Students’ Research Experiences During Consulting Projects: Three Themes Emerging from Case Studies

Student consulting projects, an advanced form of problem-based learning, allow students to apply the skills developed in their classes on behalf of client organizations. A review of selected case studies in business education and other management education literature shows that research is an integral part of this consulting process. More than that, the process of conducting research on behalf of a client exposes students to concepts of self-management, relationship management, and data management. With expert skills in conducting research and in developing information literacy instruction plans, librarians can lend structure to the unstructured research process in order to support the students as they evolve into self-managed, lifelong learners.