Learning and teaching methods

Teaching Media and Communication in the GenAI Era: an exploratory study

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Goals. This study investigates the perceptions that faculty members in Media and Communication develop toward the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) in current teaching activities, focusing on its influence within the educational environment.
Methodology. We use an exploratory qualitative approach through the focus groups conducted in two universities (University of Bucharest and Université Lumière Lyon 2) which allow us to develop a comparative understanding of the topic. The field of Media and Communication is particularly relevant to study, as it already faces extensive GenAI integration in the respective professional fields.
Results. Both in France, and in Romania, professors in Media and Communication tend to be cautious about using GenAI and integrating it in their practices. Although they recognize AI as a potential tool for innovation (more on the Romanian side), its actual integration in pedagogical methods is still limited. On the French side, the rejection is stronger. Faculty members generally view GenAI use among students with criticism, associating it with plagiarism and a lack of critical thinking. Our research contributes to the reflection about the pedagogical challenges of teaching Media in Communication in the GenAI era, drawing from a Romania-France comparative study performed in two universities.

Preferences for course delivery in library and information science programs: a study of master’s students in Canada and the United States

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Table 2. Delivery Preferences for LIS Core Content Areas (n=891)

Objectives: This paper reports on Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) students’ preferences for course delivery (online, blended or face-to-face) and how their preferences differ based on demographic variables. This research is part of a bi-national study that investigated the motivations and experiences that MLIS students had with online education, while completing their graduate degree in an American Library Association (ALA)-accredited institution.

Methodology: The study used an online survey to gather data from Master’s degree students enrolled in LIS programs accredited by ALA, a professional association which accredits programs in the US, Puerto Rico, and Canada. The online questionnaire was administered with the assistance of the administration and their student associations of LIS programs. Thirty-six programs from Canada and the US were represented by the 1,038 students who responded to the online survey. Respondents who had taken and completed at least one online course constituted the sample (n=910) that was used for analysis and the reporting of the results.
— Results: The findings show that there were five statistically significant indicators associated with preferred instructional delivery for MLIS core courses: age (generational cohort), employment status, metro status, commute distance, and program modality. The results show that younger students who had part-time employment, resided in urban areas, and lived closer to the campus showed greater preference for a course delivery mode that required some form of in-person instruction (face-to-face or blended) than their older peers who had full-time employment, resided in rural areas, and lived farther from campus.