INFO 289 International Experience

Overview

International Experience Requirement — INFO 289

(Effective for students entering in Spring 2015 or later)

Our graduates should be leaders who will be cognizant of and sensitive to the requirements of changing realities in the international community.

Strategic Direction 2.3 of the School of Information Strategic plan is to:

Promote internationalization in courses through content, assignments, internships, and professional contacts of iSchool faculty.

As part of this, it is important that graduates:

  • Demonstrate the ability to consider issues from a global perspective.
  • Show the ability to apply international standards and practices within the discipline or professional area.
  • Demonstrate an appreciation of the relationship between the chosen field of study and professional traditions elsewhere.
  • Demonstrate appreciation of the diversity of language and culture.

There are two ways to accomplish this:

Real mobility: when students travel abroad for placements or for full programs of study.

Virtual mobility: experienced through online experiences. Virtual mobility can be defined as the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) to obtain the same benefits as one would have with physical mobility but without the need to travel.

Effective for students entering from Spring 2015 the School of Information online students will demonstrate in their culminating e-Portfolio that they meet the international requirement through Core Competency (Program Learning Outcome) O (see below) by means of virtual mobility. There is no requirement to physically travel.

Competency O (for students entering the School of Information from Spring 2015 or later)

Students entering the School of Information from Spring 2015 onward will address Comp O in their e-portfolio as outlined below. They will not provide a separate statement of professional philosophy.

Statement of Competency O: Understand global perspectives on effective information practices that are supportive of cultural, economic, educational, or social well-being.

Comp O has two parts: The explication and the evidence sections.

In the explication section, students need to do the following:

  1. Articulate your understanding of what it means to contribute to the cultural, economic, educational, and social well-being of our global communities. Be sure to show that you can do the following:
  • demonstrate the ability to consider issues from a global perspective
  • show the ability to apply international standards and practices within the discipline or professional area
  • demonstrate an appreciation of the relationship between the chosen field of study and professional traditions elsewhere
  • demonstrate appreciation of the diversity of language and culture

In the evidence section, students need to do the following:

  • Provide one or more artifacts that serve as evidence to demonstrate the ability to do the following:
    • demonstrate the ability to consider issues from a global perspective
    • show the ability to apply international standards and practices within the discipline or professional area
    • demonstrate an appreciation of the relationship between the chosen field of study and professional traditions elsewhere
    • demonstrate appreciation of the diversity of language and culture
  • For each artifact, build a convincing argument that contains the following two parts:
    • a description of the context and content of the artifact
    • an argument in which you specifically explain how this artifact proves you are competent in this area

Evidence can be provided in a variety of ways:

  • Coursework and Classes
    • Evidence can be individual assignments or class projects from any class that examine the issues and problems associated with increasing world interdependence. Or it might be a full class. See coursework and class examples below.
  • Virtual Internships (that are transnational)

Select Work is: Virtual

Example Coursework

You do not have to take a full class to meet the competency. You can meet it with one or two assignments that focus on a global perspective.
Many classes will contain some of the following components as part of the class:

  • The use and analysis of international case studies
  • Study of professional practice in other nations or cultures
  • Linked assignments (taking an existing assignment and linking it to a new outcome with an international or intercultural dimension)

All content in the following classes is relevant (but it is not necessary to take one of these classes to meet the requirement–individual assignments in other classes can be used for evidence):

International Librarianship

An appreciation and understanding of how library development and practice reflect the cultural, economic, educational, political, social and technological development of nations and regions.

Intercultural Communication

Identify and solve cultural differences so essential for navigating a flat world. This course is designed to give students very practical tools to understand the worldview and experiences of others. They will learn about the differences between individual and collective cultures, why saving face can be more important than being right, how power is distributed differently between groups, and how various people rely on certain values for avoiding or dealing with conflict.

Cultural Competence for Information Professionals

Given the increasing diversity in our communities, information professionals need to develop the competencies required to work for and with, diverse groups. This course is designed to prepare future information professionals to develop their cultural competence in order to be able to provide inclusive services to diverse populations. It explores cultural knowledge, skills, abilities, and attributes of cultural competence/intelligence in general.

Global Principles-Local Libraries

A broad overview of library principles in a global context. It examines issues of freedom of access to information and expression, copyright, privacy and open access, and conservation of heritage. The course touches on the practical with a look at the cross-cultural workplace and view into library associations and organizations whose work contributes to the global library field. The course prepares students to think globally, preparing them to pursue career paths as aware information professionals.

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