Role of online teaching experience in pedagogical innovation in LIS education: An activity-theoretical analysis

The study explored the role of online teaching experience in pedagogical innovation in the area of Library and Information Science (LIS) education. Based on the data from interviews with 25 LIS faculty who have relevant experience and from the syllabi for their courses, the study provides evidence that transitioning courses to online modality leads faculty to incorporate new teaching methods, technology tools and resources into their overall pedagogical repertoire.;The study applied Activity Theory framework in a novel way to conduct multi-level analysis of the teaching activity with attention to both activity structure and its context. Both individual and institutional cases are described in detail, using unified Activity Theory-based vocabulary. This analytical approach allowed the discussion of individual and institutional factors that drive pedagogical innovation. The study links innovation to changes in actions that comprise the teaching activity and suggests that innovative pedagogies are more likely to develop in the context of asynchronous online teaching.;The study findings paint a rich picture of teaching activity continuously evolving through instructional mode changes. Common paths as well as variations are described, including discussion of pros and cons of online and face-to-face teaching and the ways they can be combined in various hybrid ("blended") instruction models for optimal teaching and learning experience. The analytical separation of individual and contextual factors provided foundation for recommendations for practice aimed at both individual instructors and academic institutions.