Fifth Medium-Range Plan 1997-2000

GENERAL REMARKS

In the next plan period, symposia must continue to be an important means of communication for the members of the Section. Taking into account, however, that the Section has a relatively strong foundation now, the frequency of the symposia wil be reduced, in order to enable the Section to put more energy into other projects. During the next plan period only two symposia are planned, the first one in Salamanca in 1998 and the second one in Sevilla in 2000. In the intermediate years the annual administrativ e meetings of the Steering Committee will go along with working-sessions or expert-meetings aimed at producing publications or other specific projects.

The symposium in 2000 may be considered as the Section's superproject. It will be dedicated to "Archival education and training in the world: the state of the art". Members of the Steering Committee will report on the projects they ran, which cover four subjects: (1) archival education, archival research and litterature on archival science, (2) curriculum development and model curricula, (3) the organisation of initial and continuing education and (4) teaching aids and teaching methods.

The Section will try to attain its objectives not only by running its own projects, but also by assisting other ICA-bodies and member organisations in running theirs.

The Section is established, but its organisation still can and must be strengthened. The more energy the Section puts in the development and publication of bibliographies, manuals, case studies and teaching aids, the more attention it must pay to distrib ution and communication. Therefore a major supportive objective for the next four years will be the further development of the Section's electronic network activities.

The Section is bound to preserve and further develop what has been accomplished in the last four years. Activities, carried out within the framework of the fifth medium-range plan, for a relatively large part will have the character of follow-up-activiti es.

All the Section's Steering Committee members will have specific functions or specific project-related responsibilities. It is intended to have Steering Committee members cooperate with colleagues who are not members of the Steering Committee in the forma l sense, but who are willing to be involved in carrying out a specific project.

1. ARCHIVAL RESEARCH, ARCHIVAL LITTERATURE AND ARCHIVAL EDUCATION

Gaps in our knowledge and a research agenda to fill those gaps must be identified on a global scale.

Books and articles actually used in archival education are the main bridge between research and practice. The distribution of the titles used in educational programs must precede the distribution of the books and articles themselves. In this field as in others, the use of modern techniques of international data communication is essential.

It seems to be necessary to identify and lobby sources for research funding with a view to securing improved funding for the priority research and publication projects and other archival development activities, such as high level 'think tank' institutes and seminars.

Project # 1.1: Research in archival science

Project outline: At the International Congress in Montreal in 1992 Ann E. Pederson presented a study conducted by her on the Development of research programs (Archivum vol. XXXIX, pp. 312-359). Before this excellent study becomes outdated, a sequel study based upon Pederson's must be conducted aimed at the development of a cooperative research program for the profession. This study must enhance the collection and exchange of information about research underway and recently completed on archi val topics. It must lead to the development and promotion of a collaborative research agenda, i.e. a list of 'high priority' projects/activities which should be commissioned and/or especially encouraged.

This project will be directed by the steering committee of the Section and be conducted by an international group of archival researchers / educators not directly involved in running the Section.

Schedule:
1996: specifying the project outline; recruiting colleagues to conduct the study.
1998: report at the meeting in Salamanca
1999: project finished
2000: study presented in Sevilla

Project # 1.2: Evaluative assistance

Project outline: ICA/SAE is prepared to assist other ICA bodies and related organizations on their request by organizing the evaluation of research projects, for example the pilot research program called: "Integrating the model. Testing electronic records framework in the European context. A Maltese case study", in which a few ICA/SAE members are likely to become involved.

Partners: Other ICA-bodies; ICA-members.

Project # 1.3: International bibliography for teachers

Project outline: The 1996 draft version of the bibliography has been distributed among all schools and programs of archival education listed in the ICA/SAE Directory and other ICA/SAE members. All these schools and programs will be asked for their comments on the contents of this draft bibliography, their suggestions on how it could be used, their opinions on a few options for proceeding with the project and their supplementary titles. The draft bibliography having been evaluated, decisions will be taken on how to proceed. The option of producing one or more specialized bibliographies for specific language groups or regions on the basis of the work which has already been done will be considered very seriously. Simultaneously, it will be examined:

1. under what conditions the bibliography or the bibliographies (like other products of ICA/SAE)
could be adapted to and distributed in an electronic format;
2. Whether or not it is feasible to identify the key works on the bibliography and to make them available as well in at least two of the five official languages in print, in microform or in a digital format (a first priority might be to ensure the availability of the most cited RAMP-studies).

