Contents
Technology
Demonstrate proficiency in identifying, using, and evaluating current and emerging information and communication technologies.
Introduction
Information and communications technologies do not remain current; technology is only current until the next update needs to be installed. Emerging technologies present issues for information seekers but the trend of technology usage will only increase, impacting information professions in every field. Sophisticated tools are constantly being updated and developed so it is imperative that librarians are efficient in identifying, using, and evaluating information and communications technology. Change is inevitable, especially as technology quickly evolves. Libraries must adapt to an online environment. As Stephen Abram explains, change is consistent within the information sciences (27). Technology is constantly evolving so information capabilities are also evolving.
Identifying Current and Emerging Technology
New information and communications tools are constantly emerging; products that align with international library standards are being adopted with the aim of creating international access to repositories. While perusing an Educause Horizon report, I took notice of the next-generation digital learning environment (NGDLE) (9). The pandemic in the past two years caused a massive homeschooling experiment across the nation so now parents, students, and faculty are exploring their educational options through digital learning platforms. These platforms need to be flexible to accommodate the many different needs of students and faculty. This technology should provide equitable access for students to aid them in achieving learning outcomes (Kim). Online learning is not new; thankfully, people have been using the internet to complete coursework since the advent of the home computer with dial-up access. Things have gotten better in exponential ways, considering the need (and the fortunate ability) to go online during a pandemic. Connie Johnson points out that the one-size-fits-all approach to learning is not realistic or practical, but adaptive learning technology and programs are filling the educational gap. NGDLEs allow students to use adaptive technology, if needed. This can untap the potential of many students that may have struggled with information access due to a disability or a language barrier (Educause, 14-15). Translation services, speech-to-text, and text-to-speech are all amazing adaptive technologies. These are just a tiny sampling of examples concerning emerging information technologies.
Using Technology
Information seekers use technology every day to find, create, and share information. Library professionals need access to technological variety. The following chart includes some of the technology I have used in classes, work, and personally (not including Google Suite and Microsoft Office, which I use daily).
| Course/ Other | Course Title/ Other Title | Technology Used | Use of Technology |
| INFO200 | Information Communities | WordPress; Canva; Zoom | iSchool Blog; infographic; group work |
| INFO202 | Information Retrieval System Design | Webdata Pro; Zoom; Canva | database management; group work; photo collage |
| INFO203 | Online Learning | WordPress; Zoom; WordArt | iSchool Blog; group work; tag cloud |
| INFO204 | Information Professions | WordPress; Zoom; PowerPoint | professional portfolio; group work; presentation |
| INFO246 | Information Technology Tools and Applications Advanced: Drupal and Content Management Systems | Drupal | content management system |
| INFO247 | Vocabulary Design | Synaptica; Zoom | taxonomy management; group work |
| INFO248 | Beginning Cataloging and Classification | OCLC Connexion | MARC records |
| INFO256 | Archives and Manuscripts | Diigo; Canva; Zoom | bookmarking; tag cloud; group work |
| INFO259 | Preservation Management | Adobe Lightroom; Photoshop | photography of damaged book |
| INFO266 | Collection Management | WordPress | website management (work-related assignment) |
| INFO281 | Seminar in Contemporary Issues: Metadata | Dublin Core Generator; DC; MODS; EAD; TEI; MARC; Notepad ++; XML Validation; XML Notepad; XML Marker; XML Spy | creating metadata with validation |
| INFO284 | Seminar in Archives and Records Management: EAD | EAD; Notepad ++; XML Validation | creating metadata with validation |
| INFO284 | Seminar in Archives and Records Management: Managing Photographic Collections | Adobe Lightroom; Photoshop | photography of a collection |
| INFO284 | Seminar in Archives and Records Management: History of the Book | WordPress, Omeka, Quia, Prezi | websites; exhibit; quizzes; presentation |
| INFO284 | Seminar in Archives and Records Management: History of Libraries in the US | Zoom | group work |
| INFO289 | e-Portfolio | WordPress; Adobe Acrobat Pro | portfolio; evidence |
| Work | RVMA | ArchivesSpace; Archives West; Archivist Toolkit; WordPress; Oxygen; Audacity; Adobe Acrobat Pro; Photoshop; Microsoft Teams; Outlook; Zoom, EAD, XML, MARC | Technology used for various archival duties as needed. |
| Personal | Personal | Adobe Creative Cloud (including Acrobat Pro, Audition, Premier Pro, Lightroom); YouTube; Wix; WordPress; facebook; Zoom | Technology used for creating and managing websites, mastering audio and video, and promoting music events, plus personal communications. |
Evaluating Technology
