Identifying Essential Soft Skills for Knowledge and Information Science Students: A Crucial Component of the LIS Curriculum

Purpose: The soft skills are one of the most important components of the curriculum of any major and minor, especially the Knowledge and Information Science. This study aims to identify the most critical soft skills for success in both academic and professional pursuits within the field of Knowledge and Information Science.

Design: There are three distinct methodological approaches, each of which can be beneficial in its respective contex. In other words, the nature of the problem dictates the most appropriate method. The curriculum development in a given field is multifaceted and influenced by various factors, making it complex. Additionally, the field of Knowledge and Information Science is inherently complex and multifaceted. Therefore, it can be asserted that the mixed-methods approach is more suitable for curriculum development in this field compared to the other two approaches.This study employed a mixed methods design to identify the various components of a Knowledge and Information Science curriculum. Data collection involved reviewing the websites of Knowledge and Information Science programs at 200 top universities worldwide based on Webometrics database, analyzing YouTube videos of IFLA Chanel and famous faculty member, examining published research of Web of Science, and conducting interviews with Knowledge and Information Science students and professionals especially the postgraduate students and doctors of the major. Additionally, the bibliographic information about relevant research gathered from Web of Science. Finally, the collected data were entered into the MAXQDA software and analyzed. This comprehensive approach enabled the study to delineate the various components that comprise the typical curriculum. It should be noted that in order to pay attention to the credibility of the research, the research plan was given to several experts in the field and the suggested points were revised and approved. Also, the paradigmatic mixing legitimation; synthesis in data, method and theory; suitability of design; researcher's credibility; diving deep into data and observations, constant presence in the research environment were take into accounted. In addition, to pay attention to the independence of the research, the method of re-checking and constantly comparing the data with the results was used. Finally, in this article, the results related to the soft skills of the discipline are discussed.

Findings: The Konwledge and Information Science curricula can be categorized into three primary skill sets: soft skills, hard skills, and research skills. This passage specifically addresses soft skills, non-specialized skills, the acquisition of which leads to success in various job roles and environments related to the field of information science and epistemology. The study identified eighteen key soft skills crucial for the professionals. These include adaptability or flexibility, communication, public speaking, persistence/patience, acceptance, open-mindedness, joyful, lifelong learning, professional ethics, marketing skills or customer services, technology skills management skills, team work, ability to work independently, curiosity/critical thinking networking, interested in knowledge, culture and history and meeting management. Notably, these skills hold significant value regardless of the specific information role or work environment. All the mentioned items are necessary for students, so they should be considered in the curriculum of the field.

Results: The curriculum should no longer solely prioritize textbook knowledge. Curriculum developers must ensure students are equipped with the real-world skills necessary for success, particularly soft skills such as communication and teamwork. Therefore, serious attention to internships, participation in team work, group research, class presentations, and different language courses is required to strengthen the soft skills of students in this field of study. Anyway, more studies are needed to show the importance of soft skills in Knowledge and Information Science and how to teach these skills. In other words, there is a need for scholars who discuss how to integrate soft skills into the field of Knowledge and Information Science.