June Lester

What do LIS faculty need for professional development

Although there are some reports of research and activities related to professional development and continuing education for faculty in other fields, no such study has been conducted in the information field. Therefore a survey was conducted in the spring of 2010, for the purposes of (1) determining the professional development needs of faculty in schools of library and information studies in the U.S. and Canada, (2) determining whether support mechanisms and activities to meet these needs are available in the schools or the universities that employ these faculty, and (3) identifying other sources of professional development on which faculty rely. Data were obtained via an anonymous online survey of the full-time faculty members in the schools. Among the findings were that professional development needs and preferences are significantly different for faculty in traditional library schools compared to those faculty whose schools are members of the iSchool Caucus. In general, opportunities for development and training are much more prevalent at the university level than at the school level. Results of this study will inform enhancement of professional development activities by the schools, the host universities, and professional associations.

Web-based teaching: Surviving and thriving in a pluralistic online world

Online education in the field of Library and Information Science facilitates enrollment and participation by diverse and geographically dispersed students. However, questions have arisen about how best to administer this mode of delivery and how to address differences in the cultural, linguistic, and pedagogical expectations of students and faculty that may affect learning outcomes.

Distance education: How are we doing, and how do we know?

The directory of ALA-accredited masters programs in library and information science indicates that almost half enable students to complete the degree either wholly or substantially online, and a similar (not necessarily overlapping) number offer courses in locations remote from the main campus. The IMLS-funded Web-based Information Science Education (WISE) consortium is gaining interest and new members. The question is no longer “should we do distance education?”, but “how are we doing, and can we do it better?” What do the data tell us about successes and failures? How have we undertaken to evaluate our distance education activities? Do we have comparative results? A group of panelists from institutions which have pioneered distance education in library and information science will address these issues.