Reviewing International Encounters (RIE)
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Item Threats and opportunities in library education: new strategies in the Curriculum Development in the Department of Library and Information Science, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka(Reviewing International Encounters 2015, Research Center for Social Sciences, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2015) Weerasooriya, W.A.The principal aim of this study is to identify the threats and opportunities face by the library education movement in Sri Lanka with special reference to Department of Library and Information Science (DELIS), University of Kelaniya Sri Lanka and to investigate the measures and strategies for answering them. The paper explores how the DELIS could counter these threats with the help of curriculum development strategies. Objectives of the study were to study threats and factors affecting library education with special reference to DELIS, to explore how DELIS overcome these threats and to develop a model of a curriculum design system. Methodology adopted in the study comprised the analysis of vision, mission, stakeholder, content and SWOT. The factors and threats affecting the library education in Sri Lanka can be categorized in to two aspects as macro and micro. Macro aspects are non-recognition and non-identification of the library sector in the government hierarchy particularly the higher education sector, dubious bureaucracy, and lack of cooperation among the principal library education contributors. Micro aspects of threats are the grass root level factors. These threats are rapidly changing subject knowledge content and relevancy, lack of communication and ICT skills among the Library and Information Science (LIS) students, perennial decrease of library science students‟ intake, negative thinking and attitudes among LIS professionals. Identifying this critical situation, the DELIS is in the process of revising its LIS curriculum drastically suiting to the current demands and requirement in the Student Centered Learning (SCL) context. The others measures for answering these threats are the inclusion of extraordinary course units, revising curriculum at every four year period, empowerment of industrial training component, identification of series of competencies, allocation of more ICT course units, inclusion of project based English course unit at every semester, introduction of more practical project based course unites particularly in Classification, Cataloguing, compilation of bibliographic tools and Literature survey project reports in Science and Technology, Social Sciences and Humanities. ICT, communication, management and language skills are some of the essential soft skills which should inculcate among the undergraduates. It is proposed to empower the curriculum evaluation process and further propose to set up a Curriculum Revision Committee with the representation from the principal library education contributors in Sri Lanka, library professionals and the government and private sector. It is observed that a benchmark system introduced so far has to be revised accordingly. These are some of the new strategies in the curriculum development in the Department and they could be applied in the other curriculum development processes. Academic feedbacks well received and responded by the audience in International conference on Social Sciences and Humanities, on 8th, 9th and 10th September, 2014, Istanbul, Turkey. They suggested to consider Industrial Training (IT) be mandatory and let it be given the students for a whole semester free of lectures. Their view was to overseer Industrial Training process very carefully. They informed it is better to students be given a trainee allowance. Innovative ideas they pointed are making a fixed time period for syllabi revision, allowing students to develop their soft-skills within and outside the curriculum, conducting SWOT, Need Analysis getting more feedbacks from library education stakeholders such as LIS teachers, library professionals, library schools etc. The suggestion to include a course unit on Knowledge management and Indigenous knowledge system was well responded by the audience. Since the internet and ICT development makes a radical development in the libraries and information sector, they suggested considering giving a higher weightage to that component in curriculum development. They endorsed the fact that Outcome Based Education could be achieved using Student Centered Learning. One value added emphasis was the utilization of Online Learning Management System (OLMS) for undergraduate education.Item Alternative Approach For Designing Curricula in General Degree Study Programs: A Lesson From Sri Lanka(Reviewing International Encounters 2015, Research Center for Social Sciences, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2015) Dharmasiri, L.M.,Curriculum Development (CD) is an vital requirement for updating available or newly designed curricular and is an process of improving the curriculum. Several approaches has been used in developing a curricula in the field of education. Commonly used approaches Consist of analysis (i.e. situation, need analysis, task analysis), Design (i.e. objectives and design