Three trends in higher education and their potential impact on information agencies

2015 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 7-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
H Frank Cervone
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Academic Libraries ◽  
Active Role ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Call To Action ◽  
Education Environment ◽  
Number Of Factors ◽  
Relevant Role ◽  
Technology Trends

Purpose – In this paper three technological trends are explored. While these trends are not directly related to each other, the author posits that they are all manifestations of areas where libraries and librarians could play a more active role in using the technology to further the mission of the library. Taken together, the author discusses how these trends become a call to action for libraries and librarians to more directly engage in areas of responsibility outside their traditional domain if they wish to maintain a relevant role in the academy. Design/methodology/approach – In this paper, an analysis of three of the trends discussed in the “NMC Horizon Project short list: 2013 higher education edition” report is undertaken. From this analysis, the author evaluates the relevance, in both the short- and long-terms, of these trends to academic libraries. Findings – These three trends represent areas where libraries and librarians should attempt to become more directly involved in either using or exploiting technology. While two of these trends involve technology that is outside the traditional boundaries of librarianship, each of these technology trends will be increasingly critical to the higher education environment and it would behoove librarians to be at the forefront of thought leadership in these areas. Originality/value – In this article, the author takes what seem to be unrelated trends and finds a common thread among them. Part of understanding how the needs of a library’s user community may evolve over time is through identifying how a number of factors, many apparently unrelated, come together to change the overall focus and direction of patron needs. By looking at technology trends that are seemingly unrelated to libraries directly, the author develops a picture of what future directions academic libraries may take if they desire to maintain relevancy in a rapidly evolving technological landscape.

scholarly journals Extending McKinsey’s 7S model to understand strategic alignment in academic libraries

2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (5) ◽  
pp. 313-326 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew Martin Cox ◽  
Stephen Pinfield ◽  
Sophie Rutter
Keyword(s):  
Academic Libraries ◽  
Academic Library ◽  
Theoretical Work ◽  
Perceived Barriers ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Institutional Influences ◽  
Potential Applications ◽  
Strategic Position ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to conceptualise the issues of alignment for changing academic libraries by using and extending McKinsey’s 7S model. Design/methodology/approach Theoretical work was conducted to consider and extend the 7S model for the situation of academic libraries. Empirical data were then used to confirm the value of these extensions and suggest further changes. The data to support the analysis were drawn from 33 interviews with librarians, library and non-library academics and experts, and a survey of UK library staff. Findings In the academic library context, the 7S model can be usefully extended to include three library functions (stuff, space and services) and users. It can also include institutional influences and stakeholders, and aspects of the external environment or situation, including suppliers and allies. The revised model then provides a useful framework within which data about library change can be analysed. Perceived barriers to successful performance fit the model and enable the identification of seven challenges of alignment. Research limitations/implications The resulting model has potential applications such as in the structuring analysis of academic library performance, mapping future directions of development and for exploring variations across the sector and internationally. Practical implications The revised model can be used by practitioners to think through their own strategic position and to act to shape their future, in the light of seven major areas of alignment. Originality/value The paper extends a well-known model used in strategy, to produce a more comprehensive, sector-specific analytic tool.

Succession Planning and the Talent Management Toolbox

2014 ◽  
pp. 133-152 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katherine Simpson ◽  
Patricia J. West
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Human Capital ◽  
Succession Planning ◽  
Academic Libraries ◽  
Talent Management ◽  
Decision Science ◽  
Education Environment ◽  
Effectiveness And Efficiency ◽  
Strategic Success ◽  
Science Framework

This chapter defines succession planning as a key component of talent management and explains its relevance for academic libraries. With a combination of unique human capital challenges and the current higher education environment, academic libraries are now facing risks that require special considerations as they plan for the future. In this chapter, the authors define talent management and succession planning and review the major models that are currently in use. They then discuss the “decision-science” framework, which they propose is best suited for addressing future talent needs in academic libraries. Such elements as resources and processes, organization and talent, and sustainable strategic success are highlighted as avenues to linking overall decisions around impact, effectiveness, and efficiency. The final aspect of the chapter includes techniques for developing the talent pipeline, identifying “pivotal” positions, and developing strategies and practices. Assessing progress against talent management goals, including identifying specific metrics, is also outlined.

