected individual studyProject paperDissertation

Resources & services for children and young adultsEducational roles of teacher librariansInformation literacyIT for school libraries

Special topic in LIS I; Special topic in LIS II; Practicum

Big PictureBig Picture

Management of

information services

Information sources

and services

Organization of

information

Research foundation

in LIS

Technologies for

information management

Libraries, information

and society

Track 1Track 1 Track 2Track 2 Track 3Track 3 Track 4Track 4Information Information resources & resources & ServicesServices

Information Information science and science and technologytechnology

ResearchResearch School School resource resource center center managementmanagement

Track 5 : Special topic I / Special topic II / Practicum

CoreCore

ElectivesElectives

Our Rationale …..Our Rationale ….. Balance between core library science and IT and Balance between core library science and IT and

information science coursesinformation science courses Include school library track to meet the needs of Include school library track to meet the needs of

MOE – they send their teachers to usMOE – they send their teachers to us To maintain our strength in academic research - To maintain our strength in academic research -

obtained substantial funding for research and obtained substantial funding for research and about 20 PhD candidates for LISabout 20 PhD candidates for LIS • MyAIS (Malaysian abstracting and indexing services)MyAIS (Malaysian abstracting and indexing services)• CREMM (Collaborative repository of Malay manuscripts)CREMM (Collaborative repository of Malay manuscripts)• MyUNILITT (Malaysian univeristies information literacy MyUNILITT (Malaysian univeristies information literacy

instructional teaching tool)instructional teaching tool)• COREDEV (Collaborative repository digital library – COREDEV (Collaborative repository digital library –

history, science and mathematics)history, science and mathematics)• Institutional repositories (Greenstone & DSpace), LIS Institutional repositories (Greenstone & DSpace), LIS

What Happened Next …What Happened Next … Presented at a WORKSHOP ON IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF Presented at a WORKSHOP ON IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF

THE LIS PROGRAMME on 10 April 2007 to stakeholdersTHE LIS PROGRAMME on 10 April 2007 to stakeholdersTo review the revised curriculum of the MLIS programTo review the revised curriculum of the MLIS program To ensure the revision meets the needs of industry and To ensure the revision meets the needs of industry and stakeholdersstakeholdersTo ensure the revision meets the needs of the university’s To ensure the revision meets the needs of the university’s academic standardacademic standard

Recommendations made at the forum reflected the Recommendations made at the forum reflected the emerging trends of the LIS professionemerging trends of the LIS profession

No recent reports on emerging trends of the profession or No recent reports on emerging trends of the profession or the emerging role of the professionals – the Malaysian the emerging role of the professionals – the Malaysian scenarioscenario

Recommendations Which May Reflect Recommendations Which May Reflect Emerging Trends in LIS in MalaysiaEmerging Trends in LIS in Malaysia

Incorporation of more Incorporation of more ICT-based literacyICT-based literacy Knowledge managementKnowledge management to be made a core course – to be made a core course –

emerging field in Malaysiaemerging field in Malaysia Content of Organization of information – to include Content of Organization of information – to include

metadata metadata and and organization of non-structured organization of non-structured informationinformation

Content of management of information services – to Content of management of information services – to include include marketingmarketing

To introduce a course related to To introduce a course related to acquisition and acquisition and collection developmentcollection development as a core as a core

To include a course on To include a course on preservation andpreservation and conservation conservation of resources and disaster planningof resources and disaster planning as an elective as an elective

Need for Need for soft skillssoft skills – presentation and communication – presentation and communication skillsskills

To place greater emphasis on To place greater emphasis on information literacyinformation literacy

Thank youThank you