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The Role of Theory in the MLIS Curriculum
Get PDFThis panel explores the integration of theory into the master’s curriculum for library and information studies. Balancing theoretical focus with more practical emphasis can be a challenge, and engaging students in theory by tying it to practice can be complicated. The panel will provide opportunities to explore these challenges in the specific contexts of reference and information literacy instruction courses, but also more generally throughout the LIS curriculum
Community College Libraries and Professional Development Work in Progress Poster
Get PDFThe inception of this research inquiry showcases the PI’s past academic library and current LIS faculty experiences, which focuses on the need to provide continuous learning opportunities for community college library employees. With that in mind, the PI will distribute an online invitation to various lists of community college library employees to participate in this study. In this mixed-methods study. The online survey will have two portions: Likert-scale questions and open-ended inquiries to assess participants\u27 preferences and perceptions of professional development at their respective institutions. The platform used to obtain the respondents\u27 data will be Qualtrics. Each research method will be assessed for commonalities and differences. Any data triangulation will be presented and disclosed in a future peer-reviewed publication. Gaining a better understanding of community college library employees concerning professional development can assist current leaders and provide additional research opportunities
Preservice Librarians and Principals\u27 Hiring Practice
No full textEvery year, principals face the challenge of hiring staff to fill the open positions on their campus and may only hire one or two school librarians during their tenure. School principals can build a cohesive team to help ensure student success by hiring staff with strong leadership skills. School librarian preparation standards suggest that school librarians be educated to serve as leaders (American Library Association, American Association of School Libraries, & Council for the Accreditation of Educators Preparation, 2019). Moreover, the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) advocates for the leadership role of school librarians in its mission statement (2018). Research indicates that transformational leadership behaviors apply to school librarians because they interact with the entire school community and may serve as change agents to positively transform their school’s culture (Smith, 2011). This study posits that principals often hire preservice school librarians instead of experienced school librarians. Therefore, there is a need to understand the relationship between the hiring criteria identified by principals and the leadership role specified in the school librarian standards. This mixed-methods study examines the criterion principals use to hire librarians and their alignment with the transformational leadership behaviors of preservice librarians.
The Use of Automatic AI-based Notes and Transcription Services in Qualitative Research: Ethical and Methodological Concerns
Get PDFThe rise of online interviewing using videoconferencing platforms has impacted the way qualitative researchers conduct their data collection. Previous studies have investigated the use of Zoom Meetings for online data collection (Archibald et al., 2019; Lobe et al., 2020), yet other studies also have outlined ethical challenges when collecting data remotely (Bamdad et al., 2022; Lim & Kaveri, 2024). In LIS studies, researchers have examined ethical considerations for qualitative research methods in a virtual setting (Newman et al., 2021), although the discussion surrounding the advancement of AI-based technology in online data collection has been limited. With the growing interest in the use of transcription features in Zoom Meetings to support data analysis (Handler et al., 2022), issues surrounding automatic AI-based notes and transcription services integrated with this platform may have been overlooked. This study reflected ethical and methodological concerns when collecting data on student mothers’ use of mobile devices via Zoom Meetings synced with Otter.ai services. Ten participants were involved in online interviews from February to May 2023, resulting in nine transcripts from Zoom Meetings and Otter.ai services each. Ethical and methodological concerns surrounding AI-based meeting assistants\u27 use were outlined, including data ownership and intellectual property management, data repository and flow strategies, real-time nature of interactions, implicit speech bias, and decision-making accountability. The study contributes to broadening the understanding of the ethical and methodological concerns for qualitative researchers when using AI meeting assistants and further calls for specific LIS guidelines in online research using AI technology.
Multiple Truths and Many Roads: Leading Graduate Study Abroad
Get PDFThis panel will feature presentations from faculty from three universities with programs that offer study abroad opportunities for master’s-level Library and Information Science (LIS) students. This panel is designed to open a larger discussion pertaining to study abroad and will focus on the following objectives:
To provide examples of creative study abroad initiatives.
To generate discussion on the value of international experiences.
To discuss the importance of cultivating an experience that fosters understanding of the “other” culture(s) through engagement and learning.
To provide examples of in-person extended experience for students who may be in online programs.
