The Atlantic Provinces Library Association’s Information Literacy Interest Group invites you to attend the Virtual Info Lit Drop-in Learning Space. This is an opportunity for those interested in information literacy instruction and practices to meet others with varied instruction experience to connect and share pedagogies, activities, and techniques. We are aiming to host three virtual drop-in spaces throughout the year.
Our next drop-in will be held on Wednesday, April 8, 2026 at 12:30 – 1:30 pm (Atlantic time), and hosted by Dr. Ben Mitchell, Williams Lake Campus Librarian at TRU. Feel free to bring your lunch!
The theme for this session is: Information literacy and ludic (gaming) literacies
Much like education generally, at its best, game design attempts to answer the important question: How can we design interactive systems that people actively want to participate in, simply because they find participating to be engaging, rewarding, meaningful. and, importantly, fun? At its worst, it is the question of how to design interlocking systems of manipulation, exploitation, and psychological coercion (Roblox, loot boxes, microtransactions, etc.). Seeking to go beyond the “chocolate covered broccoli” approach to gamification that is so common in discussions of gaming and literacy, this discussion will explore how to use the games that people already love (and hate) to help them understand key literacy principles.
Possible topics for discussion may include:
- What are some of the games you have loved/hated, and why?
- Do you consider yourself to be gaming literate, why or why not?
- Has a game taught you anything?
- What are some paratexts that have shaped your thinking about games?
- How have the games you’ve played shaped your understanding of literacy and approach to instruction
- What do you think the relationship is between literacy and design principles?
- Is a game-based approach to education possible in contexts where students are not meaningfully free to not participate?
You can share as much or as little as you feel comfortable sharing, and if you just want to listen to other participants, that is fine, too. We will maintain a supportive atmosphere with a focus on encouraging and empowering fellow information professionals in their teaching journeys.
You do not have to be currently employed as an information professional to participate in this session. Students are welcome to participate!
Please register to join: https://forms.gle/wrYHgkBbLRJ79RoK9
A Zoom link will be sent to you closer to the event.
Drop-in overview:
Welcome (introductions and land acknowledgments)
Theme discussion
Evaluation of session
Closing