Teaching of Gender and Sexual Orientation in Youth LIS Courses: An Exploratory Study

1. Teaching of Gender and Sexual Orientation in Youth LIS Courses: An Exploratory Study • Bharat Mehra (bmehra@utk.edu) • School of Information Sciences, • University of Tennessee, Knoxville

2. Agenda • Introduction • Research Goal • Research Methods • Findings • Conclusion ALISE 2012: Mehra

3. Introduction • In the 21st century it is urgent that the information services made available to children and youth reflect progressive cultural values since they are the reality of today and the future of tomorrow. (Chelton and Cool, 2007; Dresang, Gross, and Holt, 2009). • Information literacy skills taught to children and youth need to be relatively free from bias, prejudice, and stereotypes dictated by politics of conservatism and the pressures of repressive stakeholders (e.g., political regimes, profit-hungry corporations, right-wing interest groups, etc.). (Breivik, 2005; Kapitzke, 2003). ALISE 2012: Mehra

4. Introduction • This is especially true for education of gender and sexual orientation topics considered most taboo that are often the first to be threatened owing to the encompassing nature of patriarchal norms and heterosexist assumptions that are all-pervasive in our society and culture (Lugg, 2003; Reardon, 2001; Skelton, 2001). ALISE 2012: Mehra

5. Research Goal How does the LIS curriculum represent gender and sexual orientation content and integrate topic representation and practices in courses for youth services librarians and others interacting with children and youth? ALISE 2012: Mehra

6. Research Methods • A content analysis of bibliographic course descriptions on the homepages of 53 ALA- accredited graduate programs in Canada and the United States was conducted to: • Highlight the current state of the LIS curriculum with respect to gender and sexual orientation topics. • Course counts, content, and patterns in gender and sexual orientation topics were studied by: • Keyword searches of the course titles/descriptions using: • gender, woman/women, feminism, etc. • sexual orientation, gay/lesbian, LGBT/GLBT, etc. ALISE 2012: Mehra

7. Research Methods • Reflective analysis of the relevant course syllabi helped explore the information landscape surrounding the teaching of gender and sexual orientation in youth LIS courses. • The strategy identified best practices and insights for LIS educators to train future professionals provide better information services and systems for youth patrons and other interested constituencies. ALISE 2012: Mehra

8. Research Limitations • Research focused only on Master of Library and Information Studies degree. • Assumption: Inclusion of select keywords in the course titles/descriptions implies inclusion of the topics in the course content: vice-versa may not necessarily be true. • A range of bibliographic course descriptions were found (e.g., mostly short blurbs, a few included course objectives and course content covered). All the relevant course syllabi were not made available. • Website course description could be outdated and incomplete. • Courses described on the program website may not have been offered for a long time. • If gender and sexual orientation topics were included in a “special topic course” with a generic number then that might not have been included in the dataset. ALISE 2012: Mehra

9. Findings: Gender Counts ALISE 2012: Mehra

10. Findings: Gender Course Content ALISE 2012: Mehra

11. Findings: US Gender Course Titles GLBTIQ Resources & Services [LIS590X30] WISE course cross-listed with San Jose State Univ. [Resources & Services--LIBR 220] (3 hr): UIUC Female Voices in Historical Narratives [LIS590X34] WISE course cross-listed with Rutgers Univ. [17:611:543] though does not show up on the latter program’s website (3 hr): UIUC GLBTQ Literature for Young Adults [LIS590X38] WISE course cross-listed with Univ. of WI-Milwaukee [Special Topics in IS 691] though does not show up on the latter program’s website (1 hr): UIUC Gender and Culture in Children’s Picture Books [LIS590X45] WISE course cross-listed with Rutgers Univ. [17:611:584] though does not show up on the latter program’s website (3 hr): UIUC  Social Science Information [LSC 636] (3 hr) : Catholic Univ. of America Multicultural Sources & Services in Education and Libraries [LS 540]:Clarion Univ. of PA Literacy, Reading, and Readers [LIS590LR] (4 hr): UIUC Feminism, Librarianship and Information [LIS590X14] WISE course cross-listed with Univ. of WI-Milwaukee [Advanced Topics in LIS--L&I SCI 891] though does not show up on the latter program’s website (3 hr): UIUC Children’s Literature Goes to the Movies [LIS590X16] WISE course cross-listed with Rutgers Univ. [17.611.581] though does not show up on the latter program’s website (3 hr): UIUC ALISE 2012: Mehra

