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Dissertation Information for Ethel Auster

NAME:
- Ethel Auster

DEGREE:
- Ph.D.

DISCIPLINE:
- Education

SCHOOL:
- University of Toronto (Canada) (1978)

ADVISORS:
- None

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
- None

MPACT Status: Incomplete - Not_Inspected

Title: EDUCATIONAL INFORMATION CONSULTANTS: CASE STUDIES OF PART-TIME KNOWLEDGE LINKERS

Abstract: Four Educational Information Consultants (EICs) in separate institutions in the North Bay area were trained as knowledge linkers of the Educational Information System for Ontario (EISO) project. The purposes of this study were to describe these four actual cases where linkage functions were carried out; to describe the training and strategies used by such linkers to carry out their functions; to identify their effectiveness in terms of their clients' satisfaction; to relate these linkage strategies to models of dissemination and utilization of educational knowledge outlined in the literature; to draw implications for types of skills needed by linkers, the kinds of trianing required to develop these skills, and other supports necessary for the successful implementation of the role.

To fulfill these purposes, five research questions were posed for investigation. These concerned the actual role of the EIC as implemented in the field; the ideal role of an EIC; the effect of the EIC on the satisfaction level of users who are located in remote parts of the province with the EISO service; a comparison of the role ofthe EIC as implemented in the field witht he conceptualizations of the role found in the literature; and the implications of the findings of this study for the dissemination of educational knowledge and the role oft he EIC.

Sources of data included the EICs, EICs users and non-EICs users, and relevant literature. PRocedures for collecting the data included on-site observation; interviews with EICs, their users, and other personnel; analysis of local documents and satisfaction data from the EISO User Evalaution Questionnaire. Analytical treatments included both qualitative and quantitative techniques.

Among the findings were the documentation of the emergence of four distinct EIC profiles. None was judged to be "right" or "wrong" but the outgrowth of the background, education, training, position, and environmental setting of the EIC. Similarly, no one ideal way of being an EIC was identified. Rather the "ideal" EIC was the one who most closely met the needs of his users. It was further found that there was a slight tendency for EISO users to be more satisfied when they went through an EIC than when they did not but that these differences applied only to certain phases of the search process. The emergent EIC roles showed some similarities and some differences when compared with linkage models in the literature. The implications of these findings were discussed for the selection, training, role, and theory of the EIC.

MPACT Scores for Ethel Auster

A = 5
C = 14
A+C = 19
T = 8
G = 2
W = 5
TD = 6.5
TA = 1
calculated 2008-01-31 06:26:12

Advisors and Advisees Graph