Using the above tools and technologies requires reflection on how the tools are used, if these tools can be replaced or upgraded with emerging technologies, and whether the continuous use of a particular tool is worthwhile to invest money, time, and training into. Technology analysis depends on users, studies, and adaptability between systems. Information seeking behaviors display specific personality traits, including “self-efficacy, self-esteem, locus of control and neuroticism” (Kostagiolas, Lavranos, Martzoukou, & Papadatos, 2). Researchers have analyzed conceptual frameworks designed by Wilson, who developed a macro-model for information seeking behavior. For reference:
Wilson’s (1981) model of information behaviour includes three constructs which include: a) information needs that are distinguished into personal (e.g., physiological, affective and cognitive), role-related (e.g., individual work, life, or the wider physical context) and environmental (e.g., situation factors based on socio-cultural and politico-economic circumstances); b) various types of information resources that are utilised to satisfy these information needs; and c) a variety of different barriers, encountered by individuals during information seeking, which can be of personal, interpersonal or environmental nature.
-Kostagiolas, Lavranos, Martzoukou, & Papadatos, 3
When evaluating the usefulness of technology, this model of information behavior can be applied. People manage technology so their training and technical abilities do apply when considering new and emerging technologies. Programming, systems administration, metadata, library standards and protocols, web standards and protocols, computer architectures, plus security and privacy should all be evaluated, with technology choices made based on the needs of the repository, staff, and user community (Breeding, 310-311).
Evidence
The following evidence reflects my awareness and achievements towards accomplishing goals related to identifying, using, and evaluating current and emerging information and communication technologies.
Evidence A: Blog and Professional Synthesis
INFO200 Information Communities and INFO204 Information Professions
My iSchool blog exhibits use of technology through creation of a website on WordPress which I used for multiple courses.
INFO200 Blog
First, the blog for INFO200 Information Communities explored an information community, hobbyist musicians, in relation to library services and information needs. This blog required active participation with other students through reflective comments.
Sarah Fisher: Just Another School of Information Community Site
The post Musicians and Emerging Technologies explores emerging technologies that are beneficial to hobbyist musicians. For this post, I created a media based artifact using Canva. The data on the artifact is based from my research and explorations of the music community’s use of emerging technologies, including accessibility to musical scores, lessons, techniques, influences, and online communities.
Musicians and Emerging Technologies
INFO204 Blog
I also used this blog to portray my Professional Synthesis for the course INFO204 Information Professions. This course focused on leadership, career development, administration, and a culminating team-based organizational analysis. These rich resources have provided me with a depth of knowledge that will help me plan my career. The Professional Synthesis includes sections about Leadership (Accountability, Responsibility, and Delegation; Interview with a Library Leader; Leadership Characteristics; and Successful Virtual Teams), Career Development (Online Career Resources; Resumes and Portfolios; and Cover Letter), and Library Administration (Budget Cuts; Emerging Technology; Emergency Disaster Plans; and Information Policy and Ethics).
Professional Synthesis
In the Professional Synthesis, I explored the Educause Horizon Report for current research trends with emerging technologies. The Educause Horizon Report “profiles key trends and emerging technologies and practices shaping the future of teaching and learning and envisions a number of scenarios and implications for that future” (Educause). The article I discuss is about next-generation digital learning environments.
Emerging Technology: The Horizon Report
Evidence B: Cross Walking Exercise
INFO281 Seminar in Contemporary Issues: Metadata
This exercise for INFO281 Seminar in Contemporary Issues: Metadata is a cross walking activity between different coding schemas, including MARC, EAD, and TEI. Understanding how to change data between schemas allows for cohesive transfer when migrating data. This process confirms to international standards which align library repositories into a connected international system.
Crosswalk Mapping
[embeddoc url=”https://blogs.uoregon.edu/sarahfisherportfolio/files/2022/02/Fisher-Crosswalk-FORM-for-TEI-to-MODS.pdf” download=”all” viewer=”google”]
Evidence C: Manuscript Studies
INFO284 Seminar in Archives and Records Management: History of Books
The course INFO284 Seminar in Archives and Records Management: History of Books required the use of technology to present information. Without emerging technologies, these medieval manuscripts would not be digitally available for study. These book studies uses technology (WordPress) to present researched information about two books. The websites are password protected by the professor, so I generated a PDF file of each website.
