Research in LIS Pedagogy

Letters of Support for Grant Applications

Requests for letters of support from ALISE may be submitted to the Board of Directors for consideration. Submit your request via [email protected].

General Statement on Research in LIS Pedagogy and Teaching

Research on LIS pedagogical and teaching matters is very diverse and all-encompassing, covering, for example:

  • theory and practice related to critical pedagogy
  • classroom issues
  • curriculum design, content, and delivery
  • student characteristics, performance, and participation,
  • master’s and doctoral studies
  • distance education
  • relations with the profession
  • professional values and praxis
  • and a variety of other topics.

Some Examples of Specific Research Questions in LIS Pedagogy and Teaching:

1) What are the discourses of LIS pedagogy?

2) Does LIS have a critical pedagogy? What are its characteristics? What are best practices with respect to developing critical thinking among LIS students?

3) What are the most appropriate/useful classroom methodologies for graduate LIS education?

4) What influence do different classroom methodologies (case studies, team projects etc.) have on students’ perceptions of the essential elements of professional practice?

5) Do LIS students read as widely as they should to prepare them for readers’ advisory and general reference positions? Do they have an adequate knowledge of literary genres, popular authors and current affairs to be truly helpful to the public?

6) What is the impact of distance education (if any) on students’ understandings of the ethos and core values of LIS?

7) Do LIS students need professional communications courses? If so, what should be the components of such courses?

8) Are LIS programs putting enough emphasis on the traditional core areas of librarianship, such as cataloguing, collections development and public service?

9) How does one foster community building in LIS classes, in both face-to-face and distance courses?

10) What is the best way to encourage non-judgemental classroom discussion?

11) How can students’ previous professional and workplace experiences be used to enhance classroom learning?

12) What are the curriculum delivery issues in LIS (technological, economic, socio-political)?

13) Is an understanding and appreciation of LIS history an integral part of the LIS curriculum or is is marginalized?

14) What are the challenges of teaching research methods to students with diverse disciplinary backgrounds and knowledge?

15) What is the role of professional listservs in fostering student awareness/understanding of issues facing the field?