Converging educational strategies An Italian e-learning class for young LAMs professionals

1. Library Theory and Research Section Satellite: Theory and research on the convergence of professional identity in cultural heritage institutions (Libraries, Museums, and Archives) beyond technology Turin, 13 August 2014 Converging educational strategiesAn Italian e-learning class for young LAMs professionals Carla Colombati - Elena De Carolis - Agnese Galeffi

2. We are going to talk about... • Thispaperpath(AIB course -> Bibliotecario reloaded) • Do weneedLAMsprofessionals? • LAMsprofessionals’ skills • Learning tecniques • Conclusions and... wishes

3. This paper path The AIB offered a blended learning course to Italian librarian community: AIB continuing education in e-learning… As work group we realised: “Reloaded Librarian” Theme: advocacy Target: young students (18 to 25 year-olds) Objectives: • fostering orientation towards the librarian's profession b) shattering of long-established stereotypes

4. Online learners (U.S.A.) OCLC. (2014). At a Tipping Point: Education, Learning and Libraries.

5. This paper path Bibliotecario reloaded “Break the stereotype!”

6. Why train a LAMs professional? “LAM professionals who understand issues surrounding different types of collections and collecting institutions […] bring an open-mindedness that allows them to embrace ideas from other professions in the interests of the collaboration.” OCLC. (2008). Beyond the Silos of the LAMs: Collaboration Among Libraries, Archives and Museums.

7. Common LAMs topics Acquisition Treatment and physical organisation Description Preservation Maintenance of catalogues, inventories, and database Orientation and reference User education Promotion Institutional communications Analysis of the social context How to expand collections Management of physical spaces Drafting of a Service Charter

8. One example Describe the Creators’ and Records’ history, etc. (archival) inventory (library) catalogue (museum) catalogue Describe the «stuff» owned Describe the resources owned or to which access is guaranteed Describe the cultural objects (even intangible) NamesActivitiesObjectives

9. And... professional ethics concept of service concept of cultural heritage support for professionals, for professional associations, advocacy typologies of LAMs

10. So... why a LAMs professional? It’s all about users: their wishes are becoming ever more fluid and we need to build a LAMs interdisciplinary bridge

11. Social engagement • engage the audience so as to create connections and sharing among collections, institutions and users in information spaces • positioning ourselves as trusted sources and avoiding the risk of getting lost in the meandering labyrinths of social media (Trant 2009)

12. Gamification Source: <http://www.metadatagames.org/british-library/>

13. Learning techniques “So, what is it that we are tipping toward? We are tipping from the age of students as directed learners to an era of students as empowered education consumers and eager education evaluators. […] We will change how we learn, where we learn and who guides our path. […]. We will have options.” OCLC. (2014). At a Tipping Point: Education, Learning and Libraries.

14. Learningtechniques • AIB E-Learning training experience • success keys • A constructivist educational approach • Knowledge Sharing • From a Community of Practice (CoP) to aCommunity of Practice of E-learning (CoPE) • Glossary of communications and specific activities

15. Learningtechniques • From Knowlegde Management • to Knowledge Sharing • for Convergence • is the one of most interest to us since • it develops the dimension of • “social construction of meaning” • it underscores the notion of "community", which is essential to the successful convergence of LAMs

16. Learningtechniques • Knowledgesharing + Technology (web 2.0) • + Social constructvistapproach = CoPE • With technology, learning techniques based on "online learning": • “E-learning is seen as a process of learning”, in which both the student and the teacher or supervisor learn reciprocally in a constructivist way • transformation of CoPs into CoPE, a new model of learning by E-learning (Chikh, Berkani & Sarirete, 2008)

17. LAMs Convergences • key components • of the basic course • to transmit a sense of "professional community" to the students • to transform their learning into knowledge • to enrich professional knowledge with a shared common glossary/practices • to propose a framework of common skills/good practices

18. Conclusions and … wishes • Proposed profile for a new generation LAMs professional • Characteristics • a trusted identity + a common language • derived from traditional competencies • a range of not strictly technical abilities • creative thinking + teamwork + problem solving • Final aim • to be able to manage social engagement • to be proficient in channeling user-generated content into the digital information space of memory institutions, as part of a steady process of collective lifelong learning

19. Conclusions and … wishes LAMs associations role

20. Conclusions and … wishes LAMs associations role to foster a transition “from Coexistence to Convergence” (Duff et al. 2013). according to the diagram convergence represents the final stage in in the evolution of cooperation process Source: Waibel, G. & Erway, R. (2009). Think globally, act locally: Library, archive, and museum collaboration. Museum Management and Curatorship, vol. 24, no. 4, p. 326.

21. Thank you!