Through three lenses: transfer students and the library

2017 ◽  
Vol 45 (3) ◽  
pp. 400-414 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Sandelli
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Transfer Students ◽  
Academic Libraries ◽  
Information Science ◽  
Student Experiences ◽  
Transfer Student ◽  
Multiple Perspectives ◽  
First Year Students ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Science And Education

Purpose The aim of this paper is to examine literature related to transfer students and students in transition through three interrelated lenses: student demographics and experiences, considerations encountered by institutions of higher education working to support these students and academic libraries’ interactions with this growing population. Design/methodology/approach Library and information science and education databases were searched for articles related to transfer student experiences and initiatives. Educational research and policy centers were also investigated for supplemental data and definitions. Findings Several key considerations for academic libraries interested in supporting transfer students emerged, including the growth and diversity of this population; academic, social and procedural experiences encountered during and after students’ transition; commonalities and differences with native first-year students; and the value of partnerships in fostering student success. Practical implications This review contextualizes conversations regarding transfer student experiences, providing a resource for librarians to understand this population from multiple perspectives and to use these perspectives to develop and enhance initiatives, resources and services. Originality/value Despite an increased emphasis on transfer students across higher education, there is little literature regarding libraries’ involvement with this population. This literature review also seeks to expand upon existing conversations by examining transfer student experiences beyond the library that could inform both their interactions with the library and the ways in which libraries connect and communicate with these students.

Current trends and issues affecting academic libraries and leadership skills

2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (1/2) ◽  
pp. 78-92 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Aslam
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Academic Libraries ◽  
Effective Leadership ◽  
Leadership Skills ◽  
Academic Library ◽  
Primary Objective ◽  
Content Type ◽  
New Ways Of Working ◽  
Current Trends ◽  
The World

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to reflect on major issues and trends of academic libraries and leadership in the changing nature of higher education. Changing environment of academic libraries has impacted significantly on the knowledge, skills requirement and role of the library leaders, and how organizations can maintain and manage the changing nature of academic libraries as well as leadership while effective leadership is extremely required for the library leaders and organizations are concern about future scenarios. The primary objective is to identify the key challenges in libraries, leadership skills and approaches of the leaders, their effective leadership traits and future perceptions are discussed. Design/methodology/approach The aim of this paper is to facilitate as how to develop effective and successful leadership for the academic libraries during the changing nature of higher education. The findings and recommendations in the paper are based on personal experience of leadership positions in an academic library as well as experience of library leaders across the world. Findings Academic libraries are facing similar challenges and issues across the world. This paper identifies that library leaders need to be effective communicators, strategic thinkers, visionary, and able to examine the new ways of working. Originality/value This paper discusses why academic library leaders need a set of new skills and how can they develop leadership skills and competencies in the changing nature of academic libraries.

A survey of information literacy credit courses in US academic libraries

2016 ◽  
Vol 44 (4) ◽  
pp. 564-582 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nadine Cohen ◽  
Liz Holdsworth ◽  
John M. Prechtel ◽  
Jill Newby ◽  
Yvonne Mery ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Information Literacy ◽  
Academic Libraries ◽  
Public Institutions ◽  
Doctoral Degrees ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Carnegie Classification ◽  
Credit Hours ◽  
For Profit

Purpose There is a lack of data about information literacy (IL) credit courses in US academic libraries. This paper aims to provide a detailed snapshot of IL credit courses, including percentages of libraries that offer credit courses, the number of credits offered, the audience and how public institutions differ from private nonprofits and for-profits. Design/methodology/approach The authors surveyed a stratified random sample of libraries at higher education institutions across all categories from the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. Qualtrics software was used to create and distribute the email survey. The response rate was 39 per cent (n = 691). Findings In all, 19 per cent of the institutions in the survey have IL credit courses taught by librarians. Large institutions, public institutions and those granting doctoral degrees are the most likely to offer IL credit courses. The majority of these courses are undergraduate electives of 1-2 credit hours offered under the library aegis, although a significant minority are required, worth 3-4 credit hours, and taught within another academic department or campus-wide program. Originality/value The findings update previous surveys and provide a more granular picture of the characteristics of librarian-taught credit-bearing courses, the types of academic institutions that offer them and compensation teaching librarians receive. This survey is the first study of credit-bearing IL instruction to include for-profit colleges and universities.

