Developing mastery: Building a tool for tracking progress on professional competencies in the MLS program

Date

2019

Authors

O'Neill, Ashley
Perryman, Carol L.

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

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Abstract

Over the course of their enrollment in a new grant‐funded scholarship program (Transforming Libraries into Community Anchors in Rural Texas, or TLCART), 20 carefully selected students in small, rural Texas communities will earn library degrees at the TWU School of Library and Information Studies (TWU SLIS) while learning to become facilitators and partners of community change. To support their self‐assessment through the program, and encourage individual ownership of career growth, we created a professional competencies tracker based on the American Library Association Competencies. Students are asked to self‐evaluate, identifying areas of desired development, at the conclusion of each semester in the two‐year program. In the process, each will take responsibility for their future as lifelong learners, identifying specific needs and methods for development. This pilot effort is being tested with the TLCART cohort to assess its usability for the overall Master’s program in Library Science.

Description

Creative Arts and Research Symposium

Keywords

TLCART, Competencies tracker, SLIS

Citation