Librarians at Capilano University are experts in and teachers of information literacy, a key competency outlined by the B.C. Post-Secondary Digital Literacy Framework.
We seek to create learning experiences which enable students to succeed at completing their research assignments while also engaging learners in critical conversations on the social, political, cultural and technological forces and systems that influence how different knowledge systems and creations are valued, disseminated, and organized.
To learn more about information literacy, we recommend taking a look at the ACRL Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education, which guides our teaching.
Our Teaching Values
As teachers, we collectively value:
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Cultivating a supportive and inclusive classroom environment in which learner contributions are celebrated and encouraged
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Designing engaging, relevant, and appropriately challenging lessons and activities which include numerous opportunities for learner interaction
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Encouraging learners to use curiosity and inquiry to guide their research
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Engaging in honest self-reflection and designing lessons thoughtfully to ensure our teaching practice reflects our stated values and goals
We design our classes using learning goals, and include opportunities for active student engagement. Most of our lessons require 80 minutes as we design with student engagement in mind and prioritize opportunities for student reflection, discussion, hands-on practice and other learning activities.
What We Teach
Critical AI Literacy
Critical AI literacy is directly connected to information literacy. We can design classes that focus on:
- Critically engaging with the societal impacts of GenAI
- Interrogating the relationship between AI-generated outputs and knowledge, evidence, authority and expertise
- Investigating the accuracy of AI-generated content using lateral reading techniques
- Interrogating the effects of using GenAI in different contexts
- Exploring alternatives to using big tech tools that embed GenAI
- Critically evaluating the risks of algorithmic and AI-assisted decision-making
- Determining the nature and extent of an information need when selecting between AI generated answers and traditional information sources
Searching
We can guide students to:
- Interpret research assignment requirements and plan an effective search strategy
- Identify their research interests and develop strong research questions
- Use specialized, discipline-specific resources when appropriate to refine search results
- Explore the strengths, limitations and biases of search tools that can impact research
- Develop iterative search strategies and search for new knowledge and information
Knowledge Justice
We can guide students to:
- Identify and find diverse forms of knowledge and non-dominant voices, and consider the value and limitation of various forms of knowledge given different contexts
- Reflect on the systems and power structures that contribute to their access to and perception of different forms of knowledge
- Reflect on their own knowledge and knowledge gaps and thoughtfully seek out perspectives
- Use culturally appropriate forms of attribution
- Cite other’s knowledge and reflect on the power and purpose of citation
Critical Reflection & Evaluation
We can guide students to:
- Approach research with curiosity and recognize that ambiguity and uncertainty is part of academic research
- Differentiate between various source types by examining their characteristics and creation processes
How We Teach
We can:
- Develop and deliver customized instruction sessions to meet specific course needs
- Create asynchronous and online learning resources for courses, with enough lead time and collaboration
- Offer one-on-one consultations with learners
- Consult on course assignment or reading list redesign
Book Your Class
The best way to request library instruction is to find your subject librarian. Please provide the following information:
- Your course and section number
- The knowledge and skills you’re hoping a librarian can help develop for your students (see options under “What We Teach”)
- Assignment information and instructions if you would like a class tailored to the assignment
- Requested dates and times
Your librarian may request a 15-minute meeting to help understand your students' needs. Please plan ahead to ensure that the time and date that best suits your schedule is available, if applicable.
Please note: we may not be able to accept bookings with less than two weeks notice.