FAIRising Pedagogical Documentation for the Research Lifecycle

Abstract

How can pedagogical research complement academic research and vice versa? This case study revisits two research projects on curricular resources: the first, in 2019, analyzes partially structured syllabi data in digital humanities, and the second, in 2021, focuses on unstructured course titles and descriptions in LIS course catalogs. Findings reexamine data collection and analysis processes in which the lack of linked semantic metadata and persistent digital objects in curricular resources impedes fruitful research on how (inter)disciplinary topics are taught and future researchers trained. Consequently, the case study locates a gap: the role of pedagogical documentation in the research lifecycle has not been considered. As suggested by the emergence of FAIR principles, metadata expertise is a foundation for establishing the findability, accessibility, interoperability, and reuse of persistent digital objects in research outputs. FAIRising pedagogical documentation for the research lifecycle holds potential to link curricular resources with other research outputs. Information professionals have a leadership role in assisting faculty to create FAIRised pedagogical documentation, and curricular resources so prepared address the gap for integrating pedagogical documentation with the research lifecycle. Benefits include recognition of curricular resources as vital research outputs and facilitating longitudinal research on (inter)disciplinary pedagogical practices in the FAIR ecosystem.