Masters of Disaster Desired

Disaster Information Instructor(s) /Course Developer(s) Wanted
Jodi Stiles - June 21, 2011 08:29

The Medical Library Association (MLA) is looking for a continuing education (CE) instructor(s) to develop and teach an introductory course on disaster information. Below are the specifics of what is expected of this instructor: 1. To develop the content and materials for a 4-hour CE course focusing on disaster information. The instructor will have a liaison from MLA’s Disaster Information Specialization working group for general content assistance. 2. To pilot test the course both in-person and virtually before September 24, 2011. Our goal is to reach approximately 50 individuals with the various pilot tests. 3. The pilot test of the in-person course would be at an MLA Chapter meeting to be determined. We are currently in negotiations with the MLA Midcontinental chapter to host the course during their annual meeting in St. Louis, MO. The offering would possibly occur on Wednesday, September 21, 2011, 8am-Noon. 4. The in-person course should include student interaction beyond the standard Q&A session. 5. The pilot test of the virtual course would need to be taught sometime before September 24, 2011. 6. The virtual course should include a minimum of 2 hours of online instruction with student interaction. If needed, MLA would be able to assist with the use of their instructional software.

The development and instruction of this course will be a part of the curriculum of MLA’s Disaster Information Specialization. This specialization is a joint project of MLA and the National Library Medicine (NLM). This program will be designed to develop the capacity of librarians and other interested professionals to provide disaster-related health information outreach.

Our vision of this specialization is to create a continuing education program that will prepare participants to provide disaster-related library or information services as part of their ongoing job functions. The specialization will offer a curriculum of courses that would allow those interested to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to support their libraries, institutions and communities with information needed for disaster preparedness, response and recovery.

This program would be designed to allow participants the opportunity to expand their roles by offering more specialized training in providing access to information in times of disaster and emergency.

To find out more about the development of MLA’s Disaster Information Specialization, check out http://www.mlanet.org/education/dis/index.html. MLA will provide a $5,000 honorarium for the development of the course. There are also additional funds set aside for honoraria and expenses to teach the course both virtually and in person. MLA will consider both single instructors and instructor teams. If you are interested in being considered as the instructor(s)/course developer(s) for this course, please send an email to mlapd1@mlahq.org. This email should include your name and contact information; a copy of your resume/CV, including your teaching and course development experience; and a brief (500-word or less) description of your interest in the project including your experience or knowledge of disaster information, and your ideas for the course including how you would include student interaction.

Your email and any questions you have should be sent to Kathleen Combs, MLA’s Director of Professional Development, at mlapd1@mlahq.org by Friday, June 24, 2011.