Information ethics education in Africa. Where do we stand?

Abstract

This paper explores information ethics (IE) education within LIS (Library and Information Studies/Science) schools in Africa to investigate the following: (i) the extent to which IE is necessary; (ii) who should offer IE and why; (iii) who should be taught IE (and at what level); (iv) how long IE education should take; and (v) what should be included in an IE course. This was accomplished through a literature review and a case study conducted via email with purposely selected LIS experts from around Africa. Overwhelmingly, the LIS experts agreed that information ethics should be offered by LIS departments in courses that account for the multidisciplinary nature of the subject and that it should be made available to all students at all levels. The content should be objective and outcomes-based or outcomes-driven. The challenges and opportunities enumerated in this study could potentially be used to set the agenda for further research and professional engagement.