The outlook of final-year students in information science on the world of work

South African Journal of Information Management

 
 
Field Value
 
Title The outlook of final-year students in information science on the world of work
 
Creator Mearns, Martie A. Bester, Elmi
 
Subject Information Science; Knowledge Management; curriculum development co-created curriculum; critical pedagogy; knowledge management; information science; episodic foresight; SenseMaker®
Description Background: The principle of co-creation in curriculum design has become fundamental in recent times, necessitating the multiplicity of relevant voices to speak into curriculum design. These voices include those of the student, academics, professional and industry partners.Objectives: This research presents the perspectives of final-year undergraduate students on the world of work and the relevance of their academic preparation related to their imagined future.Method: Secondary data from a practical assessment using SenseMaker®, a distributed digital ethnographic methodology, were used, which collected micro-narratives from the students. Students self-analysed their narratives into a pre-designed quantitative framework. Further secondary data extracts were collected from an assessment in which students reflected on their skills gained, skills required and skills gap aligned to the potential careers that they can pursue with a qualification in information science.Results: The results show a strong techno-centric view among students, a significant cluster that feels anxious about their immediate future and the future of work, and a potential understatement of wellbeing.Conclusion: This study shows the potential of using SenseMaker® to support distributed ethnography as an approach to bring the multiplicity of voices into curriculum design, as well as a rich narrative repository for professionals and industry who will be leading these new professionals as they enter the workplace.Contribution: Soon-to-be graduates, employers and educational institutions gain insight into the relevance of the already developed curriculum, the experiences and skills development of students, their aspirations towards future expectations and their disposition towards their current and imagined realities.
 
Publisher AOSIS
 
Contributor The Cynefin Co
Date 2025-12-01
 
Type info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion — distributed digital ethnographic methodology
Format text/html application/epub+zip text/xml application/pdf
Identifier 10.4102/sajim.v27i1.2066
 
Source South African Journal of Information Management; Vol 27, No 1 (2025); 12 pages 1560-683X 2078-1865
 
Language eng
 
Relation
The following web links (URLs) may trigger a file download or direct you to an alternative webpage to gain access to a publication file format of the published article:

https://sajim.co.za/index.php/sajim/article/view/2066/3426 https://sajim.co.za/index.php/sajim/article/view/2066/3427 https://sajim.co.za/index.php/sajim/article/view/2066/3428 https://sajim.co.za/index.php/sajim/article/view/2066/3429
 
Coverage South Africa Present day secondary data
Rights Copyright (c) 2025 Martie A. Mearns, Elmi Bester https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
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