Assessment of the Practicum by Students from the Perspective of the Induction Process.

This article shows the assessments made by students from the Carlos III University of Madrid of the induction period in the practicum they performed during their courses of study, and their perceptions of and attitudes towards it. The method used was a survey comprising 6 questions about the induction process, which was carried out among 359 students over six academic years from 2003/4 to 2008/9. The study demonstrates that the information centers receiving interns should place more emphasis on the induction process in order to achieve integration and correct the failings that this work has enabled us to detect. The employees from the information centers who act as supervisors of the students will be most aware of their interests and opinions. They will be able to take these into consideration when planning the work placements, particularly to provide a suitable welcome and orientation for the students, treating them in a similar way to new employees through the induction process. The students' observations should also be taken into account by the academics responsible for the internships, in order to establish proposals for action with a view to improving the practicum. This study will help to extend the very limited literature existing on assessment of the practicum programs from the perspective of LIS students.Keywords: Induction, assessment, survey students, practicum, LIS students' perceptions, LIS experiential learning, higher educationIntroductionThe term "induction" is generally used in a workplace context, and is considered to be an important aspect of personnel management. It is a process whereby employees adjust or acclimatize to their jobs and working environment. It helps new employees gain awareness of what the organization, company, or institution expects from them, and helps them find their place within it. Induction involves informing new recruits of aspects related to the organization and the post they are to hold: the organization's rules and values, its structure and the location of their post within it; their colleagues, hours, and breaks; the tasks they will be performing, and so forth. A good induction program helps to speed up the socialization of new employees and encourages them to make positive contributions to the organization.Responsibility for this process, ranging from the most general to the most specific or particular, lies with the Human Resources department, the manager of the Information Center and the new employee's direct supervisor, respectively. Jo Bryson (2006, p. 90) considers that mis initiation process is one of the most vital in the management of a library or information center. Bryson extends its duration period to three months, depending on the characteristics of the post and the experience and training of the new employee. She complains that sometimes it is neglected, and that this may be the reason for the paucity of literature on this very particular phase within the sphere of libraries and information services.The performance of professional tasks in a genuine working environment has been considered a key element in the training of future information and documentation professionals (Banks & Lents, 1992; Coleman, 1989). Several important benefits for students have been emphasized (Shotsberger, 2005): the identification of transferable skills, visualization and confidence, organizational awareness, professional terminology, networking and career direction. The aim behind the practicum is for the student to be integrated into a learning context set within real fields related to the hands-on, practical side of the professional role to be undertaken. Thus it is a question of enabling students to acquire the knowledge, information, skills and abilities needed for professional practice in a determined sphere of the labor market. Within the students' learning process, contact with the professional world has become increasingly highly valued (Lee, 2003). …