Iranian Journal of Information Processing & Management (Mar 2013)
Content Analysis of LIS Undergraduate Curriculum Approved in 1375 and 1388
Abstract
New information and communication technologies have changed the library and information science education, similar to other science education. Therefore, after 14 years, the Planning Council of Higher Education revised curriculum of undergraduate LIS (Library and Information Science) and approved new curriculum in the form of 111 basic, special compulsory and special optional units. The purpose of this study was to compare and analyze the curriculum of the undergraduate LIS approved in 1375 and 1388. This study was performed using the method of content analysis. Results showed that the percent of titles with share content at two curricula was only 25%, which represents the novelty of the new program. Curriculum approved in 1388 had more number of special and practical units. In the new curriculum, 75% of the total units have been changed in terms of creating new courses, renaming or merging of courses. Also, 44% of curriculum approved in 1388 was new and 22% related to application of information technologies in libraries. The consistent percent of new Iranian LIS curriculum with other countries curriculum was nearly 70%. Due to the created changes in the field title and LIS curriculum in various countries, and accordance of these changes with evolution of LIS curriculum in Iran, It seemed that the conditions were appropriate for renaming the title of LIS field.
