Education for the Common Good: A Student Perspective on Including Social Justice in LIS Education

Helkenberg, Davin; Schoenberger, Nicole; Kooy, S. A. Vander; Pemberton, Amanda; Ali, Karim; Bartlett, Sarah; Clair, Jillian; Crombleholme, Sydney; Dee, Alison; DePierro, Kristy; Greenwood, Timothy William; Lobzun, Meagan; Petersen, Cassandra; Saunders, Sabrina Redwing; Tarzi, Mary; Ward, Kristyn; Zip, Stacey

doi:10.3138/jelis.59.4.2018-0013

Cited by 8 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…At the time of the creation of this article, there is a lack of research in models for librarianship pedagogy; however, a few contemporary models do exist that are preferable in comparison to UMD’s High John experiment. One such model was proposed in 2018 by a group of MLIS students from Western University in Ontario, Canada (Helkenberg et al, 2018). The students were part of a special topics course, titled Progressive Library Politics that was led by instructor Davin Helkenberg (Western Faculty of Information & Media Studies, 2017).…”

Section: Models and Recommendations For Contemporary Lis Pedagogymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Helkenberg’s research explores fictitious narratives regarding sexual themes portrayed in Young Adult Literature and how these narratives influence young women (Western Faculty of Information & Media Studies, 2019). With the assistance of Helkenberg, several students from the class worked together to write a paper, that was published in the Journal of Education for Library and Information Science , to express their desire for LIS coursework to include elements of social justice (Helkenberg et al, 2018: 266). The students identify key components required to incorporate topics in social justice in LIS curriculums.…”

Section: Models and Recommendations For Contemporary Lis Pedagogymentioning

confidence: 99%

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Revisiting the High John experiment through a contemporary lens

Cress

2021

Journal of Librarianship and Information Science

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In 1967, the University of Maryland’s School of Library and Information Services created a public library in Prince George’s County, Maryland, named the High John Experiment, to give Librarianship and Information Science students experience serving disadvantaged communities and to discover new methods to better serve these communities. From the creation of High John to the present day, University of Maryland publications and unaffiliated works credit High John as a groundbreaking experiment that propelled interests in diversity and inclusion in public libraries. High John’s creators published a 73 paged report for the United States’ Office of Education, accompanied by published articles, that confirms a violation of ethics toward the community High John served. The community was not involved in the implementation or planning of the library and many of the services and materials the library offered were based on prejudiced assumptions instead of community input or research. Although High John garnered supporters, the validity and ethicality behind High John’s intent and methods were called into question during the experiment. The controversy led to debates within the field that resulted in conversations about Librarianship and Information Science pedagogy and appropriate methods in outreach and community engagement for disadvantaged communities. Now that the passionately fueled debates on High John have ceased, the experiment is a distant memory. Although this experiment led to debates about diversity, inclusion, and equity in information access within the United States, this experiment is relevant to information readers on a global scale. Because Librarianship and Information Science has a history rooted in elitism and oppression worldwide, High John warrants further exposure and examination from a diverse pool of contemporary perspectives. Through the application of modern community outreach and engagement practices, this article builds on a critical historical analysis of the experiment and argues High John failed in its mission and violated the community’s trust that it purported to serve.

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Section: Models and Recommendations For Contemporary Lis Pedagogymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Models and Recommendations For Contemporary Lis Pedagogymentioning

confidence: 99%

Revisiting the High John experiment through a contemporary lens

Cress

2021

Journal of Librarianship and Information Science

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“…Involving students in both course analysis and course development is crucial, as LIS students notice the lack of social justice theories addressed in LIS curriculum and may become disenchanted with the profession-especially students of color (Gómez, 2013). LIS students realize the need for more prominent discussion of and pedagogy that supports critical thinking on issues of social justice (Helkenberg et al, 2018). LIS students can help transform their institutions and profession at large, beginning with student-led initiatives (Oxley, 2013) or student-based groups that engage with DEIJ topics and apply skills to real-world situations (Jardine & Zerhusen, 2015).…”

Section: Previous Workmentioning

confidence: 99%

Teaching with Color: Calling in White Faculty to Address Whiteness in the LIS Curriculum

Rosa

Simons

Elkins

2021

Proceedings of the Association for Information Science and Tech

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Diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice (DEIJ) issues underlie the systemic problems affecting our society, including the critical lack of inclusion within the field of librarianship. All LIS faculty must prepare students to work with diverse populations of both patrons and colleagues and should aim to strengthen students' cultural competence by incorporating DEIJ issues and concepts into the curriculum. However, in a field that is overwhelmingly white, there are sure to be missteps as white faculty develop their own cultural competency through research, teaching, and interpersonal interaction. In this poster, we argue for increased transparency amongst white LIS faculty who seek to incorporate DEIJ concepts into their courses. We additionally encourage faculty to prioritize student involvement and feedback while integrating DEIJ-related theory and topics into the LIS curriculum. Finally, we argue that open discussion between white faculty and students of color is necessary for the field's ongoing progress towards equity.

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“…Librarians have traditionally had little teaching training or pedagogical development as part of traditional library or iSchool curricula, even though teaching is a significant component of the work of librarians in all contexts (Helkenberg, et al, 2018; Schroeder and Hollister, 2014; Sproles et al, 2008; Wheeler and McKinney, 2015; Xue et al, 2019). “While K-12 teachers take numerous classes on teaching methods and educational psychology…before they’re thrown into the classroom, most non-school librarians must learn on the fly or from colleagues at conferences” (Hodge, 2015: 155).…”

Section: Librarian Educationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Theory into practice:: Challenges and implications for information literacy teaching

Schachter

2020

IFLA Journal

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This article is informed by a mixed-methods research study into librarians’ critical information literacy awareness and teaching practices in higher education institutions within British Columbia, Canada, and the literature related to critical pedagogical and literacy theory. I explore the perceived gap in librarian knowledge of theories that underpin their pedagogy, the value of learning about and applying theories to information literacy teaching, and strategies that can enable improved awareness and application of theory to librarians’ practices in higher education.

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Education for the Common Good: A Student Perspective on Including Social Justice in LIS Education

Cited by 8 publications

References 4 publications

Revisiting the High John experiment through a contemporary lens

Revisiting the High John experiment through a contemporary lens

Teaching with Color: Calling in White Faculty to Address Whiteness in the LIS Curriculum

Theory into practice:: Challenges and implications for information literacy teaching

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