A diplomatic-informed archival pedagogy: fostering student-centered learning environments for novice archival researchers
| Date | 11 October 2022 |
| Pages | 743-756 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/JD-06-2022-0128 |
| Published date | 11 October 2022 |
| Subject Matter | Library & information science,Records management & preservation,Document management,Classification & cataloguing,Information behaviour & retrieval,Collection building & management,Scholarly communications/publishing,Information & knowledge management,Information management & governance,Information management,Information & communications technology,Internet |
| Author | Carly Dearborn,Michael Flierl |
A diplomatic-informed archival
pedagogy: fostering student-
centered learning environments
for novice archival researchers
Carly Dearborn and Michael Flierl
University Libraries, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
Abstract
Purpose –This paper begins to construct a theoretical foundation for using a diplomatic-informed
pedagogy that specifically addresses common concerns in archival instruction in a higher education
environment. The authors utilize self-determination theory (SDT) to define student-centeredness and
provide empirical guidance for creating a learning environment supporting student motivation,
persistence and academic achievement. The proposed framework provides both structure and
theoretical grounding for the archivist while also cultivating a learning en vironment which effectively
motivates novice researchers.
Design/methodology/approach –The authors draw on diplomatics and archival instructional literature to
propose an instructional framework utilizing SDT.
Findings –A diplomatic-informed pedagogy is a new, theoretically viable approach to archival instruction for
novice researchers intending to replace common archival orientation and competency-based instruction. This
pedagogical approach also provides a reproducible structure to the instructional archivist, helping to organize
classroom learning outcomes, assessments and activities in alignment with evidence-based research and well-
established archival theory.
Research limitations/implications –This is a conceptual paper and based on subjective analysis of
existing literature and theory. The proposed framework has not been tested in a practical application, but it
is based in the pedagogical foundations of diplomatics and SDT’s focus on student perceptions and
motivations.
Originality/value –Diplomatics, the foundation of archival science and legal theory, can be applied
pedagogically to provide concrete guidance to teach students to use archives in more intentional, creative and
disciplinary authentic ways. Diplomatics gives the instructional archivist a pedagogical foundation, structure
and guiding methodology to approaching novice researchers in the archives, while SDT presents how to
implement such an approach.
Keywords Archives, Self-determination theory, Student motivation, Archival instruction, Diplomatics,
Student-centered teaching and learning environments
Paper type Conceptual paper
Introduction
As the archival literature continues to praise the pedagogical importance of archives in the
academic classroom, the list of instructional challenges of teaching with primary sources also
grows. While archivists are expected to employ active learning techniques and flipped
classrooms, so too are they often expected to introduce aspects of the theoretical and
administrative history of archives –often within truncated classroom sessions. At once,
archival instruction efforts are often expected to meet the archives’outreach goals, introduce
students –or novice researchers –to the concept and importance of the archive, and teach
primary source research methods. This presents a dilemma. Should archival instruction focus
on teaching about archives or teaching archival research?
Diplomatic-
informed
pedagogy
743
The authors would like to thank Clarence Maybee, Rachel Fundater, Maribeth Slebodnik and Eric
Johnson for their comments on a draft of this manuscript.
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
https://www.emerald.com/insight/0022-0418.htm
Received 7 June 2022
Revised 21 September 2022
Accepted 23 September 2022
Journal of Documentation
Vol. 79 No. 3, 2023
pp. 743-756
© Emerald Publishing Limited
0022-0418
DOI 10.1108/JD-06-2022-0128
To continue reading
Request your trial