The establishment of strategic international and local partnerships through a Masters’ level degree in information technology. A faculty perspective
| Date | 19 November 2018 |
| Published date | 19 November 2018 |
| Pages | 558-572 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/LHT-08-2017-0165 |
| Author | Marlene Amanda Holmner,Theo J.D. Bothma |
| Subject Matter | Library & information science,Librarianship/library management,Library technology,Information behaviour & retrieval,Information user studies,Metadata,Information & knowledge management,Information & communications technology,Internet |
The establishment of strategic
international and local
partnerships through a
Masters’level degree in
information technology
A faculty perspective
Marlene Amanda Holmner and Theo J.D. Bothma
Department of Information Science, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
Abstract
Purpose –The Department of Information Science at the University of Pretoria (UP), with funding from the
Carnegie Corporation of New York, has, for the past six years, offered a fully funded specialized two-year
coursework degree at Masters’level in Information Technology (M.IT degree). The purpose of this paper is to
discuss the technological and teaching methodologies as well as the unique advantages and challenges of
collaboration between four partner institutions on two continents as well as local industry partners and local
and international academic and public libraries, in offering a blended learning program to students from six
different countries.
Design/methodology/approach –The contribution is based on a pragmatic and reflective analysis of the
success of the strategic partnerships formed during the M.IT program. The data-gathering instrument used
was a questionnaire containing open-ended questions.
Findings –Analysis of the comments shows that it is evident that faculty still prefer face-to-face classes.
Furthermore, to experience an effective online blended learning, the technology would have to improve.
The complicated levels of partnerships were important to provide the necessary expertise for this
broad-based program. Lecturers from industries and libraries brought different perspectives based on their
day-to-day work and practical experience and, through this, a level of reality as opposed to the theory that can
be learnt from textbooks.
Originality/value –This is a descriptive analysis of the program and feedback of co-workers that has not
been reported before.
Keywords Information technology, Training, Librarians, Blended learning, Masters programme,
Strategic partnerships
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
Although there is a common agreement that ICTs are becoming ubiquitous even in Africa
(Ciaghi et al., 2016, p. 3), it is likewise frequently lamented that the African continent is still
far behind developed countries in the distribution and effective use of these technologies
(Bornman, 2016, p. 264). In the academic library environment, a similar bleak situation with
regard to ICT and the application of these technologies is experienced. Shortages of
sophisticated ICTs, lack of internet connectivity, absence of the necessary skills and the
resultant shortage of access to the latest published research are just some challenges faced
by librarians, LIS faculty and researchers in developing countries (Khan and Bhatti, 2012).
In a study by Chanetsa andNgulube (2017), it was found that many African librarians felt
that they needed to attainmore ICT skills. Furthermore, libraryschools where librarians go to
acquire these skills are not always as up-to-date with technology skills as needed and they
“cannot realistically be expected to include all new developments as soon as they occur”
(Chanetsa and Ngulube, 2016, p. 4). To help rectify this situation, Enakrire and Ocholla
(2017, p. 1) recommend that librarians need intensified development and further training to
Library Hi Tech
Vol. 36 No. 4, 2018
pp. 558-572
© Emerald PublishingLimited
0737-8831
DOI 10.1108/LHT-08-2017-0165
Received 1 August 2017
Revised 11 December 2017
Accepted 16 January 2018
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
www.emeraldinsight.com/0737-8831.htm
558
LHT
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