Writing Your Abstract

THE IMPACT AND EFFECT OF LEARNING 2.0 PROGRAMS IN AUSTRALIAN ACADEMIC LIBRARIES

Replicated across the globe, the Learning 2.0 program, also known as “23 Things” has been touted as a means to not only educate staff about emerging social technologies but as a means of moving the participating library forward. This article explores the results of a multi-faceted research project launched in Australia in 2009 as part of the CAVAL Visiting Scholar program, focusing on academic library staff who have participated in a Learning 2.0 program. Measuring the impact on staff, examining perceptions of the program, and describing the lasting effects are all a part of the research project. The article includes results from a national survey in Australia of participants in “23 Things” style programs and reports on focus groups made up of staff of two academic libraries, two to three years after the conclusion of respective Learning 2.0 initiatives. The authors offer a detailed examination of the personal and institutional changes after a library offers such a program to staff. Results include an emphasis on personal change, openness to emerging technologies, and a willingness to explore. Library staff report they are more comfortable with emerging technologies and have incorporated the tools into their work.

MOOCs as LIS Professional Development Platforms: Evaluating and Refining SJSU’s First Not-for-Credit MOOC

Beyond for-credit offerings, some library and information science (LIS) schools are exploring MOOCs as a means to promote lifelong learning and professional development. Using web surveys and descriptive content analysis methods, this paper empirically addresses if, in LIS programs, MOOCs can fill a role and serve new populations of learners within large-scale learning environments. To do so, the authors use a MOOC they designed, built, and instructed as a test bed. Findings reveal that students did use the MOOC for professional development, that they expanded their knowledge and applied concept models learned in the course, and benefited from diverse viewpoints provided by the global community of learners. In addition to other findings, the research reveals that the authors’ MOOC model was successful and there is significant opportunity for LIS programs to serve the profession through large-scale professional development learning environments like MOOCs.