Uncertainty
& Learning

Decolonization

Power &
Authority

Identity
& Voice

How can we change the way we teach so that uncertainty is a valued part of learning and not perceived as inadequacy or failure?

How do technologies reward certain learning behaviors and discourage others?

How can we support students in the face of learning experiences that are often troublesome and disorienting?

Can you describe a successful experience or example of decolonization in an academic setting?

How can different ways of knowing, outside of traditional academic and scientific inquiry, be better integrated in pedagogy and literacy practices?

How do we consult with marginalized or colonized people in meaningful ways without making the experience of their oppression the basis of their value to the academic community?

How can we help students learn about the dimensions of power and authority in academic publishing while assisting them with (what for them is) the more pressing task of completing a research paper?

How can we make space for students to be able to understand and critique power structures that affect their learning experiences?

Are digital learning technologies in higher education contributing to the commodification of student lives?

What are some effective ways to support and encourage students who are reluctant to participate in classroom conversations?

How can libraries make a space for students to speak in a way that is visible, authentic, and valued without homogenizing “student voice”?

How are digital technologies affecting the identity of learning communities?

This panel discussion was held at the 2019 WILU Conference
May 22-24 - Winnipeg, Canada. 

The dominant discourses that have emerged out of the current historical context of higher education not only give shape to the places where we learn and work but they also influence the formation of identity, experience, and the production of new information and culture. These discourses, to a large extent, determine:
 

• What is learned?
• What forms of knowledge and learning are credible?
• What learning processes are deemed acceptable?
• Who will be allowed a voice in this process?
• Whose voices are validated and on what conditions?

This session will provide panelists and delegates an opportunity to participate in a moderated discussion on the place of libraries within academic learning communities, the ways they can contribute to higher education pedagogy, and provide students and faculty a more open, equitable learning environment. Questions posed to panelists and delegates will focus on four interrelated topics: Uncertainty & Learning, Decolonization, Power & Authority, and Identity & Voice.

Moderator:

Ian Fraser - University of Winnipeg
 

Panelists:

Jesse Stommel - University of Mary Washington

Sarah Dupont - University of British Columbia

Emilia Marcyk - Michigan State University

Francine Berish - Queen's University

WILU 2019 Program Committee:

Kyle Feenstra - University of Manitoba

Ian Fraser - University of Winnipeg

Sarah Clark - University of Manitoba

Lisa Demczuk - University of Manitoba

Dom Taylor - University of Manitoba