Marie L. Radford and Lilia Pavolvsky will describe study abroad opportunities at Rutgers. Radford leads a Master of Information (MI) hybrid course “British Collections and Archives.” This is a three-credit summer session course with nine days at Wroxton College in England in addition to online modules. It includes visits to libraries and archives in London and surrounding areas, such as the British Library, The National Archives, the Bodleian Library at Oxford University, the Library and Archives of the Shakespeare Center at Stratford-upon-Avon, and Bletchley Park. The course involves lectures by noted British scholars and librarians on trends in academic and public libraries, digital preservation, and archival studies. Students learn about how libraries and archives function with different systems of government, different funding models, and different credentialing practices. Additionally, Rutgers offers study abroad for an International Children’s Literature course, that includes a visit to the annual Bologna Children’s Book Fair, in Italy. This event attracts global book publishers and member organizations of "ibby" the International Board on Books for Young People. Graduate students have the unique opportunity to explore ways of creating text, art, and design for children and teenagers while meeting experts on youth literacy from many nations. Also, we will share plans to offer international experiences to graduate students that include professional conferences and other opportunities for open discourse to discover many truths beyond the boundaries of their local professional and scholarly communities. These experiences will be designed to offer travel to environments in which students have the opportunity to engage in dialogue that is not only inclusive of perspectives of international LIS scholars, practitioners, and students, but which also enables an exchange of cross-cultural ideas to promote mutual understandings.
Lisa O’Connor will discuss the origins of her study abroad course to Northern Ireland and Ireland, which she first developed at the University of Kentucky. Frustrated with her predominately white, middle-class students’ intractable view of their culture as innocuous, she hoped that a study abroad experience would help students gain the distance and objectivity they needed to see patterns of domination and repression in another culture and, as a result, better see these patterns in their own. Her course examines whose culture is preserved and whose is not, and who controls the dissemination of information (and thus the narrative) surrounding cultural conflict. Students examine the narrative on “The Troubles” as it was promulgated by mainstream, pro-British American media prior to their in-country experience. Students are able to contrast (1) the treatment of indigenous Irish culture with colonized British culture, and (2) messages disseminated about Irish resistance with those of the colonizer, in order to understand the roles information and information policy play in reproducing cultural hegemony, Data gathered from students indicate that the study abroad experience does in fact increase cultural humility and provide a transformative experience that helps them see “truth” as conditional rather than absolute and to ask, “who controls the narrative” in cultural conflict.
Matthew Saxton will describe the International Exploration Seminar program and how MLIS graduate students have engaged in study abroad for over 10 years in multiple countries (Netherlands, South Korea, New Zealand, Ghana, Denmark, United Kingdom, Austria, Ethiopia, and Portugal). Themes of seminars have included urban informatics, cross-cultural adoption of information technology, polarization and inclusion in different societies, information literacy, and children’s literature and “own voices” in publishing. The presentation will focus in depth on the South Korea seminar as a case study that has run for 12 years and engaged over 180 US students and an equal number of Korean students. Students examine the interaction of culture, adoption of information technology, and use of social media, and consider such questions as: Do US and Korean students use social media in similar or different ways? How do they communicate, share, and validate information? We examine the cultural, economic, social, and political factors that shape the online information environment of both societies. Presenters will engage the audience in lively discussion and exchange of ideas. Discussion topics will center on the purpose and value of international experiences in graduate study, planning and investment on part of the institution, incentives for student recruitment, preparation of faculty, and building effective international partnerships
Truth & Information? Preparing Information Organization & Retrieval Students for an AI Future
Get PDFArtificial intelligence (AI) is not a new concept or technology, but has taken the world by storm with the recent advancement of generative AI, such as ChatGPT and Bard. The metadata, cataloging, collections, and retrieval areas of library and information studies (LIS) are already experiencing disruption and soul-searching because of generative AI, but it remains to be seen to what extent the technology can benefit, or even harm, these areas of LIS.
The Metadata, Cataloging, & Collections SIG session will include a panel of three educators who will discuss the use of artificial intelligence in information retrieval and cataloging courses, and provide ideas for educators hoping to learn more about the impact of AI and how to incorporate activities and discussions of AI in their courses.
Priya Kizhakkethil will report on student perceptions of AI in the LIS curriculum, with a focus on Information Retrieval courses. With the emergence of Generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen AI) tools like ChatGPT, there has been much discussion about its impact on libraries and the work of librarianship. But there is a gap in the literature that addresses how such disruptive technologies should be addressed in the LIS curriculum. This presentation covers a work in progress pilot study seeking to understand LIS student perceptions on the use of generative AI tools as part of their course work. Themes relating to student perceptions on the use of Gen AI tools for an Information Retrieval course will be discussed, which includes the potential ways of using these tools as noted by the students.
