Bibliography: pages 77-81. / An investigation was undertaken to establish whether it was possible to assume that information technology has had an influence of the skills levels in the jobs of cataloguers. The research was conducted in two parts: the literature survey and the empirical investigation. The survey of literature was done on the literature from the United States of America (USA), from the United Kingdom (UK) and also from limited South African resource. The overseas literature was related to the situation in South Africa. The empirical investigation was confined to the academic libraries in the Western Cape region of South Africa. For the empirical investigation a mail questionnaire was constructed and sent to respondents in order to determine whether information technology was indeed affecting the skills of cataloguers in the academic libraries. 'The analysis of data obtained from the results of the questionnaire indicated that there was no sign of a negative influence in the skills levels of cataloguers in Western Cape Africa. Indeed, it seemed was apparent from the analysis of data that cataloguers find information technology to be a positive influence on their skills and on enhancing their status.

This dissertation reports on an exploratory study of a self-directed learning framework for South African cataloguers (increasingly becoming known as metadata specialists) for facilitating their continuing education needs. The study is triggered by the 2010 report of the South African Department of Arts and Culture, which found that newly qualified information specialists cataloguers included were in practice not yet able to perform professional tasks. Continuing education is characteristic of professions and essential for keeping one's professional knowledge up to date. The study focused on the question of a framework required to support and bridge the continuing education needs of professional cataloguers in South Africa. It examines professionals' knowledge of organising information, the nature and role of selfdirected learning in their continuing education and the extent of cataloguers' commitment to selfdirected learning. These aspects are described in the research goal, namely to propose a selfdirected learning framework that cataloguers can use to facilitate their ongoing training needs. The study contains a literature review and an empirical component based on a mixed methods research approach. A survey was conducted in April-May 2015 as research method. Quantitative data was collected using a structured questionnaire (59 participants), supplemented by qualitative data from three semi-structured focus group interviews. An exploratory profile of the state of continuing education for South African cataloguers and their needs could accordingly be drawn up. Findings indicate that "self-direction" is not only related to the personality of the cataloguer. It also pertains to the process of self-directed learning and the context in which it takes place. Several theories on self-directed learning were compared to design a framework that speaks to the continuing education needs of cataloguers. Three concepts professional context, people (individuals, in collaboration with others) and learning (processes, theories and opportunities) form the background against which the framework was developed. The study concludes with recommendations about a framework for self-directed learning. It includes, inter alia, a national programme for continuing information organisation training, and the development of selfdirection in learning as a multifaceted personality trait recommended for continuing education in information organisation. Further research possibilities in relation to selfdirected learning and the self-directed learning framework are also mentioned. / Hierdie verhandeling rapporteer oor 'n verkennende studie aangaande 'n selfgerigteleerraamwerk vir Suid-Afrikaanse katalogiseerders (toenemend bekend as metadataspesialiste) vir die fasilitering van hul voortgesette opleidingsbehoeftes. Die studie is ontlok deur die 2010- verslag van die Suid-Afrikaanse Departement van Kuns en Kultuur, wat bevind het dat inligtingspesialiste insluitend katalogiseerders wat pas gekwalifiseer het, nog nie in staat is om professionele take in die praktyk uit te voer nie. Voortgesette opleiding is 'n eienskap van professies en onontbeerlik vir die byhou van professionele kennis. Die studie word gerig deur die vraag oor hoe 'n raamwerk sou lyk wat die voortgesette opleidingsbehoeftes van professionele katalogiseerders in Suid-Afrika sal ondervang en oorbrug. Die studie ondersoek professionele kennis van inligtingsorganisasie, die aard en rol van selfgerigte leer in voortgesette opleiding en tot watter mate katalogiseerders op selfgerigte leer ingestel is. Hierdie aspekte word vervat in die ondersoekdoelstelling, naamlik om 'n selfgerigteleer-raamwerk voor te stel wat benut kan word om die voortgesette leer van katalogiseerders te fasiliteer . Afgesien van literatuurontledings, sluit die studie 'n empiriese komponent in wat 'n gemengdeondersoekbenadering volg. 'n Opname in April-Mei 2015 is as navorsingsmetode aangewend. Kwantitatiewe data is versamel deur 'n gestruktureerde vraelys (59 deelnemers), aangevul deur kwalitatiewe data uit drie semigestruktureerde fokusgroeponderhoude. Daaruit kon 'n verkennende profiel van die Suid-Afrikaanse voortgesette opleidingsituasie en behoeftes vir katalogiseerders opgebou word. Bevindinge toon dat "selfgerigtheid" nie net met die persoonlikheid van die katalogiseerder verband hou nie. Dit behels ook die proses van selfgerigte leer en die konteks waarin dit plaasvind. Verskeie selfgerigteleerteorieë is in verband met mekaar gebring om 'n raamwerk te ontwerp wat die behoeftes van katalogiseerders aan voortgesette opleiding aanspreek. Drie begrippe professionele konteks, persoon (individue, in samewerking met ander) en leer (prosesse, teorieë en geleenthede) vorm die agtergrond waarteen die raamwerk ontwikkel is. Die studie word afgesluit met aanbevelings oor 'n raamwerk vir selfgerigte leer. Dit sluit onder meer in 'n nasionale program vir voortgesette inligtingsorganisasieopleiding, en 'n aanmoediging tot die ontwikkeling van selfgerigtheid in leer tydens voortgesette opleiding as 'n veelkantige persoonlikheidseienskap vir inligtingsorganisasie. Verdere navorsingsmoontlikhede met betrekking tot selfgerigte leer en die selfgerigteleer-raamwerk word genoem. / Dissertation (MIS)--University of Pretoria, 2016. / Information Science / MIS / Unrestricted