Adult education concepts in library professional development activities

2015 ◽  
Vol 116 (5/6) ◽  
pp. 302-315 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ramirose Ilene Attebury

Purpose – The purpose of this review is to survey the literature addressing the professional development of academic librarians in the context of adult education principles. Design/methodology/approach – This article is a literature review. Findings – The review reveals that among those activities incorporating concepts from the adult education field andragogy, transformational learning, communities of practice and instructional design are most prevalent. Originality/value – To date, no other literature review considers adult education concepts in professional development of academic librarians.

2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 259-272 ◽  
Author(s):  
Visal Moosa ◽  
Mariyam Shareefa

Purpose This study aims to use science mapping to explore the knowledge base on workplace learning. Design/methodology/approach The analyses were based on the 100 most-cited articles out of the 7,469 results that were generated by the search on SCOPUS database. Bibliometric analyses such as keyword occurrence, co-authorship network and bibliometric coupling network were conducted using VOSviewer. Findings The results indicated that scholarly work in the area of workplace learning is on the rise while emphasising the need for contributions from Eastern and Asian perspectives. It was also found that scholarly work on workplace learning can be classified into two major schools of thought, namely, one that revolves around learning communities and other around communities of practice. Finally, analysis of the top-journals revealed that many of them have a close association with the field of education. Research limitations/implications This analysis is based on a single database. Nonetheless, scholars looking forward to research and publish on the topic may consider the key concepts and journals identified in this review. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, no other study on bibliometric analysis of the topic has been conducted. This study contributes to the knowledge base on workplace learning by science mapping the existing knowledge.


2018 ◽  
Vol 119 (7/8) ◽  
pp. 422-431 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen Bordonaro

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to offer practicing academic librarians an overview of adult education theories as a way to more deeply understand and further foster adult learning in academic libraries. Design/methodology/approach This paper is a literature review. Findings This review introduces academic librarians to a range of specific adult education learning theories; it offers examples of academic library users engaging in these types of adult learning; it considers how academic libraries can further foster adult learning; and it identifies major characteristics of adult learners. Originality/value This literature review offers a summative overview of adult education in a way that has not appeared in the library literature to date, along with explicit connections between adult education theories and academic library practices.


2014 ◽  
Vol 115 (7/8) ◽  
pp. 340-354 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stella Ngozi Anasi ◽  
Hussaini Ali

Purpose – The aim of this paper is to examine and discuss academic librarians’ perceptions of the benefits and challenges of adopting e-learning for continuing professional development. Design/methodology/approach – To elicit the necessary information, this study adopted a descriptive survey design, using questionnaire as instrument for data collection. The study population consists of five tertiary institutions – two universities, two polytechnics and one college of education, selected as sample using the purposive sampling technique. The study also conducted a literature review on studies done on benefits and challenges of e-learning for professional development. The literature review is built on resources from online and offline. Findings – Academic librarians in Lagos State were unanimous in their perception of benefits and challenges of adoption of e-learning for continuing professional development. The major benefits of e-learning were that e-learning opens up new frontiers for professional learning, supports knowledge generation and management and gives librarians an opportunity to broaden their knowledge. However, the major challenges to adopting e-learning for continuing professional development were inadequate power supply, inadequate knowledge of how to operate e-learning tools and limited bandwidth. Practical implications – This paper establishes that the role of academic librarians in the provision of information for learning and study in academic institutions places them in an advantageous position to engage in e-learning activities for professional development. It also extols the need for top library management to deploy all resources within their reach to develop technology-enhanced learning system. This should also be complemented with the development and implementation of e-learning curriculum in library schools in Nigeria to inculcate e-learning culture. Originality/value – The paper contributes to empirical research on e-learning for continuing professional development among librarians in Nigeria. Librarians who are interested in professional development will find this article useful.


2019 ◽  
Vol 68 (1/2) ◽  
pp. 93-111 ◽  
Author(s):  
Portia Bowen-Chang ◽  
Yacoob Hosein

PurposeThis study aims to present a detailed investigation into the approaches of academic librarians in Trinidad and Tobago in pursuing continuing professional development (CPD) activities. The paper also examines the extent of their participation in CPD at both the institutional and external levels in contributing to the development of their careers.Design/methodology/approachThe instrument used was a questionnaire which assesses the effectiveness of the librarians in their involvement in and attitude toward CPD activities.FindingsThe paper demonstrates the active role and willingness of academic librarians in Trinidad and Tobago in providing and participating in CPD training and support to library and information personnel at both the national and international levels.Originality/valueThe paper underscores the effectiveness of a group of academic librarians in Trinidad and Tobago who pursue and provide a high level of CPD activities to professionals.