Vyacheslav (Slava) Zavalin will discuss the critical need for understanding the AI landscape and its application to information organization within LIS. He will demonstrate using Google Gemini, the AI-powered assistant, to create bibliographic examples and then analyze and discuss the accuracy of the records.
Karen Snow recently assigned advanced cataloging students an exercise that required them to create a basic MARC/RDA bibliographic record using ChatGPT. The resulting transcripts of their conversations with ChatGPT, and their reflections on the experience, were a fascinating demonstration of the benefits/drawbacks of AI in cataloging work, but also of the importance of educating students on how to effectively use AI.
After the presentations, audience members will be encouraged to ask questions and offer their own experiences and ideas concerning this area of LIS education. These presentations align well with the ALISE 2024 conference theme of “The Ethics and Evolution of Truth and Information.
A sociotechnical history of an AI video chatbot: Mapping AI chatbot innovation trajectory for information policy design
Get PDFThis study traces the patent citation network of U.S. Patent 11,107,465 Natural Conversation Storytelling System (Gustman et al, 2021) to map the innovation trajectory of AI Chatbots. This patented AI video chatbot enables the reanimation or digital resurrection of humans in video form. As GLAMs continue to experiment with new technologies such as historical figure chatbots to increase engagement through gamification and empathy, a critical examination of technologies that are designed to appear human-like is warranted as they often skirt credibility, accuracy, and likely insert bias. Furthermore, the rise of generative AI tools and the propensity for producing hallucinations (Christensen et al, 2024) increases ethical issues for the implications on humans and truth (Ranalli, 2022; Stahl and Eke, 2024).
Patent citation network analysis is frequently conducted as a competitive strategy for mapping the trajectory of technological development and patented inventions (Érdi et al, 2013; Jain et al, 2020). Drawing from this method, innovation trajectory routes or pathways will be traced through the patent citations to identify the most prominent or critical patents in the AI video chatbot innovation trajectory and analyze which features of technical innovation are retained across its pathway. These methods are frequently utilized to understand changes, patterns, and development in innovation to predict economically viable futures and can be utilized to predict the needs for information policy (Frohmann, 1995) by understanding the implications asymmetrical power on society
Different Perception and Use of ChatGPT in Writing Between American and International Students
Get PDFThe emergence of AI writers has significantly affected and reshaped the environment of academic research and paper writing in the world. Many university students relying on these AI tools for searching information and assisting their writing. However, there will be a difference existed in the utilization and perceptions of AI writers between American and international students. To find out potential difference, this study seeks to delve into the underlying factors that may contribute to this contrast. Employing the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) as a theoretical framework, which investigates users\u27 acceptance and adoption of technology, the research employs a mixed-method approach comprising surveys and interviews conducted among students from both American and international contexts. By integrating TAM into the methodology, the study aims to investigate the motivations to use of ChatGPT, an AI writing tool, and examine how linguistic and cultural differences influence the user experience of AI writers. Through this approach, the research sheds light on the nuanced ways in which AI writers are integrated into the academic workflows of students from diverse backgrounds. By comparing and contrasting the perspectives and practices of American and international students, the study will provide valuable insights into the interplay between technology, language, and culture in the educational domain. Ultimately, this research will contribute to a deeper understanding of the complex dynamics shaping the adoption and usage of AI writers among higher education students worldwide
Playing the Publish or Perish Game: Guidance for Doctoral Students and Early Career Faculty
Get PDF“Publish or perish,” or the idea that one must consistently publish to succeed in an academic career is a well-known adage within higher education (Schaberg, 2016). Specifically, Bond (2023) shares that publications are promoted as a path to career success. The scholarly output of professors simultaneously affects the reputations of the professors and their institutions. Similarly, doctoral programs often require students to publish before they graduate. When applying for academic positions, having publications beyond the dissertation is seen as a strength by prospective employers.
Although publications are viewed as a strength, Huang (2021) discusses some challenges doctoral students have with publishing, including a lack of understanding of the publication process. Many students who are in master’s degree programs may complete a thesis. However, the thesis process diverges from journal articles because the publication procedures differ.
Huang (2021) further notes that the pressure to publish in high-quality, well-known journals is another challenge. These journals are identified as the best because of the rigor involved in their peer review process, and they typically accept fewer papers per year. Finally, journal publications are a competitive process, and the inability to complete a publication on time can cause anxiety among students.
