Responding to the information needs for research success : the role of the research librarian
Paper presented at the Annual LIS Research Symposium, 24-25 July 2014, at UNISA Science Campus, Florida
Librarianship in the 21st Century–Crisis or Transformation?
The author argues that the profession of librarianship is in crisis. She seeks to identify the characteristics and analyse the qualities of this phenomenon in order to draw conclusions about future trends and directions for the profession. It is argued that this crisis is an outward sign of a deeper transformation which is taking place and which affects the discipline as a whole including education and practice. The recent evolution of the profession is traced against the background of the broader transition from the modern to the postmodern era. The object is to reveal how the widespread social, cultural and technological changes of the 21st century are impacting on the library, the librarian, the customer or client and the fundamental nature of information itself.
Communicative Competence: Theory and Classroom Practice
ABSTRACT Within the framework of viewing communicative competence as a prerequisite to linguistic competence, rather than vice versa, this paper considers the following: (1) the nature of communicative competence; (2) the implications of communicative competence for second language teaching; and (3) ways in which the teacher can begin to make a foreign language program more meaningful. Communicative competeuce is defined as what native speakers know which enables them to interact effectively with each other. Implications for the language teacher include: (T) the need for tests which measure the ability to use language; (2) the irrelevancy of sequencing surface features; (3) the need for emphasis on non-lizguistic aspects of communication; and (4) the need to re-examiLe attitudes toward students and language teaching. Practical suggestins for implementing communicative competence in the classroom include the use of spontaneous role-playing, discussions, games, radio, and the telephone. (AM)