12. Findings: US Gender Course Titles Gender and Computerization [S544] (3 hr): Indiana Univ. Race, Gender, and Technology [021:232] (3 hr): Iowa Univ. History of Readers and Reading [021:256] (3 hr): Iowa Univ. Social Sciences Resources and Services [LIS 2544]: Univ. of Pittsburgh Materials for Young Adults [17:610:548] (3 hr): Rutgers Univ. Leadership in Theory and Practice [17:610:571]: Rutgers Univ. Resources and Information Services in Professions and Disciplines [LIBR 220]: San Jose Univ. Information Services for Diverse Users [LIS 530J]: Simmons Univ. Valuing Diversity: International and Intercultural Resources for Youth [IS 575] (3 hr): Univ. of TN Gender, Technology, and Information [GRS 390J OR INF 386G]: Univ. of TX-Austin Introduction to Information Studies [INF 304D] (3 hr): Univ. of TX-Austin ALISE 2012: Mehra

13. Gender in Youth LIS Courses • Definitions and construction: Differences between gender and sex; gender as part of diversity. • Content-related gender themes: Gender issues, gender bias, gender inequities, gender images and stereotypes. • Impact of gender on something else: e.g., on technology [“gendering of technology], gender representation in classification. ALISE 2012: Mehra

14. Gender in Youth LIS Courses • Gender as a “problematic” concern [perceived negative dimensions] : Need for also representing gender as a constructive and positive concept that is integral to realities for all, in all aspects of information-related work. • Intertwining aspects: Gender connected to other variables such as: gender and culture, gender and class, gender-race-class-and-social role ALISE 2012: Mehra

15. Findings: Sexual Orientation Content ALISE 2012: Mehra

16. Findings: Sexual Orientation Course Content ALISE 2012: Mehra

17. Sexual Orientation in Youth LIS Courses • Definitions and construction: Differences between gender and sexual orientation, sexuality and sexual orientation. • Content-related: Represented in terms gay/lesbian community; GLBTIQ or LGBTIQ acronyms, issues and concerns; LGBTQ teens and families, services. • Courses on LGBTIQ as special topic, also within a broader topic of diverse users. • LGBTIQ in relation to LIS topics: client-served services, literature for YA ALISE 2012: Mehra

18. Assignments • Building web and print collections • Evaluating web and library services • Partnering with representative community groups • Think piece and critical reflection (e.g., depiction in comic books) • Work experience to provide information services to vulnerable populations • Annotated bibliographies • Analysis of youth information practices—impact of media ALISE 2012: Mehra

19. Conclusion • Research findings show that there is a limited representation of gender and sexual orientation in LIS youth course titles and descriptions in terms of: • Number of programs and number of courses offered; • LIS course content and topics covered. • Limited representation of trans matters and services. • Current efforts though well-intentioned are ad hoc, isolated, and fragmented; they provide a lip-service to real inclusion and coverage of gender and sexual orientation matters that should be integrated throughout the curriculum and LIS education in addition to those courses for youth services librarians. ALISE 2012: Mehra

20. Conclusion • Need for a strategic plan that will allow for development of a more comprehensive, systematic, and practically applicable approach to critically examine, reflect, teach, and integrate the study of gender and sexual orientation aspects in all domains of LIS education and practice (in youth services and beyond). Mehra, B. (2011). Integrating LGBTIQ Representations Across the Library and Information Science Curriculum: A Strategic Framework for Student-Centered Interventions. In E. Greenblatt (ed.), Serving LGBTIQ Library and Archives Users: Essays on Outreach, Service, Collections and Access (pp. 298-309).Jefferson NC:MacFarland & Company, Inc. ALISE 2012: Mehra

21. Questions and Comments? Thank you for your attention and participation. ALISE 2012: Mehra