(via Gwen Gregory, IACRL President)
The 2016 Purdue University Literacy Research Symposium will take place on Tuesday, August 2, from 8:30 AM to 1:30 PM, at the Stewart Center on the Purdue University main campus in West Lafayette, Indiana. The theme of this year’s event will be “Faces and Spaces of Information Literacy: With International Students in Mind”. The main presenter is Dr. Hilary Hughes, Associate Professor, Faculty of Education, at Queensland University of Technology (QUT) in Brisbane, Australia.
International students bring richly varied knowledge and capabilities to study at their host universities. However, settling into an unfamiliar learning environment can be challenging for anyone. Librarians and educators play a vital role in the transition and ongoing academic success of international students through culturally-aware information literacy education. This support enables international students to thrive by developing their familiarity with the faces and spaces of the new university and its particular academic approaches and information-using conventions.
Culturally-aware information literacy education, like any vibrant learning process, can raise dilemmas for librarians and educators. So, in this workshop, participants shall share puzzles, ideas, and strategies for enhancing the experience of information literacy learning in culturally diverse higher education contexts. The inclusive informed learning principles that underpin the workshop ensure that the outcomes will support international and domestic students alike.
The workshop will present a values-based approach to information literacy education, with a particular focus on enhancing the learning experience and outcomes of international students. It will foster participation in a mix of discussion, problem-solving, and snapshot presentations related to the following areas.
- who and what libraries and staff value (or do not value) in their approach to information literacy education and the implications for supporting international students
- dilemmas that libraries and staff experience in supporting international students information literacy education
- designing international-friendly spaces for information literacy learning
- innovative information literacy theory and practice
Using a flipped learning approach, the workshop has participants read two articles before the meeting; this will offer them an informed perspective for participation.
The registration fee is $45.00 per person. The fee is waived for Purdue University faculty and staff, but they must still register to attend. The registration deadline is Tuesday, July 26. For more information, and to register, go here.