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E-Learning
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| Sponsoring Section: Education and Training |
Scope
E-learning is a significant feature of education and training for librarianship and information science. Intranets are being used to support 'regular' students on and off campus, while the Web is becoming an increasingly common medium for supporting distance learning. The Internet currently provides distance learning opportunities ranging from short 'refresher' courses and introductions to new aspects of professional practice, through to programmes that lead to both initial and advanced qualifications in the field.
E-learning also impacts library services in terms of their provision of learning resources and information literacy and reference services to support communities of users that are increasingly networked, creating increasing pressure for electronic services.
The E-learning Discussion Group aims to provide a timely forum for discussion of opportunities and issues related to the provision of e-learning for libraries and librarians.
Historical Background
The E-learning Discussion Group held successful meetings at IFLA Conferences in Buenos Aires (2004) and Oslo (2005). The E-learning Discussion Group ran further valuable conference sessions in Durban (2007) and Québec (2008).
In 2004 Buenos Aires the theme was: Perspectives on how e-learning is contributing to continuing professional education and development for LIS. LIS educators and practitioners from Latin America, Asia, Europe made presentations that provided perspectives on how e-learning contributes to continuing professional education and development for LIS, and its implications for the operation of library services.
In 2005 Oslo the theme was: Making e-learning work. The discussions centred on the themes of: financial aspects of e-learning; copyright issues in e-learning; the 5 C’s - connectivity, content, capability, conservation, collaboration. The presentations were given by teachers of higher education institutions and consortia of universities from Europe and the USA.
The E-learning Discussion Group met again in 2007. In Durban the focus was on: E-learning - in search of collaboration and quality. In this second phase of the Discussion Group’s activities, there was a strong collaboration with the sections on Continuing Professional Development and Work Based Learning and with Information Literacy. The presentations, given by teachers and professionals, offered evidence to indicate that in an e-learning context, the quality of teaching is often improved, because the pedagogies are more interactive and based on constructivist approaches to learning. Also, academic collaboration is supported more easily.
In Québec, in 2008, the E-learning Discussion Group focused on the learner: Putting the learner into e-learning. Attributes of e-learning include the concept of student-centered learning, with librarians considered as both students and teachers in e-learning programs. The organisational issues of e-learning programs and the related pedagogies were discussed in the presentations of librarians and teachers from Europe, USA, Canada and Asia.
Although the discussions to date have been interesting, much of the e-learning phenomenon has not yet been fully explored. There is scope to investigate, through research into practice, how distance learning can be enhanced through the engagement of library and information professionals.
Activities
To organise a discussion session at IFLA Conferences.
To maintain contact with IFLA Sections interested in e-learning and to serve as a tool for furthering joint activities among these Sections
Conferences
- Call for Papers
Theme: Lifelong e-learning and libraries
World Library and Information Congress: August 2009, Milan, Italy
Mailing list
If you are interested in the work of this Discussion Group, please subscribe to E-learning Mailing list.
Go to: http://infoserv.inist.fr/wwsympa.fcgi/info/elearn
click on "subscribe" (on the left, below) and follow the instructions
on the screen.
Useful Addresses
Convenors
Gillian Hallam
Division of Technology, Information and Learning Support
Queensland University of Technology
GPO Box 2434
Brisbane Qld 4001
Australia
Tel: +(61)(7)31388067
Email: g.hallam@qut.edu.au
Anna Maria Tammaro
Department of Cultural Heritage, Section Library Science
University of Parma
Via Montebeni, 9
I-50014 Fiesole (FI), Italy
Tel. +(39)(055)697585
Fax: +(39)(0521)902365
E-mail: annamaria.tammaro@unipr.it