Task 3 - Five accredited online courses to keep the study withdrawal symptoms at bay after graduation
Well, where to start? There are a number of courses out there that would be invaluable in supporting my library career, each branching out in a slightly different direction but all equally valuable in increasing my knowledge base and skill set. The five that have most caught my attention are outlined below, in no particular order as I think I would find it quite difficult to choose between them at this stage!
Bachelor of Information Studies - Charles Sturt University
http://www.csu.edu.au/courses/undergraduate/information_studies/course-overview#.UTGmRjcfi8w
Designed for careers in all areas of information services, this course offers the opportunity to specialise in either Librarianship, Information and Knowledge Management, or Records and Archives Management and consequently is recognised by ALIA (Australian Library and Information Association), ASA (the Australian Society of Archivists) and RIMPA (Records and Information Management Professionals Australasia). It requires the completion of 16 core subjects followed by either 8 subjects from a particular specialist area plus 2 free electives from any area for a specialised degree, or a selection from all areas for a general BIS degree. There is also the option of exiting at a University Certificate or Associate Degree level.
The core subjects sound very interesting with units such as Web Publishing and The Digital Environment but it is the areas of specialisation which are the drawcard of this course for me. The Librarianship stream includes literature, children and youth studies, preservation, and social networking amongst its offerings, the Information and Knowledge Management branch looks at web design and usability along with data management and retrieval, and the Records and Archives Management units include the management and preservation of records, including historical records, from and for all sectors of the community. I would have trouble choosing between these three streams at the moment, but would base my future decision on whether I see myself remaining in a school environment or pursuing a position which has more of an IT or archival focus.
Bachelor of Information Technology (Information Services) - Edith Cowan University
http://www.ecu.edu.au/future-students/our-courses/overview?id=U67
This course is only given a brief overview online but appears to approach library studies from an IT viewpoint, which I believe is very valuable in a library world which is increasingly IT oriented and focussed. It looks at information literacy, retrieval, organisation and agencies, along with library systems, client services and software, and culminating in an applied IT project. With my leaning towards IT this sounds like an interesting and fun course to undertake, and definitely one which would complement our diploma studies.
This course is recognised by ALIA and may also be recognised by ASA and RIMPA.
Bachelor of Arts (Librarianship and Corporate Information Management) - Curtin University
https://www.open.edu.au/courses/arts/curtin-university-bachelor-of-arts-librarianship-and-corporate-information-management--cur-lib-deg-2013
One of the advantages of this double degree is that it recognises the Diploma of Library/Information Services (within a seven year timeframe) by providing an 8 unit credit towards the 24 units required. I like that it covers both librarianship and records management and archives, thus providing broader empoyment prospects. It is recognised by all three major industry associations.
This course requires the completion of 4 core humanities units followed by 8 LIS (Librarianship) units, 8 LIM (Corporate Information Management) units and 4 electives from any field of study. I would include a couple of IT based subjects in my electives along with two systems based units given the electives currently on offer unfortunately do not include any literature units.
Bachelor of Arts - Griffith University
https://www.open.edu.au/courses/arts/griffith-university-bachelor-of-arts--grf-art-deg-2012
This degree interests me as it is available with a Literature and Composition Major, certainly a useful qualification for a library professional in a school, university or public library. It is possible to exit with a Certificate (8 units) or a Diploma (16 units) instead of completing the 24 units required for the degree.
The Literature and Composition Major requires the completion of 8 units and includes studies in English, American, Irish and Australian literature whilst also exploring literature from ancient, medieval and more recent times in Greece and Europe. The remaining units for the degree can be drawn from a number of disciplines including art history, australian studies, communications, history and politics, sociology and religion. The research skills and knowledge acquired through this course of study would be most useful in supporting other education professionals and students.
Diploma of Education Support - GippsTafe
http://www.open.edu.au/courses/education/gippstafe-diploma-of-education-support--gip-eds-dpl-2013
I chose this course for its relevance to supporting and working with students in a school library environment. It is designed primarily for classroom assistants but the units sound very interesting and relevant to anyone working with children and teens.
The Certicate IV in Education Support is a pre-requisite to the diploma and requires the completion of 9 core units and 6 electives. These units include how to support and facilitate learning for students, including students with disabilities, the supervision of students outside the classroom, and duty of care and other legal responsibilities of working within the school environment. The Diploma consists of 7 core units which build on these foundations, followed by 6 electives which may be drawn from several streams, each with a different focus. I would choose my electives from the Education Work, Education Support Work - Youth Focus, and Literacy and Numeracy electives streams, which together address the fostering of children's development across all areas, supporting and engaging with young people, researching and implementing programs, teamwork, and literacy and numeracy.
No comments:
Post a Comment