Schedule:
1996: mailing, evaluation and decisions on further actions; feasability report on electronic distribution.
1998: report at the meeting in Salamanca 2000: presentation of product(s).

Partner: The archival database accessible from the ICA homepage on WWW.

Project # 1.4: Archival research, literature and educationType of activity: Evaluative report.

Project outline: The report will focus on the relationship between archival research and archivaleducation. It will be presented at the Sevilla colloquium in 2000. It will comment on the results of the 'Research in archival science' project (project # 1.1) and take into consideration the litterature listed in the bibliography (project # 1.3) and the ICA/SAE Directory of archive schools and programs. Although by consequence the description of the project cannot be very specific yet, it is beyond any doubt that at least one of the following questions should be answered. To what degree the state of research in archival science is reflected by the literature used in archive schools and programs of archival education? Has archival education a demonstrable role in proliferating the results of archival research? Is 'the wall of archival science' running between academic university programs and the more pragmatic programs of other educational establishments? Has research in archival science the same impact on literature used in the history oriented programs as on literature used in information science oriented programs? Are the world of archival research and archival education equally separated by language lines or separated in regions?

Schedule: See also under # 2.1 and # 2.2.
1998: report at the meeting in Salamanca
2000: paper presented in Sevilla

2. INTERNATIONAL CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT

ICA/SAE will provide assistance and guidance to members and to other ICA-bodies who are running joint curriculum development projects, aimed at general as well as at specialist archivists, especially in the fields of electronic and audiovisual records an d information technology. The status of archival science as an autonomous discipline will be an important evaluation criterion.

Strenghtening the supportive function of ICA/SAE will link its activities more closely to acti ities of other ICA bodies and providers of archival education and training.

Project # 2.1: Teaching the management of AV- Archives

Project outline: Ever since the publication of the UNISIST-study "Curriculum Development for the training of personnel in moving image and recorded sound archives" (Paris: Unesco 1990) the need for the development of training on a regular basis has been stressed. In November 1994, the Section participated in a joint meeting of UNESCO/SAE/P-A, organized to update the existing standard curriculum. It was agreed that the best way to proceed would be helping an archives school to develop a course on th e basis of the standard curriculum and to carry it out as a pilot.

In 1995, the Archiefschool in The Hague (together with its partners, the University and the School for Higher Vocational Education in Amsterdam) agreed to respond to this challenge and to start developing such a course. The focus of the course will be on appraisal, intellectual control and use in their close coherence and not on the technical aspects of AV-archives. The course will be given as a pilot in Dutch first and then be translated in English. In 1998 it will be organized in Montreal too, by the Ecole de Bibliotheconomie et des Sciences d'Information at the University of Montreal, participating in the project from the beginning.

From 1996 on, the Steering Committee, in cooperation with SAE/P-AV, will give its guidance in developing and evaluating this project, generalize the results and disseminate them among its members.

Schedule: 1996: reviewers recruitment
1997: evaluation of the provisional programme
1998: evaluation of the Dutch pilot
1998: report at the meeting in Salamanca
1999: evaluation of the first international course

Partner: SAE/P-AV.

Project # 2.2: Archival education and the European Community.

Project outline: Stimulated by the rapid development of information and communication technology and by the integration of information professions, there is a general tendency among the traditionally history oriented programs of archival education in Europe to reposition themselves as separate study tracks within the framework of a graduate study in library and information sciences. This tendency goes along with a growing need for cooperation. Independent archives schools (e.g. in The Netherlands) and National Archives Services (e.g. in Finland) join forces with Universities (in Amsterdam and Tampere respectively); Departments in Library and Information Sciences at the Universities (in Finland, The Netherlands, Sweden, Belgium, UK, Germany) are looking for possibilities for joint curriculum development. ICA/SAE is expected to stimulate and evaluate the results of such a cooperation. In the framework of the EC Socrates program, the University of Tampere (Finland), together with the Universities of Amsterdam (Archiefschool), Stockholm, (Potsdam?) and Newcastle (most of whom are ICA/SAE members) are developing a project aimed at joint development of university curricula and the development of an intensive program. The objectives are:

(1) to develop archives and records management programs by revising old and creating new courses which take into account the current developments of ICT and digitation of information,
(2) to seek ways to integrate archival and records management studies in the programs of information and library studies, and
(3) to offer the students from the participating universities an integrated view to the new approaches in electronic records management.

