For more than three decades, my job was to help students learn how information works. Though information literacy, as we call it, matters to me because inquiry is ideally a form of education that Paolo Freire called “the practice of freedom,” the students I worked with were understandably focused on formulating questions and selecting the kinds of sources that would satisfy their teacher rather than engaging in genuine curiosity.
Two concepts that seem important but are too often overlooked are first, understanding the underlying ethical moves and commitments that characterize good honest work, whether it’s science, journalism, or an informative TikTok, and second, understanding how information systems shape our experiences, especially now that we no longer simply seek information, it seeks us.
The talk was engaging and the faculty returned to the classroom inspired.
For more information about the College and Advanced Writing Program, visit the Department of English, Linguistics, and Writing Studies website at cahss.d.umn.edu/departments/english-linguistics-writing-studies/college-and-advanced-writing-program.
To learn more about Barbara's work visit barbarafister.net/talks/stochastic-parrots