Introduction and Statement of Professional Philosophy
This is my SJSU MLIS E-Portfolio. At San Jose State University all MLIS graduate students must demonstrate mastery of program learning outcomes in a culminating e-portfolio experience. These outcomes and demonstrations are manifested through reflective essays with theory learned, and evidence with linked artifacts, examples and work experience while in this program.
How I set up my e-portfolio: This is the introduction page. Then there is a page for each competency and finally a conclusion and affirmation. All of this is viewable on the index page which acts as a home page for this MLIS portion. Each competency is on a separate page, with a brief introduction, a statement of competency acting as an abstract, a theory section, followed by an evidence section where each piece of evidence is embedded and easily viewed underneath each evidence description and justification. Each competency ends with a brief conclusion and a reference section. With my chosen final audience in mind, I believe it is important to create a separate statement of competency to act as a kind of abstract for future readers or employers who might not want to read the theory sections and would just like to know how I met the goals of each section. This allows my target audience to read just one paragraph and get a summation of each page. Finally there is a conclusion and affirmation of the whole project.
Process: As it was clearly stated that this was my final outcome of my MLIS program I have been slowly building this site since I started this program in Fall of 2021 using google documents and google sites, I started by creating a google sites template for how I wanted to display my portfolio after it was all finished regardless of what formatting I was required to submit it in. I took notes on what I wanted to include in an outline for each competency and then wrote out the drafts. I created a template on google docs so that my formatting would be consistent. I have kept all assignments labeled based on the class I took and the competency I believed each file related to was part of each file name, so it was easily retrievable. Example: INFO 202_Exercise1A_DataStructure_CompEG. Each class folder was also labeled with the competencies the syllabus said it covered, example: 202_Comp_EGJ_Fall2021. When searching for evidence I just had to scan my file names to pick and choose. I also used Google Sheets with my final rough drafts for each competency saved so I could double check my revisions. Because I have been slowly building and revising this over the last year I have just been editing and revising since the start of the Spring 2023 semester having done the bulk of the writing over winter break, and making final edits based on the INFO 289 professor's requirements.
My personal statement of professional philosophy is a simple one: To be an information professional is to act in service to your community. Information professionals act as bridges and facilitators between users who need information, and that information. This is a world of continual education and learning, discovery and growth in an environment where all are welcome and proactive steps are taken so that all may have access to information and the opportunities it brings.
I will have completed this MLIS in just under two years, having started in Fall of 2021 and am set to graduate this May of 2023.
Rachel Lynn Fleming
All introductory, reflective, and evidentiary work submitted is mine alone (except where indicated as a group or team project with group member names redacted), and has been prepared solely by me.
When making my e-portfolio public I will respect the privacy of others by removing mention in this e-Portfolio of information that could lead to the identity of individuals (team members in group projects, internship supervisors, interviewees, etc.). - Rachel Fleming