The project will be evaluated in two ways. Firstly, the implementation of the planned courses in each of the participating units gives an opportunity to assess the course content as "a field test". It will also bring to the evaluation process the experience of each participating country. This information will be processed by the group of teachers in charge of the planning process. Secondly, the support of ICA/SAE for this planning process gives an opportunity to get feedback and evaluation for the curriculum from a high level expert group in archival studies. The section will assess the course plans before their implementation. The intensive program will be assessed on the basis of an evaluation questionaire to the students, and by feedback to the course plan by ICA/SAE.

Schedule:
1996: Reviewers recruitment.
1997: Establishment evaluation criteria.
1998: (March - May) Feedback from ICA/SAE on the course plan.
1998: report at the meeting in Salamanca
1999: (March - May) Feedback from ICA/SAE on the model.

Partners: The Universities and ICA/SAE members involved and ICA's Co-ordinating Board for the European Programme (ICA/EUR). N.B. Responding to ICA/EUR's request to identify fields of cooperation, ICA/SAE suggested four fields of cooperation, i.e. c urriculum development, facilities for the exchange of students and teachers, diploma recognition and the organisation of continuing education.

Project # 2.3: Model curriculum for training archivists in archival automation

Project outline: Commenting the ICA/IA evaluation of Fishbein's RAMP-study; joining forces with other ICA bodies in order to prepare a pilot if this would appear to be feasible.

Schedule:
1998: completion and report at the meeting in Salamanca

Partners: Committee on Archival Automation, the Electronic Records Committee and the Current Records Committee.

Project # 2.4: International cooperation in curriculum development

Project outline: A report will be presented at the Sevilla colloquium on theoretical and practical implications of international cooperation in the field of curriculum development. The themes to be discussed could be:

1. common challenges in the ungoing process of transformation of the traditional, relatively small and paper oriented programs of archival education into broad information oriented programs;
2. the integration tendencies in the fields of initial and continuing education on the one hand and the education of general and specialist archivist on the other;
The conclusions of the report will be based for the greater part on the results of the projects listed under # 2.1 - # 2.3.

Schedule:
1998: report at the meeting in Salamanca
2000: presentation in Sevilla

3. THE ORGANIZATION OF ARCHIVAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS

Project # 3.1: Continuing education

Project outline: In response to an invitation from the University of Salamanca, an international colloquium will be held in Salamanca in 1998. The theme of the colloquium will be continuing education. Several subthemes will be discussed: the main activities to be distinguished in the field of continuing education, the role and the initiatives of pub lic administration, professional associations as providers of continuing education, methodological strategies, program planning, evaluation and multilateral cooperation. The proceedings of this colloquim should be published by the ICA.

Schedule:
1998: colloquium in Salamanca
1999: proceedings be published

Project # 3.2: The organization of archival education programs.

Project outline: To the participants of the Sevilla colloquium in 2000 a report will be submitted describing the changing organization of archival education programs and focussing on continuing education, distance teaching and networking. The repor t will partly be based on the results of the Salamanca colloquium on continuing education, the Beijing colloquium on distance teaching and the results of an inquiry among archive schools. One of the questions to be answered could be what terms and conditi ons are needed to foster collaborative work within a WWW framework.

Schedule:
1998: progress report at the meeting in Salamanca
2000: report presented at the colloquium in Sevilla

4. TEACHING AIDS AND TEACHING METHODS

In 2000 a paper on the development and the dissemination of teaching aids and teaching methods and the role ICA/SAE could play in this field will be presented at the Sevilla colloquium.

Project # 4.1: Case studies

Project outline: A manual will be produced by Laura Millar with the following information: What are case studies? How can case studies be used? Why should educators in the fields of archives and records management construct case studies? How can educators construct case studies? How can educators use case studies? Throughout the manual would be one or more examples of the development of a case study, perhaps showing the construction of this and presenting the completed study at the end.

