Education for Information - Volume 40, issue 3

Authors: Dali, Keren | Charbonneau, Deborah H.

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: This article continues the discussion of the experiences of disabled and neurodiverse Ph.D. students in Library and Information Science programs in American and Canadian universities, following up on the previous report that addressed their struggles during and in the immediate aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. This article directs attention to their experiences in Ph.D. programs irrespective of the pandemic and focuses on both existing barriers and support mechanisms. Based on the results of a qualitative, online, self-administered survey, guided by hermeneutic phenomenology, the study identifies barriers rooted in attitudes and perceptions; policies and procedures; information and communication; physical spaces; virtual …spaces and technology; and access to support services and networks. At the same time, an only mitigating factor and an only sustainable and consistently mentioned support mechanism was the good will, compassion, and supportive actions of individual faculty members. The article places the analysis and interpretation of empirical data in the context of academic ableism, conceptualizing the situation of Ph.D. students as a lingering state that was not improved even through the lessons and experiences of the pandemic. Show more

Keywords: Disability, diversity, neurodiversity, pandemic, Ph.D. programs

DOI: 10.3233/EFI-240001

Citation: Education for Information, vol. 40, no. 3, pp. 233-266, 2024

Authors: Faletar, Sanjica

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: The goal of the study presented in the paper is to assess the knowledge about Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), among library and information science students in Croatia. Understanding how much future librarians know about dementia is the first step towards providing them with relevant educational intervention which will equip them with required knowledge to develop dementia-friendly library services in a society which is increasingly affected by dementia. A total of 183 students participated in the study which used Alzheimer’s Disease Knowledge Scale (ADKS), a validated instrument that measures what people know about AD using a 30-item questionnaire across seven knowledge domains: …risk factors, symptoms, assessment and diagnosis, course of the disease, life impact, treatment, and management, and caregiving. The collected data were analysed using basic descriptive statistics and a parametric test (t -test). Findings show that respondents have poor AD knowledge. Only 35.78% questions were answered correctly and the mean knowledge score was 10.76. The findings revealed that participants with previous exposure to the disease have significantly better knowledge (P = 0.003). Show more

Keywords: Dementia, knowledge about dementia, Alzheimer’s Disease Knowledge Scale (ADKS), library and information science students, Croatia, survey

DOI: 10.3233/EFI-230175

Citation: Education for Information, vol. 40, no. 3, pp. 267-283, 2024

Authors: Duran-Riquelme, Alex | Flores-Fernández, Cherie | Riquelme-Ríos, Judith

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: A professional practice is a type of internship, a practicum, that encompasses a supervised hands-on training experience for students to develop and identify the core and enabling competencies required in a professional environment. It also allows them to identify the developed and underdeveloped skills that are important in the labour environment while still undergoing an academic training. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to determine the core and enabling competencies required and developed by the students coursing the Library and Information Science Programme at Universidad Tecnologica Metropolitana during their professional practices carried out from 2019 through 2021. To this …end, a questionnaire with open and closed-ended questions was used as data collection instrument. It was applied to a sample of 64 graduates from this Programme, out of a universe of 70 students in addition to a focus group to delve deeper into the answers obtained. The results established that both core and enabling competencies had been relevant in their professional practice. The most relevant core competencies were those related to information and knowledge services; information analysis and data retrieval; and organisation of data, information and knowledge assets meanwhile the most relevant enabling competencies were communication, teamwork and adaptability. Show more

Keywords: Professional practice, internship, librarianship, library and information sciences, competencies, skills

DOI: 10.3233/EFI-230157

Citation: Education for Information, vol. 40, no. 3, pp. 285-311, 2024

Authors: Otike, Fredrick | Bouaamri, Asmaa

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Scholarly publishing is considered one of the most frustrating endeavors among academicians. For learners, it symbolizes the culmination of studies, whereas for academicians, it signifies promotion and acknowledgment. This paper highlights and discusses some of the breakthroughs and hindrances scholars, especially doctorate students, undergo in their scholarly pursuits. It traverses the intricate journey of scholarly publishing, exploring the myriad frustrations students face along this intellectual path. The paper concludes by providing insights and recommendations that can contribute to a more equitable and sustainable academic publishing process.

Keywords: Scholarly publishing, predatory publishing, developing countries, academicians, doctoral students, cloned journals

DOI: 10.3233/EFI-240028

Citation: Education for Information, vol. 40, no. 3, pp. 313-321, 2024

Authors: Trigo, António | Stein, Nubia | Paulo Belfo, Fernando

Article Type: Review Article

Abstract: Decisions based on artificial intelligence can reproduce biases or prejudices present in biased historical data and poorly formulated systems, presenting serious social consequences for underrepresented groups of individuals. This paper presents a systematic literature review of technical, feasible, and practicable solutions to improve fairness in artificial intelligence classified according to different perspectives: fairness metrics, moment of intervention (pre-processing, processing, or post-processing), research area, datasets, and algorithms used in the research. The main contribution of this paper is to establish common ground regarding the techniques to be used to improve fairness in artificial intelligence, defined as the absence of bias or …discrimination in the decisions made by artificial intelligence systems. Show more

Keywords: Artificial intelligence, fairness, fairness techniques, fairness metrics, systematic literature review

DOI: 10.3233/EFI-240045

Citation: Education for Information, vol. 40, no. 3, pp. 323-346, 2024

Authors: Mattock, Lindsay Kistler

Article Type: Book Review

DOI: 10.3233/EFI-240046

Citation: Education for Information, vol. 40, no. 3, pp. 347-349, 2024

Article Type: Correction

DOI: 10.3233/EFI-249001

Citation: Education for Information, vol. 40, no. 3, pp. 351-351, 2024