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ERIC Number: EJ1228444
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2019
Pages: N/A
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1052-5505
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
From JSTOR to Jiní: Incorporating Traditional Knowledge in Teaching Information Literacy at Tribal Colleges
Sorrell, Rhiannon
Tribal College Journal of American Indian Higher Education, v31 n1 Fall 2019
In light of the current political climate and the effortlessness of disseminating information across social media platforms, the national conversation on information literacy has been focused on combating "fake news." While the urgency of this issue is also a concern in tribal colleges and universities (TCU) classrooms, the librarians at these institutions have the added responsibility of helping students navigate information in both Western and traditional contexts. Among the challenges of building a tribal nation that is self-sufficient when seeking and using information is being cognizant of how technology has made the dissemination of knowledge much easier than in the past. Tribal librarians and educators have to consider the ethical incorporation of previously ignored forms of Indigenous knowledge--oral traditions, song and dance, art, and astronomy--into student academic work. One of the main goals of teaching information literacy at TCUs is helping students critically reconsider their perception of library resources, especially books, which are often viewed as the ultimate source of authority when it comes to scholarly research. Students at many TCUs are often under the impression that library research equals book research. They are not aware that much of today's scholarly output and publishing is done online and made available via e-books, e-journals, and electronic databases. Online availability has made it easier to provide library resources to students at our satellite campuses. Although off-campus broadband accessibility still poses a significant issue for students, cellular and mobile access has offered another opportunity to reach them. Smartphone and touchscreen technology have provided additional options for accessing and utilizing library services and nonprint materials that may be of use to their research, including traditional or cultural knowledge. Ultimately the goal of TCUs is to strengthen and empower the tribal communities they serve through education. At the heart and hearth of this mission is creating a nation of responsible information consumers and administrators who know how to navigate and negotiate the synapses between Western and traditional knowledge wherever they may appear--in print, online, in digital or spoken format, in person, or in practice. TCU libraries and Indigenous-serving libraries everywhere are essential partners in meeting these goals in working to make their facilities active campus and community hubs where various forms of knowledge exchange occur beyond the simple distribution of books.
Tribal College Journal of American Indian Higher Education. P.O. Box 720, Mancos, CO 81328. Tel: 888-899-6693; Fax: 970-533-9145; Web site: http://www.tribalcollegejournal.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Arizona
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A