Teaching Online: Changing Models of Teaching and Learning in LEEP

Abstract

Consistent with the ALISE (Association for Library and Information Science Education) 2001 theme of Reconsidering Library and Information Science Education, this paper reports on a study of changing faculty, student, and teaching assistant roles in the context of LEEP, a site-independent, distance education scheduling option for the master of science (M.S.) degree offered by the Graduate School of Library and Information Science (GSLIS) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). Data collection involved design and distribution of a questionnaire addressed to all faculty who have taught at least one course in LEEP, follow-up interviews with faculty to gather responses to selected open-ended questions, and observation of face-to-face and synchronous sessions for selected courses. Data relevant to changing roles of faculty, students, and teaching assistants were extracted and analyzed to identify themes. For faculty, themes include teaching as collaboration, teaching as public (and permanent) performance, teaching as creating a learning environment, teaching as workload management, teaching as media management, teaching 24/7 and time management, and teaching as computer-mediated communication. For students, themes include pursuing a dual education, sharing expertise and support, and maintaining presence. Teaching assistants focused on new forms of partnerships.