Researchers have called for an evaluation of publishing practices in academia. For example, Saxena, Godfrey, and Yannessa (2023) explain that publishing expectations can lead to the production of low-quality publications and an increase in unethical behaviors such as plagiarism. Moreover, inexperienced writers may seek to validate their research by relying on the willing acceptance of predatory journals (Mertkan, Aliusta, & Bayrakli, 2022). These journals flood the internet with low-quality papers that do not adhere to rigorous peer-review standards. Consequently, inferior research that has not been vetted is often repetitively cited.
Since navigating the publication process is a skill that must be gained, Dyke (2019) suggests that it is necessary to teach early-career academics how to manage the rigors of publication expectations. Dyke asserts that learning to manage stress and time is essential for successfully publishing. Also, new scholars must be taught how to explain their research’s benefits and potential impact. Dyke further argues that publishers can play a crucial role in teaching publication skills. Instead of relying solely on universities, publishers can develop courses to clarify the process of writing publications. These courses can include content about basic writing and editing skills and submitting revisions.
The panel recognizes that publishing is indeed not a game. However, it is a necessary component of career progression at many universities. Therefore, in response to library and information science doctoral and early career professionals’ scholarly publishing professional development needs, this panel seeks to advise about strengthening writing skills and clarifying the peer review publishing process. This panel will include expert editors and editorial board members with over a century of combined scholarly publishing experience. Attendees will participate in a discussion of the peer review process and receive suggestions for efficiently writing and submitting journal articles. The panelists are Drs. John Budd and Denice Adkins (co-editors of JELIS), Yunfei Du (editorial board member of JELIS), Maria Cahill (co-editor of School Library Research), and Vanessa Reyes (co-editor of The International Journal of Information, Diversity, & Inclusion). The moderator will be Dr. Daniella Smith (editorial board member of Public Library Quarterly).
Program Format
This interactive program will include polls to increase audience engagement and an online whiteboard to collect questions for the discussion after the presentation. The program format will be as follows:
Session introduction: The moderator will introduce the session by sharing the presentation objectives and research about publishing in academia..
Panel introduction: Each panelist will introduce themselves and their experience with scholarly publications.
Topic Discussion: The panelists will answer questions related to the following topics.
Understanding the peer review process: The presenters will share the peer-reviewed process used by the journals and the pros and cons of the peer-review process.
Implementing strategies for publishing quicker: Panelists will provide suggestions for streamlining the publication process.
Submitting revisions and options for addressing comments: Our experts will discuss their expectations for article revisions and the do’s and don’ts of getting an article published after revisions have been requested.
Preparing content for peer-reviewed journals: There is a difference between casual and scholarly writing. The panelists will discuss the differences and provide examples of their expectations regarding the content of peer-reviewed publications.
Identifying appropriate journals: The panel will suggest how to determine the best journals for their research areas and how to avoid predatory journals.
Identifying publication tools and resources: Authors curate tools and acquire skills that help them navigate the publication process. The presenters will share their favorite tools and resources.
Making writing enjoyable: The panelists will discuss embracing writing and making publishing fun.
Final words of advice and questions: The session will conclude with audience questions and final panelist thoughts
Information Seeking and Sharing Among LGBTQ University Students: Dynamics Within LGBTQ Communities on Social Media
Get PDFIn my dissertation research, I investigate the nuanced dynamics between LGBTQ university students and social media platform design, identifying the facilitators and obstacles they encounter while seeking and sharing information in online communities. This study serves a dual purpose: to explore the information-seeking and sharing experiences of LGBTQ students on social media, and to analyze platform design aspects that either enhance or hinder these information behaviors. By addressing both elements, the research aims to provide a holistic understanding of information practices within LGBTQ online communities and offer actionable recommendations to improve social media design, fostering a supportive environment for LGBTQ students.
Adopting an exploratory mixed-methods approach, I employ both qualitative methods (i.e., initial interviews, diaries, and follow-up interviews) and quantitative method (i.e., online survey questionnaires) to collect data. Integrating qualitative and quantitative methods ensures a thorough exploration of the topic, offering nuanced insights into LGBTQ students’ online experiences.
The dissertation holds both theoretical and practical significance. It advances our understanding of LGBTQ students’ information behaviors within online communities and examines the interplay between social media platform features and these behaviors. Practically, the research provides valuable insights for LGBTQ organizations, community administrators, and social media developers. By addressing the unique information needs of LGBTQ students and enhancing social media platform design, this study facilitates the creation of inclusive, supportive, and user-friendly online environments for LGBTQ individuals