Information Literacy in Place-Based Interdisciplinary Teaching and Learning

Abstract

This chapter explores the role of information literacy in virtual or hybrid place-based interdisciplinary courses. Whether teaching as a guest lecturer or as a co-instructor, I infuse information literacy competencies into assignments, relying on the Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education. Four of the six frames of the Framework map especially well to interdisciplinary teaching and learning: information has value, authority is contested and contextual, research as inquiry, and searching as strategic exploration. Through searching in special collections and archives and integrating digitized primary sources into research projects students engage in a virtual exploration of place, becoming familiar with it through digitized primary sources. At the same time, the interdisciplinary approach helps students gain a critical perspective on information production and preservation.