See below where Profs. Ke Wu and Neil Smyth answer our questions about their chapter in
Handbook of Research on Academic Libraries as Partners in Data Science Ecosystems (ISBN:9781799897026). The chapter entitled "
Data Scholarship and Student Engagement: Extra-curricular Research Investigations and Academic Libraries" addresses the problem of limited opportunities for students to excel outside the curriculum by proposing a framework for library-led data scholarship and student engagement. The solution involves establishing partnerships between librarians, students, and academics to build a robust data scholarship ecosystem. It also focuses on developing the knowledge, skills, and experiences of both librarians and students in data scholarship. Additionally, the chapter presents a case study from specific Chinese contexts to demonstrate how the extra-curriculum can be shaped to foster student success. It emphasizes the importance of student works and the student voice as integral elements of this framework. By implementing these measures, the chapter aims to create a structured approach to library-led data scholarship and enhance student engagement beyond the standard curriculum.
Preview "Data Scholarship and Student Engagement: Extra-curricular Research Investigations and Academic Libraries"
HERE.
Contributing Author Question & Answer
How does your professional background support your ability to be an authority on this chapter's coverage?
Prof. Wu: I am a librarian leader and teacher with 6 years of experience working with students in higher education. I have expertise in bibliometric analysis and research data visualization, including CiteSpace, VOSviewer, and Tableau. I was the Module Leader for the Data Scholarship Nottingham Advantage Award, where I supervised 16 projects over 5 semesters. Through this program, 72 students completed the Data Scholarship module, resulting in the creation of 288 Research Data Postcards for touch-table technology in the Library. In addition to my first degree, I hold a Library and Information Science Masters. I am also a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.
Prof Smyth: I am a qualified strategic leader and Chartered librarian since 2004. Alongside my first degree, I have an MSc in Information and Library Studies. As a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, I possess the skills and knowledge necessary for providing strategic guidance and leadership. My commitment to professional development ensures that I stay up-to-date with industry trends and best practices. With my expertise and experience, I am well-positioned to navigate the complexities of the library profession and contribute to its advancement.
What specific problems does your chapter address?
Both: Data Science is a complex concept. We used data scholarship in our work. Our chapter explores the pedagogical design of an extra-curricular program for undergraduate students that introduces students to data and scholarship within the broader contexts of data science. Data Scholarship frames “the complex set of relationships between data and scholarship” (Borgman, 2015). The purpose of our paper was to introduce library-led data science education and student engagement, demonstrate the extra-curricular achievements of students, and evaluate the pedagogical framework for student investigations. The Data Scholarship Ecosystem is a community of people collaborating in data-based research investigations in physical and digital environments to create new learning for a scholarship. This paper examines key aspects of the Data Scholarship Ecosystem, including understanding new and emerging pedagogical practices, cultures, and the needs of students; implementing a data science curriculum to develop the knowledge, skills, and experiences of both librarians and students in data scholarship; and, evaluating the data scholarship extra-curriculum for student success, including student works and the student's voice. The Data Scholarship Module is framed around Research Librarian-led student teams. Part of the local context includes undergraduate students publishing data science research as lead authors or co-author. In the Data Scholarship Module students define cultural, historical, or sociological areas of interest for investigation, including digital resources, existing data sets, and archives, using these as a basis to create new data scholarship outputs.
How does the chapter provide a solution to these problems?
Both: This chapter explores the leading role of librarians in data science, scholarship, and student engagement, including the development of librarian knowledge and skills for data science, scholarship, and student learning; the library's contribution to data science curriculum development and the integration of the library, librarians, and students in building a stronger ecosystem for data, scholarship, and academic writing. The findings highlight a new approach to extra-curricular achievements for student employability, indicating the need to make undergraduate student work available to the public, particularly potential employers and recruiting universities. As a case study, the exemplar shows how partnerships are needed with students, combined with integration with existing institutional programs. The paper includes student-created works, combining data visualization and data stories. One of the distinctive features of this study is the student voice so that librarians and other educators in higher education can better understand reflections, evaluations, and suggestions from students. The paper includes reflections from students on their personal experience of collaborating in data science: what engaged what disengaged feelings about data scholarship and the impact on student learning. The paper is original for demonstrating student engagement in data science, with reflections by students for audiences across higher education engaged in data science. Three challenges remain for the librarian, teachers, and scholars. Refining professional standards and practice in teaching to maximize student learning, supporting student success through a multi-stakeholder approach, including employers, and maintaining the ambition to build and maintain collaborative relationships with academic researchers to deliver published scholarship.
What was the driving force or motivation for starting your chapter?
Both: The vision for the book was about how academic libraries can and are partnering around data science. In addition to our data-related services, we wanted to show the collaborations. In this case, the focus was the collaboration between librarians and students. We wanted to be part of a global project representing the People’s Republic of China. We wanted to show evidence of student engagement and success.
What special organizations or other professional affiliations give you the experience and the areas that are covered by the book?
Both: With over 30 years of professional experience in musical analysis and research, my husband and I have established ourselves in various professional affiliations. These include serving as a Peer Reviewer for the Online Learning Journal at the Online Learning Consortium since 2016, being part of the Editorial Board for Sage Open since 2012, and holding membership and serving as a Professional Development Facilitator at the Online Learning Consortium since 2009. Additionally, I have contributed to the field as a member of the Editorial Board for the Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration since 2015. Notably, we were awarded a $600,000 grant as Co-PI from the National Science Foundation for our work on integrating experiential learning into sustainability STEM MOOCs in 2016. Furthermore, I had the privilege of participating in the Center for Online Innovation in Learning Research Initiation Grant Review Committee at Penn State University in 2014.
Have you been recognized for academic excellence or other related achievements in this field of study?
Both: With a combined experience of over 30 years in the field, we have worked in related areas to the topic coverage for a substantial period. Prof. Wu brings over six years of experience as a librarian leader and teacher, while Prof. Smyth has over 25 years of experience in higher education libraries. Our professional affiliations further enhance our expertise in the areas covered by this book. Prof. Smyth's status as a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and Chartered Librarian since 2004 demonstrates his deep involvement and knowledge in the field. Similarly, Prof Wu's affiliation as a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy highlights their commitment to excellence in academia. In terms of recognition, Prof. Wu was honored as the Best Associate Fellow in the University of Nottingham Ningbo China Nottingham Recognition Scheme Annual Awards 2020, showcasing their outstanding achievements in the field.
About the Chapter Authors
Ke Wu is a Higher Education professional with over 6 years’ experience in Chinese universities including the first Sino-British university in China. Experienced in teaching, developing research skills, and running engaging programs for students both in English and Chinese languages.
Neil Smyth is the Associate Director Research andLearning at the University of Nottingham, Ningbo, China.
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