curricular), Selecting (i.e. chose of appropriate learning outcomes and teaching methods, chose of appropriate assessment method), Formation ( i.e. formation of the curriculum implementation and evaluating committee) and Review ( i.e. curriculum review committee) (CaDSFR). The designing part of the CaDSFR has been modified as an organism approach of this experiment. The major objective of this study is to apply an alternative approach for designing of new curricular for the General Degree Study Programs (GDSP). In additions, an alternative model will develop for identifying and illustrating the organism approach. The methodology that has been applied for the CD has five folds, i.e. (a) Selecting and appointing an Educationist and Subject Specialists for each subject streams of the faculty from outside the university and they were assigned for the task, (b) Conducting a workshop for Curriculum Planning, (c) Conducting mini-workshops at Department level for discussing bench mark and other issues related to CD, (d) Formulating a Common Framework for the CD and (e) Finalizing the CD. Stakeholders‟ views and consultation from outside the university have provided excellent feedback and support for the CD. The five folds strategies have been applied for the CD of the Faculty of Social Sciences (FSS) of the University of Kelaniya in Sri Lanka in 2013/14. The FSS has nine Departments and been offering seventeen Degree programs including General Degrees, Special Degrees and Postgraduate Degrees like M.A., M.S.Sc., M.phil.and PhD. The Consist analysis of the CaDSFR strongly proven the urgency of revising the GDSP, because available curricular is older than a decade. Accordingly, the CaDSFER process has been applied for the CD. In particular, novel approach of five folds that applied for designing part of the curricular of the FSS and the process is near to completion. As a different program, the experiences CD process of the FSS may useful for the respective parties who involve with CD.Item Some Salient Points to be Considered in Designing and Developing Undergraduate Honors Curriculums: An Experience from BA Honors Degree in Library and Information Science (LIS) in the Department of Library and Information Science, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka(Reviewing International Encounters 2018,The Research Center for Social Sciences (RCSS), University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2018) Weerasooriya, W.A.Designing and developing curriculum is more rigorous when the subject fields are too philosophical, theory bound and non-job focused. However, this situation is not there when the subject is job or professional oriented. The principal objective of this paper is to investigate the salient points to be considered when designing and developing honors curriculums, to examine the qualities like pragmatic value, appropriateness, suitability and the motivational factors impounded on the curriculum. Survey method adopted and content analysis, interviews, discussion and observation were commenced a few months back with the purpose of collecting primary data. Data and information related to the researcher’s experiences in designing and developing curriculums, and the exposure in pedagogy, advice, consultations, industry experience, interactive communication with the students and the major stakeholders were very useful for this research. There are some hard and soft points to be considered when designing curriculums. Soft points are more significance than the hard points. Some of the soft points are student’s skills, competencies, attitudinal and behavioral conducts, leadership, communication skills, perseverance etc. This factor has been validated by the views, pointed out by the key library employers. Experience of a job is another point and therefore the Industrial Training (IT) has been made as compulsory. Particular point here is that the students go three days to recognized library and information centers for the training while the other two days taking part for the lectures. Additionally, two to four hour period, the Academic Training Advisor of the Department holds Practical Training Discussion (PTD) with the students. For the evaluation purpose, the students are asked to submit an innovative training report, a project proposal for developing a new library, a library newsletter, report containing the duty list for library attendants, Assistants including Assistant Librarians and with curriculum vitae of the students. Both IT and PTD are targeted to develop the soft skills of the students. It was planned to inculcate and develop the five points like 1. Subject knowledge and practical exposure 2. Attitudes and behaviors 3. Skills and competencies 4. Mindset and vision, and 5 World of work and experience through the syllabus, classroom discussions, IT, PTD and so on. More attempts have to be made use the syllabus as well all through other strategies. These five sets are discussed in the Sri Lanka Qualification Framework (SLQF) of UGC Sri Lanka. 7 independent assignments are embedded in the syllabus for group work and individual work for developing soft skills. Through stakeholder analysis, it has been found those points depicted are better to use when design and developing a curriculum.