A large-group peer mentoring programme in an under-resourced higher education environment

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 341-356
Author(s):  
Cindy Olivier ◽  
Catherine Burton
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Peer Mentoring ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Limited Resources ◽  
Group Setting ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Group Mentoring ◽  
Education Environment ◽  
University Life ◽  
Transition To Higher Education

PurposeThe transition from school to higher education is a complex process. Peer mentoring is often used by institutions to facilitate this process. The purpose of this research, which was conducted at a South African university, was to determine whether a peer mentoring programme, which involved a large number of students and a limited number of mentors, could successfully assist students to adapt to the academic and psychosocial demands of university life.Design/methodology/approachA sequential explanatory mixed method design was implemented. In the first phase, a questionnaire was used to collect data to establish participants' experience of the programme. The findings from the questionnaire were used to inform the qualitative phase, in which the participants' perceptions of the benefits of the mentor programme were further explored by means of group interviews. The qualitative data were analysed using inductive qualitative content analysis.FindingsThe results indicate that a structured peer mentoring programme, in which a mentor works with up to 70 mentees in a group setting, can be a useful tool to assist with students' transition to university. The research found that the peer mentoring programme contributed to the students' academic, social and personal integration into the higher education environment.Research limitations/implicationsThe perspectives of mentors and faculty were not included. No comparative study with students who did not participate in the programme was conducted.Practical implicationsThis research illustrates that it is possible to mentor large groups of disadvantaged and vulnerable students notwithstanding limited resources.Originality/valueIn contrast to the existing literature on peer mentoring in higher education, which focuses on one-on-one or small-group mentoring, this research suggests that peer mentoring of larger groups can also play an important role in assisting students to transition to higher education. The description of the programme and the benefits students derived from it offer other institutions with limited resources some ideas about how a peer mentoring programme can be implemented.

Internal quality assurance systems: “tailor made” or “one size fits all” implementation?

2017 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 329-342 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sónia Cardoso ◽  
Maria J. Rosa ◽  
Pedro Videira ◽  
Alberto Amaral
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Quality Assurance ◽  
Internal Quality ◽  
Institutional Characteristics ◽  
Self Assessment ◽  
Content Type ◽  
National Quality ◽  
Relevant Role ◽  
Internal Quality Assurance ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose This paper aims to look at the characteristics of internal quality assurance (IQA) systems of higher education institutions to understand whether these systems tend to reproduce a given model, externally defined and suggested to institutions, or rather to be shaped by institutions’ features and interests. Design/methodology/approach The study is supported in the analysis of the content of self-assessment reports of 12 internal QA systems certified, in Portugal, between 2012 and 2015. An analysis grid was used based on three categories: IQA systems’ historical framework, structural/managerial component and monitoring, assessment and continuous improvement. Findings Institutions tended to follow a “one size fits all” approach, meaning that external (European and national) quality assurance (QA) references were used in an identical way, giving origin to rather similar IQA systems. Institutional characteristics do not seem to have played a relevant role, eventually due to institutions’ will to obtain their systems’ certification and, thus, achieve a light-touch external QA. Research limitations/implications The study was based on the analysis of only certified IQA systems and relies on document analysis. It would be interesting to also include non-certified systems, in a comparative perspective, complemented with data deriving from interviews and/or questionnaires with some of the actors involved in the certification process. Practical implications The study provides an understanding of how IQA systems are being implemented in Portugal. Thus, it can be of interest to other institutions as well as to QA agencies. Originality/value The study addresses a topic still relatively absent from research on QA in higher education, being of interest for researchers in the field.

scholarly journals Lecturers’ perceptions on factors influencing the implementation of bilingual instruction in Indonesian universities

