This page was created by Curtis Fletcher. The last update was by Sarah Tribelhorn.
Statement of Professional Philosophy
Diversity
My global experiences related to living and working in vastly different areas, namely South Africa, Europe, and North America, which have provided me with critical perspectives that I would otherwise not have had, have allowed me to deeply understand student diversity. It is fundamental to me to uphold the dignity and rights of all individuals and to intentionally work to remove my personal as well as systemic biases, and to actively advocate against oppression and inequity, while enhancing inclusion and diversity (ALA, 2021). Embracing diversity necessitates being able to provide information in diverse ways that meet the needs of all students. For instruction, I consider it essential to consider diverse learning styles, applying learner-centered pedagogy, while ensuring I maintain objective opinions and respect the opinions of learners.Accessibility
As an information professional, I feel it is essential to ensure information is accessible, and have worked in fields to create metadata, and develop taxonomies and best practices to reduce biases and enhance discoverability and accessibility. In addition, I enhance the accessibility of scientific research through editing manuscripts for English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) professionals, enhancing their English language, allowing them to publish in mainstream English-language journals and publications, ultimately enhancing scholarly communication.Sustainability
The professional approaches that I take include my underlying philosophy of sustainability in all things - always considering the final outcomes of instruction and no matter the subject, encouraging environmentally sound, economically feasible, and socially equitable practices. Based on this sustainable philosophy, I see instruction and education, and my role in these as an information professional, as a means to strengthen communities.Information Literacy
One of my passions is information literacy - I attempt to provide an environment in all subjects where students can become critical thinkers and problem solvers; thereby being encouraged to critically evaluate all information and resources. Furthermore, to engage students to become problem solvers, critical thinkers, and self-directed learners, I present information in a way that is compelling, and bring in authentic real-world and practical examples, encouraging them to carry out research beyond what they are being taught, as in learner-centered pedagogy inspired by Klipfel and Cook (2017). In addition to critical thinking, I value creative thinking, which goes together with problem solving, and encourage students to show their knowledge in novel and unique ways. However, because it is necessary to assess content mastery, I value continual assessments, encouraging students to critically think about information and take on active learning. It is necessary to use different methods of assessment that allow students with different learning styles to have an equal opportunity of excelling in different areas, and where one of these methods may not be a strength, encourage them to explore ways to develop in these areas beyond their personal comfort levels, hopefully extending their growth and confidence in themselves.Empathy
Because it is easy to be internally focused, I consider student responsibilities beyond my courses, and am empathetic where possible, providing necessary support or directing students to necessary support to ensure student success. In this regard, I encourage feedback and open communication, and continually apply this feedback to improve my instruction. My classes and workshops are a safe place for students to voice their opinions, and all opinions are relevant, and I strongly encourage students to be respectful of each other.Lifelong Learning
Finally, I am committed to continually enhancing my LIS skills and knowledge, as well as encouraging co-workers to do the same (ALA, 2021). I am dedicated to being open and trying new ways of information provision and enhancing information accessibility, as well as teaching and learning outcomes, to benefit students through ongoing personal and professional development and extending and challenging myself beyond my own comfort zones. I feel this continual personal growth retains an excitement for instruction and information services. This is transferred into how I teach, helping me to be an enthusiastic instructor, while encouraging students to want to participate and learn.References
American Library Association. (2021, June 29). Professional ethics. https://www.ala.org/tools/ethicsKlipfel, K. M., & Cook, D. B. (2017). Learner-centered pedagogy: Principles and practice (1st ed.). ALA.