Schedule:
1996: Report by Laura Millar and Michael Roper to the Steering Committee in Beijing.
1996: First draft submitted to the ICA/SAE members for feedback and amendments.
1997: Publication of the final version, including examples of cases
1998: report at the meeting in Salamanca
2000: paper presented in Sevilla

Partners: IRMT

Project # 4.2: Teaching aids

Project outline: The distribution of the two existing teaching kits on seals and archival buildings respectively will be continued. Two new teaching aids will be produced and distributed. A series of slides or illustrated booklets will be produced by Paola Carucci on forms of material (a presentation on slides of different types of archival documents) and on the preservation of different types of material (a presentation on slides of different ways of preserving different types of archival material). A descriptive list of teaching aids will be made and published. Initially consisting of the teaching aids produced and to be produced by ICA/SAE only it could be supplemented by other teaching aids, especially electronic products and audiovisual materials available, including all details of how to order them.

Schedule:
1998: report at the meeting in Salamanca
1999: production new teaching aids finished
2000: presentation in Sevilla

Partners: The ICA group in charge of terminology and the ICA Committee on Preservation of Archival material.

Project # 4.3: Evaluative assistance

Project outline: ICA/SAE is prepared to evaluate products of other ICA-bodies and related organisations on their request in terms of their applicability as a teaching tool. An example of this current activity could be commenting the guide produced by the Electronic Records Committee.

Partners: Other ICA-bodies and related organizations.

Project # 4.4: Teaching aids and teaching methods

Project outline: Follows from projects # 1.2, # 4.1 and # 4.2. One of the questions to be answered is, how the translation and distribution could be promoted of teaching aids with international relevance. Would it be feasible to make it a cooperative invitational endeavour involving national archives, archives schools and professional associations to spread costs, efforts and gains.

Schedule:

1998: progress report at the meeting in Salamanca
2000: report presented in Sevilla

5. ARCHIVAL EDUCATION: THE STATE OF THE ART

Project # 5: State of the art

Project outline: Members of the Steering Committee will report on the projects they ran, which cover four subjects: (1) archival education, archival research and litterature on archival science, (2) curriculum development and standard curricula, (3 ) the organisation of initial and continuing education and (4) teaching aids and teaching methods. Because these reports reflect the activities of the Steering Committee during the whole of the fifth medium term, this symposium is also a means for the Ste ering Committee to justify itself towards its members.

The proceedings of this colloquim should be published by the ICA

Schedule:
2000: colloquium in Sevilla
2001: publication of the proceedings

6. ARCHIVAL EDUCATION ON THE INTERNET

ICA/SAE will try to identify the most effective channels already in existence and exploit them fully. First option will be working through the national archives and the professional associations within each country to publicise and market the Section's te aching aids and the publications. Information acquired in this manner, for example about the deadlines for inserts and announcements in their newsletters and scholarly journals, and for their schedules of major meetings, would permit ICA/SAE to send them press releases, sales brochures, etc. and have them distributed directly to prospective purchasers.

Additionally, ICA/SAE will continuously improve the design of the covers/packaging of its publications and educational aids and of the information about the Section itself, primarily by using simple graphic design techniques at no additional cost. The cur rent promotion and distribution mechanisms of the Section will be evaluated and further developed.

Project # 6.1: Listserv

Project outline: ICA/SAE appeared on the Internet in 1996 with its own Listserv for the exchange of information on archival education and research. In the forthcoming period, this Listserv must fully replace the former newsletter. ICA/SAE will deve lop its own Web page, separate from but linked to the ICA Web-page and linked to Web pages of its members to promote itself and the dissemination of its products, especially the Directory of Schools and Courses and the Bibliography.

On this Web page, the Section will mount the minutes of the most recent meeting of the Steering Committee, the directory of schools, the bibliography, working papers of the Section to facilitate the conduct of the work of the Section, announcements of pub lications, meetings etc.

The Web page will be mounted and maintained by the SAA Student chapter of GSLIS at the University of Texas at Austin.

Schedule:
1998: progress report in Salamanca

Partner: The SAA Student chapter of GSLIS at the University of Texas at Austin.

Project # 6.2: Publicity

Project outline: The Section will try to improve its present information material by

1. producing a new edition of the Directory including e-mail adresses and URL's and distributing it in printed form as well as by means of the Sections Web-page;
2. keeping the existing leaflet on the Section current and distributing it in printed as well as in electronic form;
3. improving merchandizing by offering the Section's teaching aids (kits, case studies manual etc.) jointly with its other products.

Schedule:
1998: progress report in Salamanca