This proposal is for a wildcard session on the topic of Teaching Research Methods in iSchools.
The format will be that of an open fishbowl. In this format, five chairs form the inner circle – the
fishbowl – while the other chairs are arranged concentrically around the fishbowl. Four of the
chairs are occupied by speakers, with the fifth left empty. At any time, a member of the audience
can come up to occupy the empty chair, at which point, one of the four current speakers must
volunteer to leave the fishbowl. The moderator is responsible for monitoring the conversation
and summing up issues at the end. We will also have a notetaker to assist the moderator. This
format will allow for a lively interactive discussion amongst a large group. We believe it is
particularly well suited to exploring a topic that is important to all iSchools, and about which all
iSchool members can contribute expertise and opinions.
This fishbowl aims to focus primarily on research methods for graduate-level programs. iSchools
face unique challenges in the teaching of research methods. First, our schools are highly
interdisciplinary, making the range of relevant research methods dauntingly large. Second, the
types of degree programs iSchools offer are also diverse; often the different programs within a
single school have very different focuses and aims. Third, our schools vary significantly in size;
some are able to offer multiple methods classes, while others have difficulty staffing any.
These factors present challenges for ensuring quality education in research methods, and have
led to a multitude of strategies for teaching methods at the graduate level. Many masters
programs have no methods requirement at all, or fold the study of methods into other classes.
While most PhD programs have some research methods requirement, some send their students
out to other departments, while others require their students to meet at least some methods
requirements in-house.
In addition to these topics, other important issues with regard to graduate methods education in
iSchools include: enabling students to make good methods choices from amongst the diversity of
methods available; teaching about the connection between research questions and research
methods; enabling students to understand work that uses different methods, and to recognize
quality research in the field, regardless of the methods employed; the place of apprenticeship in
inculcating research methods knowledge; the role of research advisors in dissertation work,
especially the challenge for faculty in supervising methods other than those with which they are
familiar; the challenges of requiring methods requirements in master’s programs, especially
those geared towards library professionals; and many other potential topics.
Our plan for the fishbowl is for the moderator to introduce some of these issues as potential
topics for discussion. Then the first participants in the fishbowl will begin with topics they have
selected.
Lori Kendall, University of Illinois, will act as moderator. The first four speakers, and their
opening topics, are as follows:
Caroline Haythornthwaite, University of Illinois
Topic: Teach a student to fish: Teaching research principles vs. teaching specific methods.
Questions: How do we best prepare iSchool students to do research in our interdisciplinary field?
Would it be adequate to teach principles of research rather than specific methods? If we do so,
will students be able to fish on their own? What are the essentials we would need to teach? If we
choose to teach specific methods, how many are enough, and which ones should they be?
Andrea Tapia, Pennsylvania State University
Topic: Mixed methods as bad chowder
Because of the truly interdisciplinary nature of the iSchool environment, graduate students are
often exposed to a diverse and lengthy list of potential research (collection and analysis)
methods--rather like a large urban foreign fish market.
If given the task of preparing a fish/seafood soup/chowder, the novice simply walks through the
market and piles her basket high with whatever fish and seafood look "pretty" or "clean" or
"fancy." The more, and the more diverse, the better. This usually ends up with a strange and
lumpy concoction, a rotten tasting soup, and a smelly kitchen.
Graduate students often confuse piling up of diverse methods with the concept of triangulation.
They often mistakenly believe that all methods mix well together and that more is always better.
These students are also seeking higher validity and reliability in their research by simply adding
another method, another case, another site, etc. Add a survey -- it'll taste better!
It is particularly important that in the iSchool environment where graduate students are exposed
to such diversity of techniques that they learn to choose methods that are consistent with their
epistemology and answer their research question(s). It is also important that we give our students
the tools necessary to blend methods only when needed, delicately, subtly, and with precision.
Karen Fisher, University of Washington
Topic: Faculty as Fishmongers: How do we teach what we don’t do?
Regardless of what data-gathering method we use as researchers, as faculty we must often
mentor students who are using methods with which we are unfamiliar. Many of us work with
students who obtained their methods training in disciplines other than our own or received no
training at all. Thus with some we can build on ideas of research process, but with others we start
at the very beginning of what it means to do research. Some of us are also called upon to teach
methods survey courses and must choose between depth in a few methods or a set of
smorgasbord-style guest lectures. These challenges are particularly acute in the interdisciplinary
environment of most
iSchools. Achieving a core of disciplinary methods is vital for a strong field. How will -- or
should we -- go about creating that core? Can we cover all methods, or do the iSchools need a
common understanding of how research is conducted for our field?
Diane Kelly, University of North Carolina
Topic: Research Methods and Data Analysis: The Buffet Model Leads to Floundering
Single semester general research methods courses are like buffets – students nibble on many
different things, but don't eat anything long enough to really appreciate, understand and
reproduce it. Especially problematic is that a one semester course does not leave adequate time to
teach students about data analysis methods. Both qualitative and quantitative data analysis
methods are important in our field and I'd like to advocate for a separate course (in addition to
research methods) that focuses on data analysis techniques. All students who graduate with a
master's degree from an iSchool should be able to understand, evaluate and apply basic data
analysis techniques. It is particularly important that students (and professionals) do not flounder
at the sight of statistics and grounded theory.
These topics will serve as opening statements to get the dialogue going. We expect other topics,
including many we may not have thought of, to emerge from the audience participation. Several
other members of the iSchool community contacted during the preparation of this proposal
indicated an intention to attend and take part in the discussion.