[LIS-Forum] Communication Skills- LIS-DLIS, Mysore initiatives

Vyasamoorthy at icicikp.com Vyasamoorthy at icicikp.com
Tue Mar 1 17:21:09 IST 2005


I thank Shalini for the quick response.

The clarity she has brought in regarding LIS schools in a University set up and Training Institutions is worth remembering by everyone. The odds against which the LIS educator has to carry out his/her duties look insurmountable indeed. But then, nobody kicks a dead horse - It is only the active, energetic, enthusiastic & innovative teachers like Shalini and others get criticized! My only humble suggestion is that teachers like her should continue to serve the student & research community without getting dismayed by occasional criticisms. It is not possible to set things right overnight. Suggestions from 'users' like me may be considered as 'wish-lists', at the best.

Vyasamoorthy, P

-----Original Message-----
From: Shalini R Urs [mailto:shalini at vidyanidhi.org.in]
Sent: Tuesday, March 01, 2005 4:51 PM
To: VYASAMOORTHY /IKP/HYD; LIS-Forum at ncsi.iisc.ernet.in
Subject: RE: [LIS-Forum] Communication Skills- LIS-DLIS, Mysore
initiatives



While thanking Vyasamoothry  for his response and kind words, let me
also share some of the concerns (and the burden/responsibilities) and
the challenges that we- the LIS educators face.

1. Given the fast paced changes that are sweeping the LIS world,
evolving a right balance of 'conventional and contemporary topics' ;
'theoretical and practical aspects of the field   is a major challenge
2 .It is also felt (justifiably so), that in our efforts to transit to
the digital age, our students neither have a good grounding in the
conventional areas (classification and cataloguing-which I still
consider as the very core of the profession) nor the contemporary ones
such as Dublin Core or Ontologies or DSAPCE or Greenstone. I guess
there is the danger of falling between the two stools!
3.  Meeting the demands of a heterogeneous 'employer market- ranging
from a small college library to a KM centric corporate sector' is kind
of tough
4. LIS schools (like in any university setting) are not 'Training
Institutes' (there is a big difference between education and training) 
5. We are expected to provide broad theoretical grounding- which is a
long term thing, which may not be appreciated by the short term needs of
'employers'
6.  We only have two years (or 4 semesters) at our disposal and we have
a conventional examination system to contend with 
7.  Our students have to be taught the ABC of Libraries- as their
exposure to and understanding of libraries is minimum, especially since
our education system being what it is- it is not library centered 
8.  On top of it all- our students lack the general communication and
other skills -tools that are required to imbibe the knowledge 

Some times we feel overwhelmed by these issues and do try to address
them as best as we can, but then LIS teaching fraternity continues to be
the favorite whipping boy of the LIS community


Shalini
--------
Dr.Shalini R. Urs
Director
Information and Communication Division
&
Professor and Chairperson
Department of Library and Information Science
University of Mysore
Mysore-570006
India
Tele-91-821-2514699
Fax -91-821-2519209
homepage:www.vidyanidhi.org.in/shaliniurs.htm
 

-----Original Message-----
From: Vyasamoorthy at icicikp.com [mailto:Vyasamoorthy at icicikp.com] 
Sent: 01 March 2005 14:41
To: shalini at vidyanidhi.org.in; LIS-Forum at ncsi.iisc.ernet.in
Subject: RE: [LIS-Forum] Communication Skills- LIS-DLIS, Mysore
initiatives

Dear Dr Shalini 

I am very happy to read your succinct statements on the importance of
Language and Communication skills. Laudable are your efforts in DLIS to
tackle the problem of Language deficiencies among LIS students. I
suggest that all other Universities too may try to include a paper on
Communication & personality development and teach this topic with equal
seriousness.

Many senior working librarians and LIS teachers act as resource persons
during interviews to select librarians. They have lot of ideas about the
situation obtaining now and they may have solutions too. LIS schools may
benefit by obtaining this 'knowledge' from Interviewers through some
survey/study. Such studies would indicate not only gaps in Language
skills but in other areas as well. If the results of the study are used,
there is a possibility of market demands being met fully by the products
turned by LIS schools.

Regards

Vyasamoorthy, P
==============


-----Original Message-----
From: lis-forum-bounces at ncsi.iisc.ernet.in
[mailto:lis-forum-bounces at ncsi.iisc.ernet.in]On Behalf Of Shalini R Urs
Sent: Monday, February 28, 2005 6:00 PM
To: LIS-Forum at ncsi.iisc.ernet.in
Cc: lis-forum-bounces at ncsi.iisc.ernet.in
Subject: [LIS-Forum] Communication Skills- LIS-DLIS, Mysore initiatives


Dear Friends,
 
Having followed with interest the discussion in this regard, I thought
of sharing the following with you all.
 
*	Criticality of 'Language' as a conduit for 'carrying knowledge'
and as an inevitable means of expressing and articulating ones ideas
cannot be over emphasised. 
*	Ideas/Knowledge is as good as it is packaged and presented in a
medium. Let us not forget the McLuhian 'Medium  is the message' axiom 
*	Ranganathan's   'three planes of work' concept in the realm of
Classification applies to all aspects of work in general. It is
important that we understand the influence and impact of the verbal
plane on the idea plane and vice versa 
*	The field of Psycholinguistics has wrestled with the issues of
language , concept formation and thought processes without reaching a
consensus 
*	Our ancient Indic Scholars had very skillfully and adroitly
explicated the importance of interplay of 'language or words' and
'thoughts and meanings' in this way- they recognised three genres of
'UKTI' (speeches or statements'): MANTRA (Vedic Verses); SHASTRA (or
precepts-learned works); and KAVYA ( Poetry or literature in general).
According to our sages, words and their meanings have different levels
of 'import' in these three categories. In SHASTRA ( i.e. scientific
knowledge' ) the language is a tool to learn, to understand the world
and we reach out to the world outside through the language. Knowledge or
truths (as knowledge was known as) is assimilated through the meanings
of words. If the link between 'concepts'  'words' and meanings are
broken, then the world of knowledge gets segregated resulting in a kind
of turmoil. Since it is not possible to express knowledge without
language, it is necessary THOUGH  NOT PRIMARY 
 
We at DLIS, Mysore believing in the significance of Language and
communication skills have always striven to help our students augment
their language skills through a variety of activities. For example some
years back, we used to conduct 'what is the good word' contest.
Some of our recent efforts in this direction are-
 
1.	In the new revised syllabus for M.L.I. Sc (coming to effect from
the academic year 2005-2006), we have introduced one full paper on '
Personality development and communication skills'  (carrying 100 marks)
in the first semester (thanks to our Board of Studies, which deemed it
fit to introduce this change). Visit our website-
www.lisc.uni-mysore.ac.in <http://www.lisc.uni-mysore.ac.in/>  
2.	We have also introduced a novel competition for the students.
Recognizing the importance of reading habits in strengthening
communication skills, a monthly newspaper reading and clipping contest
with two prizes- of INR 100 and 75 -where in students identify, collect
newspaper write ups relating to 'Information world' and submit a well
presented and bound volume 
3.	Weekly 'English coaching classes' for students 
 
*	the above two have been voluntary efforts and initiatives by the
faculty 
 
 
 
Shalini
--------
Dr.Shalini R. Urs
Director
Information and Communication Division
&
Professor and Chairperson
Department of Library and Information Science
University of Mysore
Mysore-570006
India
Tele-91-821-2514699
Fax -91-821-2519209
homepage:www.vidyanidhi.org.in/shaliniurs.htm
 





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