Book Studies
The first study is about the Crusader’s Bible, including Background (Context; Creator; and Provenance), Physical Description (Size; Binding; Paper Material; Collation; Ink; Rubrication and Historiated Initials; and Decoration), and Script analysis (Handwriting; Incipit; Explicit; Subscriptio and Colophon; and Marginalia), thanks to digital access from the The Morgan Library & Museum. I also included a section of Images, plus Translations of Folios Referenced in the site.
A Medieval Manuscript Study: The Crusader’s Bible
[embeddoc url=”https://blogs.uoregon.edu/sarahfisherportfolio/files/2022/04/A-Medieval-Manuscript-Study-The-Crusaders-Bible.pdf” download=”all” viewer=”google”]
A second website researched information about the Harmonice Musices Odhecaton, including Context and Content (Content; Author and Printer; Place of Publication; and Title Page) and Physical Description (Size and Format; Paper; Foliation and Pagination; Printer’s Device; Type and Printing; plus Binding, Endleaves, and Flyleaves). Digital analysis of this book is thanks to the Library of Congress. I also included a section of Images, plus Translations of the written pages (most pages are musical notation), including the Title Page (Ancient Greek handwritten note above Latin title); the Dedications (in Latin); the Table of Contents (mostly in Old French, some Latin and old Spanish); and the Colophon (in Latin). I was unable to find translations of everything so I personally translated the Ancient Greek note and the Table of Contents. My strengths lie with French, Ancient Greek, and Old English; the Latin and Spanish translations were a good brain exercise.
A Printed Book Study: Harmonice Musices Odhecaton
[embeddoc url=”https://blogs.uoregon.edu/sarahfisherportfolio/files/2022/04/Reduced-A-Printed-Book-Study-Harmonice-Musices-Odhecaton.pdf” download=”all” viewer=”google”]
Evidence D: Website Management
Folklore Archivist Collection Coordinator, RVMA, UO
The Folklore Archive is a “warehouse” (Abram, 29) of information, in all forms of documentation, but it is also a research space for folklore students, faculty, and outside academic researchers. The first point of contact with the user community is the archive’s website, which I manage. Currently, the archive is open by appointment only. Visitors can access contact information on the website, plus there are links to the databases (Archives West, ArchivesSpace, and the Northwest Folklife Digital Collection). Two weeks ago, I fixed dead links and updated information About the Archives, including How to Archive Your Work, Archive Policies, Archives Forms, and Archives Classification Terms.
Randall V. Mills Archives of Northwest Folklore
Conclusion
I think it is obvious that technology skills are necessary for operating any function in the 21st century. School, work, and personal life are fully intertwined with technology, and new technologies are entering the home and work space every day. The main question persists… can people keep up with the monster they created? The digital world is massive, requiring continuous evaluation of new and emerging technologies.
References
Abram, S. “Librarianship: A Continuously Evolving Profession.” Information services today, S. Hirsh, editor, 2nd edition. Rowman & Littlefield, 2015. 26-39.
Breeding, M. “Managing Technology.” Information services today, S. Hirsh, editor, 2nd edition. Rowman & Littlefield, 2015. 298-313.
Educause. 2020 Educause Horizon Report: Teaching and Learning Edition, 2020. https://library.educause.edu/resources/2020/3/2020-educause-horizon-report-teaching-and-learning-edition
Johnson, C. “Adaptive learning platforms: creating a path for success.” EDUCAUSE Review, 2016. https://er.educause.edu/articles/2016/3/adaptive-learning-platforms-creating-a-path-for-success
Kim, J. “The 2020 EDUCAUSE horizon report, teaching and learning edition.” Learning Innovation Blog. Inside Higher Education, 2020. https://www.insidehighered.com/blogs/learning-innovation/2020-educause-horizon-report-teaching-and-learning-edition
Kostagiolas, P., Lavranos, C., Martzoukou, K., & Papadatos, J. “The role of personality in musicians’ information seeking for creativity.” Information Research, 22(2), 2017. 1–20.
| Return to page: |
Next page: |
