Making Room: Integrating Students as Partners Pedagogy into the Framework

Abstract

The Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education offers information literacy (IL) instructors structure to develop pedagogy, aiming to enhance student engagement in knowledge production and communal learning. However, it remains instructor-centered, overlooking students’ strengths and goals. In contrast, the Students as Partners (SaP) approach fosters shared respect, responsibility, and reciprocity as instructors and students co-create educational experiences. SaP involves students earlier in pedagogical decision-making processes, reframing education as a relational, personally meaningful pursuit. SaP gives students greater agency as they learn how to learn as well as positively impact peers and instructors through academic work.