The impact of MOOCs on library and information science education

This paper reviews recent literature on massive open online courses (MOOCs) and their impact on Library and Information Science (LIS) education, describing the features and types of MOOCs, as well as their disruptive nature, pedagogical impact and use in traditional classroom settings. Concerns with high dropout rates and the lack of a business model for MOOCs are reflected in the literature by a shift in the research focus from the innovative features of MOOCs to their more practical elements. The paper provides a list of MOOCs in LIS and related topics, although most of these are not currently available for enrolment. As in other disciplines, a large and rapid increase in the number of MOOCs available during the early 2010s has since been followed by a decline in the number of MOOCs offered. The article also analyses the role of academic libraries in relation to MOOCs.