Taking OER to the LIS: Designing and Developing an Open Education Course for Library Science Students

Abstract

One often overlooked member of the open education community is the aspiring librarian. Students currently pursuing their Master in Library Science (MLS) degree are potential future leaders for a sustainable open education movement. The lack of formal course options in existing library science education programs, for learning about open education, is a potential barrier to an open movement that is inclusive of library science graduate students. This article describes the design, development, and implementation of what is believed to be the first formal, dedicated course in open education librarianship offered by an American Library Association accredited library and information science (LIS) program. The nature of the course content, learning outcomes, assignments and student reactions to and reflections of the course are discussed, along with the potential implications for both LIS programs and the open education community. Expanding the number of LIS programs that offer formal open education courses has the potential to contribute to the sustainability of the open education movement through the preparation of a future generation of advocates and leaders.