Leading with love and hospitality: applying a radical pedagogy to LIS

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to suggest that classroom instructors should reflect and revise their pedagogy to lead a classroom designed to produce future information professionals who will be prepared to serve their communities in a radical way.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper reviews the literature related to radical and humanizing pedagogies and then features an auto ethnographic case study which details how the author implemented some of the strategies.

Findings

Formal study of pedagogy can improve the library and information science (LIS) teaching and learning process.

Practical implications

Examining pedagogy in a formal way yields concrete suggestions for improving classroom management and content delivery.

Social implications

Using a radical pedagogy can improve relationships between teachers and learners, and learners will be able to model the classroom strategies in their own professional practice.

Originality/value

The study builds upon current examples of radical practice in the field and examines how such practices can be instilled even earlier in LIS graduate classrooms.

Citation

Cooke, N.A. (2019), "Leading with love and hospitality: applying a radical pedagogy to LIS", Information and Learning Sciences, Vol. 120 No. 1/2, pp. 119-132. https://doi.org/10.1108/ILS-06-2018-0054