lis education » virtually a librarian

'repackaging' information education - your input needed!

conference presentations, professional stuff 4 Responses »

Jun 162012

I’m preparing a context-setting/provocation video for a workshop I’m facilitating at the upcoming Australian Information Education Symposium on ‘repackaging’ information education.

And I need your help! I’m looking for answers to the following three questions:

What do you think is the biggest challenge we (as a profession) are facing today?
What do you think are the three most important skills, knowledge or characteristics graduate information professionals?
What do you think LIS education should start, stop and continue doing/teaching? (Just one thing for each.)

I want a strong professional voice to set the scene for this workshop with LIS academics, so have your say here!

Please indicate in your comment whether you are okay with having your response in the video and how (or if) you would like to be credited (ie will I use your name? Your Twitter handle?).

the social classroom: presentation on teaching in social media spaces

blogeverydayofjune 3 Responses »

Jun 092011

Today I spoke at a QUT innovation in teaching and learning event called Making connections. I spoke about the way I teach INN333: Information Programs, which is a unit about information program, product and service development and delivery. With the influence of new and emerging technologies – particularly web based technologies – being such a huge player in this space, the unit also has a focus on web based technologies, and in particular, social technologies. I teach this unit using a WordPress install with BuddyPress and a whole range of other plugins. We also actively use Twitter, YouTube, Elluminate and other tools. Students undertake weekly ‘play’ activities to get them experimenting with a range of technologies and tools, as well as regular blogging to get them thinking critically about the applications of technology for information program, product and service delivery.

If you’re interested in finding out more, check out my slides from the presentation and a short video tour of the unit site. If social websites are your thing, you might also be interested in a presentation I did a while back on socialising websites for Social Media Club Gold Coast.

I’m indebted to the very awesome Michael Stephens for the idea to use WordPress and BuddyPress as a learning hub (I’m not going to call it a learning management system because that’s not quite how I kitted it out).

The social classroom