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 206-216
Author(s):  
Amirullah Abduh
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Tertiary Education ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Systematic Assessment ◽  
Bilingual Instruction ◽  
Factors Influencing ◽  
Number Of Factors

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore lecturers’ perceptions on factors that affect the implementation of bilingual instruction (BI) policy in Indonesian higher education. Design/methodology/approach This qualitative study used 15 lecturers who taught in BI programs in three Indonesian universities. The data were gained through semi-structured interviews. The semi-structured interview data were analyzed via thematic approach. Findings The findings of the study suggest a number of factors influencing the implementation of BI, including the support from lecturers, leadership, and government. The availability of adapted curriculum and systematic assessment also influences the successful implementation of BI in Indonesian tertiary education. Practical implications The findings of this study have implications for the success of similar programs and the ways to gain understanding of BI within higher education contexts. Originality/value BI research is not new; however, little information is related to BI in Indonesia. This work contributes to a growing body of literature that explore BI and education factors within higher education setting. The significance of this study is to raise greater understanding of several important factors that influence the implementation of BI policy within university settings.

Library staff support with Fourth Industrial Revolution's application to provide information resources to remote clients during the COVID-19 library services

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tinyiko Vivian Dube
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Academic Libraries ◽  
Information Resources ◽  
Library Services ◽  
Gauteng Province ◽  
Staff Support ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Education Environment ◽  
Library Staff ◽  
Remote Clients

PurposeThe Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) and the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) have challenged the academic libraries system with a paradigm shift that has never been experienced before. This article highlights how the library staff offered support with the 4IR to the remote during the COVID-19 era; to ensure that the provision of information resources does not halt because of the imposed lockdown COVID-19 regulations. The purpose of this study was to examine the library staff support with 4IR's application to provide information resources to remote clients during the COVID-19 library services.Design/methodology/approachThe study was anchored by the positivism research paradigm and used a quantitative research approach. Microsoft Form was used to design an online questionnaire to collect data from the library staff working in a distance education environment in Gauteng Province of South Africa. The collected data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS).FindingsThe findings discovered that the library staff was keen on job innovation; however, the COVID-19 restrictions were a major cause for the library staff not to provide information resources to remote clients effectively.Research limitations/implicationsThe 4IR has both positive and negative effects on the library staff and the remote clients. To ensure that academic libraries fully embrace the 4IR; it is imperative to examine how the remote clients affected by digital divide can benefit from this revolution since they do not have access to adequate gadgets such as laptops/personal computers/tablets/smartphone/iPods and data for Internet connection.Practical implicationsThis study contributed to the Library and Information Science's (LIS) field by adding value to the knowledge base concerning how the library staff working in academic libraries operating in a distance education environment in Gauteng Province of South Africa offered support to the remote clients during the COVID-19 pandemic that impacted the drastic adoption of the 4IR.Social implicationsStakeholders, library management and policymakers gained insight to revisit the existing library staff support regarding mentoring, coaching training remote clients on how to access and download online information resources. This is inspired by the fact that COVID-19 significantly influenced library services' value for knowledge by facilitating policy changes and aligning with 4IR.Originality/valueThe study greatly influences policymakers and information practitioners to mobilize new methods of library staff support.

AI: new source of competitiveness in higher education

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Erin Hannan ◽  
Shuguang Liu
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Enrollment Management ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Early Adopters ◽  
Recent Trends ◽  
Applications Of Ai

Purpose This paper aims to survey the current landscape of artificial intelligence (AI) applications in higher education institutions (HEIs) and recommend future directions. Design/methodology/approach This paper reviews the recent trends, showcases the applications and provides future directions through a review of current uses of AI in HEIs. Findings The results of this study highlight successful applications of AI technologies in three main areas of college operation: student learning experience; student support; and enrollment management. Research limitations/implications This review has important implications for early adopters of AI by HEIs in providing a competitive advantage. The limitation lies in the scope of the review. It is not comprehensive and does not cover other areas of college operations. Originality/value This is the first review about AI in higher education. It is of value in building future research and serving as a framework for AI applications in HEI.

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