Seeing College Students as Adults: Learner-Centered Strategies for Information Literacy Instruction

Information literacy instruction is a responsibility of many academic librarians and much has been written about approaches to this endeavor. This article explores ways in which pedagogy from the field of adult education can inform information literacy instruction in higher education. A review of the literature on adult learning is followed by suggested ways that academic librarians can incorporate these learning strategies into their instruction. A case description examines how librarians at one institution have addressed adult learning styles and classroom realities by using surveys for instructional pre-assessment. While further research is needed to assess the impact of these techniques, this article suggests that academic librarians can provide effective information literacy instruction and promote lifelong learning by treating students as adult learners.