Is the ACRL Framework a teaching tool? Undergraduates’ interpretations of its language and concepts

Purpose While many librarians have celebrated the pedagogical inspiration offered by the ACRL Framework, some have raised concerns about the comprehensibility and accessibility of its language, particularly for students. The authors sought to understand if introducing the language of the frames explicitly – in addition to using them as the implicit foundation of our teaching – resonated with these undergraduates. This case study investigates how undergraduates at a liberal arts institution interpreted the Framework’s language and concepts in relation to their independent research.Design/methodology/approach In this case study, the authors analyzed 25 undergraduates’ reflections on their information literacy learning guided by recommendations for thematic analysis of qualitative data from Braun and Clarke (2006) and Castleberry and Nolen (2018). These steps included closely reading the reflections, disassembling and reassembling by frame, coding for themes, and finding trends and patterns.Findings The authors’ analysis of students’ reflections offers insight into how these students interpreted the Framework’s language and related it to their own experience. By noting language that seemed to resonate in this instance, the authors suggest ways in which educators could effectively use the Framework’s language with undergraduates.Originality/value Other studies in this area have generally been conducted with semester-long general education courses. This case study explores if explicit use of the Framework’s language outside of the classroom setting can resonate with undergraduates. Expanding research into different academic contexts enhances our understanding of how librarians may use the Framework as an explicit pedagogical tool.

Decolonize this art history: Imagining a decolonial art history programme at Kalamazoo College

This article presents a case study of a decolonized curriculum development in the Art History programme at the small liberal arts institution Kalamazoo College (Michigan, USA). It discusses the curriculum plan, methods for learning, assessment and potential applications for this approach beyond the case study. Paying attention to questions about the origins of art history, and its long-established methods and canon within the Western academy, this article proposes that any approach to decolonizing an art history curriculum must take into account the frameworks and methods of the knowledge systems it employs, must continually assess, reflect and hold accountable those who participate in its implementation and maintenance, and, importantly, must recognize that decolonization work is a necessarily messy and ongoing process.

Co-Curricular Learning Across Campus

Prototyping is an essential part of the design thinking process and an important part of imagining the future of design thinking pedagogy. This chapter highlights prototypes of design thinking pedagogy that engage faculty, staff, and students at a liberal arts institution. The authors share the history of the social impact hub and various iterations of curricular and co-curricular collaboration connected to a social innovation pitch competition. The authors also highlight the value of collaboration between innovation spaces and career and life planning offices through meaningful student employment opportunities. Finally, the authors describe modules being piloted to infuse design thinking throughout the curriculum.

Pedagogy and the Politics of Organizing in Mississippi

This article reflects on a community-directed collaboration between students at a four-year liberal arts institution and a local organization in Mississippi to develop an index of women's economic security. It suggests that the collaborative nature of the course, as well as the relationship- and community-building witnessed in Mississippi offer counter-narratives to liberal individualism, southern conservatism, and the practice of social justice work.

Safe Spaces on Campus: An Examination of Student and Faculty Perceptions

Creating and maintaining a positive school climate is paramount for student well-being. This climate is marked by a teaching and learning environment that can foster positive student outcomes, such as academic achievement, and decrease negative student outcomes, such as absenteeism (Thapa, Cohen, Guffey, & Higgins-D’Alessandro, 2013). One approach to creating a positive and inclusive school climate that welcomes diversity is the development of safe spaces or safe zones on campus. Given the lack of scholarly literature that addresses this topic, the current study explores safe spaces from the perspective of college students and faculty at a liberal arts institution.

London Calling: A Semester in the World’s Sporting Capital

This case follows four American college students from a small, Liberal Arts institution during a semester-long, faculty-led study abroad trip to London, England. The case presents the experiences of these students as they integrate into London society. Mainly viewed through the lens of sport, the students encounter many differences to their preconceived notion of how sports work, providing an obvious platform for discussion and comparison of how sport is organized in different parts of the world. Specifically, the case offers students the opportunity to learn about new sports they may not have encountered before, evaluate the U.S. system of sport management, and suggest ways to improve sports both at home and abroad. The international aspect of this case also provides an added cultural element by focusing on specific events in the United Kingdom sporting calendar that can be used to teach students about another country’s sporting identity.