The past 30 years have seen a great social revolution in this country; the change — by general consent of both professional and public opinion — from a divisive school system to a…
Abstract
The past 30 years have seen a great social revolution in this country; the change — by general consent of both professional and public opinion — from a divisive school system to a unifying one. Apart from odd pockets of dissent local education authorities have either established, or are working towards, a pattern of comprehensive schools covering the whole period of compulsory education from five to 16. A lot remains to be done — but the principle is accepted.
In a dynamic, information and technology‐driven society, librarians can create new roles by assessing changes in their environment, the potential effect and ways to reposition…
Abstract
In a dynamic, information and technology‐driven society, librarians can create new roles by assessing changes in their environment, the potential effect and ways to reposition themselves. Scenario building, literature reviews, situation analysis, speculation and forecasting may be used. Librarians have a good idea of what they can offer, but are often unable to reposition themselves in time. Reasons for this generally slow reaction are speculated on and the future role of librarians (including expected knowledge and skills) is briefly reviewed. An argument is then pursued on how an educational perspective that supports a constructivist‐learning environment, portfolio assessment, and affective and metacognitive skills could support librarians in preparing for change. The value of task analysis, needs assessment, and market research are mentioned briefly. Apart from knowledge (cognitive level), teaching should focus on affective and metacognitive skills, decision‐making abilities, environmental scanning, change management and the typical personality characteristics required to survive in the cyber age (e.g. assertiveness, self‐confidence, creative thinking, and innovativeness).