It's All Improv to Me

Abstract

Inspired by a workshop on incorporating improvisational techniques into classroom pedagogy, the in-class game Research Roulette was conceived as a way to incorporate improv and physical movement, with the specific goal of bringing a playful element into information literacy sessions. What shifts when the stated goal in a library workshop is to have fun and explore, instead of the prescriptive set of instructions of a more traditional bibliographic instruction? What happens when we move on from games and invite actual play? For students whose primary goal in a classroom or educational setting is to complete the work and do well, incorporating a playful element can be destabilizing. This article will explore the ways in which play, critical pedagogy, and information literacy intersect in the library classroom environment.