Creating an Inclusive Learning Environment through a Credit Information Literacy Course

Due to the growing diversity of college students today, academic librarians face the challenge to re-envision their approaches to information literacy instruction and support the efforts of cultivating an inclusive learning environment for all. Decolonizing the traditional pedagogy of library instruction is necessary to facilitate students’ mastery of complex information literacy concepts in a setting that is safe, engaging, and equitable. This poster demonstrates how this task can be achieved within the context of a quarter-long credit-bearing information literacy course offered at a regional comprehensive university. Meeting the university General Education requirements, the course aims to develop in students transferable information literacy skills and understanding of the academic research process which is vital for students representing marginalized communities or academically at-risk groups. The poster delineates the avenues the instructor employed to embrace diversity and create an inclusive space for all students, such as diverse methods of content delivery, various types of assignments design, and application of culturally responsive teaching practices aligned to students’ unique abilities and strengths. The poster also explains how these strategies enabled the instructor to fit the different student learning styles and thus foster a community of inquiry where each student feels comfortable to express their thoughts and ask questions. Finally, the author uses a practitioner lens to discuss the implications for the LIS field to nurture a new generation of librarians committed to bringing positive change through information literacy education that enables the inclusion of multiple voices and means of expression