2020 ◽  
Vol 37 (8) ◽  
pp. 7-9
Author(s):  
Israel Odede

Purpose The paper aims to critically examine the bibliographic utility as a roadmap to increase library consortia and provide an insight into a new library consortia strategy that integrates librarians into a system of sharing both resources and knowledge. Design/methodology/approach This study adopted a literature review approach with a focus on bibliographic utility as a necessary prerequisite for effective library consortia, which is a paradigm shift from the concept of individual ownership to a collective access of distributed network resources and knowledge. Findings The reviewed literature indicated that significant bibliographic utilities and integrated library systems are factors that shaped and developed consortia activities in libraries. Originality/value The bibliographic utility has limited literature, and a few published scholarly studies have combined bibliographic utility and library consortia as strategies to share resources and knowledge


2019 ◽  
Vol 76 (1) ◽  
pp. 333-353 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen Macdonald ◽  
Briony Birdi

Purpose Neutrality is a much debated value in library and information science (LIS). The “neutrality debate” is characterised by opinionated discussions in contrasting contexts. The purpose of this paper is to fill a gap in the literature by bringing these conceptions together holistically, with potential to deepen understanding of LIS neutrality. Design/methodology/approach First, a literature review identified conceptions of neutrality reported in the LIS literature. Second, seven phenomenographic interviews with LIS professionals were conducted across three professional sectors. To maximise variation, each sector comprised at least one interview with a professional of five or fewer years’ experience and one with ten or more years’ experience. Third, conceptions from the literature and interviews were compared for similarities and disparities. Findings In four conceptions, each were found in the literature and interviews. In the literature, these were labelled: “favourable”, “tacit value”, “social institutions” and “value-laden profession”, whilst in interviews they were labelled: “core value”, “subservient”, “ambivalent”, and “hidden values”. The study’s main finding notes the “ambivalent” conception in interviews is not captured by a largely polarised literature, which oversimplifies neutrality’s complexity. To accommodate this complexity, it is suggested that future research should look to reconcile perceptions from either side of the “neutral non-neutral divide” through an inclusive normative framework. Originality/value This study’s value lies in its descriptive methodology, which brings LIS neutrality together in a holistic framework. This framework brings a contextual awareness to LIS neutrality lacking in previous research. This awareness has the potential to change the tone of the LIS neutrality debate.


2015 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 2-6
Author(s):  
Robert Fox

Purpose – In order to continue to respond to patron needs in a relevant way, it is necessary to continuously reevaluate the central message that the library website is intended to convey. It ' s necessary to question assumptions, listen to user needs, and shift our paradigm to make the library web presence as effective as possible. Design/methodology/approach – This is a regular viewpoint column. A basic literature review was done prior to the column being written. Findings – The library Web site remains, in many respects, the “first face” of the library for patrons. To remain relevant, traditional methodologies used in library science may need to be set aside or catered to the needs of the patron. Originality/value – Various methods regarding design philosophy are explored which may be of use to information professionals responsible for the design and content of the library Web sites.


2014 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 368-384 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lidija Breznik ◽  
Robert D. Hisrich

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide insights into the relationship between dynamic capabilities and innovation capabilities. It links dynamic capability with innovation capability and indicates the ways they can be related. Design/methodology/approach – The relationships between dynamic and innovation capability were investigated through a systematic literature review. Findings – The review indicates that common characteristics exist between of the both fields, which demonstrate six relationships. Additionally, findings show some inconsistencies and even contradictions. Originality/value – In this paper, the authors have compared dynamic capabilities, a relatively new approach in the field of strategic management, with innovation capabilities, a widely recognised crucial domain for sustained competitiveness. Since both areas address issues that are essential to today's environment, future research should seek to clarify both concepts, by undertaking some new research and developing comprehensive and unambiguous framework.


2012 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 405-421 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert J. Blomme ◽  
Kirsten Bornebroek‐Te Lintelo

PurposeThis article aims to develop a conception consisting of insights from complexity theory and additional notions from Weick's sense‐making theory and existentialism for examining organization behaviour.Design/methodology/approachThis paper carries out a literature review of Karl Weick's theory of sense‐making and some notions from existentialism to discuss the possible contributions to complexity theory and with this a further comprehension of organizational behaviour.FindingsFour existential conditions, namely death, freedom, existentialism and meaninglessness, give a further comprehension of Weick's concept of equivocality. Equivocality is an important input for organizing processes. The complexity of organizing processes is an object for examining organizational behaviour from a complexity scientific standpoint. The authors argue that the concept of equivocality and with this the states of equilibrium in an organization can be approached with examining the states of the mentioned four existential conditions.Practical implicationsAn important point of application for change managers in an organization is equivocality. The increase of equivocality will lead to a shift in the state of equilibrium in which new themes will emerge and corresponding organisational behaviour. The level of equivocality is due to the presence of existential fears. Hence, change managers should focus on existential themes and anxieties in an organization to advance emergent change.Originality/valueNew in this paper is the usage of notions from existentialism to elaborate Weick's conception of sense‐making. Also this paper discusses the possible contribution of this elaboration to research of organisational behaviour from the perspective of complexity theory.


2016 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Kesselman

Purpose – This article examines Current CITE-ings from the Popular and Trade Computing Press, Telework and Telecommuting Design/methodology/approach – The methodology adopted is a literature review. Findings – Readily available technologies now allow librarians to perform most of their work-offsite. Some traditional building-based services such as reference, have been taken over by virtual reference and now even instruction offers options on par with or even better than classroombased questions such as a webinar that can be viewed and reviewed at any time or by having librarians embedded into various courseware packages. Researchlimitations/implications – Librarians no longer need be limited to a single library; groups of subject librarians can work together in the cloud to provide services to multiple universities. Originality/value – This article collates some articles from the non-library literature that mayprovide some ideas and review advantages and disadvantages for both the library and employee


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