IST 382 - Cultural Competence for Information Professionals

Course Description

This course prepares information professionals to develop cultural competencies and provide inclusive design and services to underrepresented populations by focusing on knowledge and skill development in cultural competence, cultural humility, and cultural responsiveness within different information contexts.

Additional Course Description

This course prepares information professionals to develop cultural competencies and provide inclusive services to underrepresented populations. We will learn how to analyze and evaluate services to ensure equity of access to information in various settings. To facilitate this, this course provides knowledge and skill development in cultural competence, cultural humility, and cultural responsiveness. It relates cultural competence to meeting information needs of communities through information, including design, outreach, and services. Through readings, discussions, activities, and lectures, students will explore inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility (IDEA) topics that influence information services and develop skills for planning, implementing, and evaluating programs and services for addressing these issues. Specific EDI issues we will cover include, but are not limited to, race and ethnicity; education; language; literacy; disability; gender and sexual orientation; social justice; economic status; national origin; physical, psychological, and learning ability; homelessness; veterans; and age.

Credit(s)

3.0

Professor of Record

Beth Patin

Audience

Undergraduate students.

Learning Objectives

After taking this course, the students will be able to: 

• Recognize salient facets of cultural competence, particularly in relation to information services. 

• Demonstrate cultural competence in location, selection, evaluation, and developing diverse information services. 

• Implement strategies for using various resources and strategies to meet information needs. 

• Engage in respectful and informed discussion of and deliberations about issues related to cross cultural competence. 

• Create an equitable cultural environment for your information community.
  

Course Syllabus

IST 382 Syllabus - Beth Patin

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