Giving thanks to… a sentipensante assignment

Abstract

Giving Thanks to… is a novel assignment for students of Library and Information Science (LIS). It was recently implemented for the first time in a course on information behavior, but could potentially enhance learning in any domain. Inspired by contemplative pedagogy (Hart, 2004), the assignment encourages “sentipensante” (Rendón, 2011), that is, a balance of mind and heart. In a nutshell, students write an informed and heartfelt thank you message to a scholar of information behavior whose work is not yet canonical, affirming their contribution to the literature. Once placed into the mail, these bespoke missives are microaffections (Burklo, 2016) that socially construct a more appreciative and inclusive space withing our field. This paper presents the educational context, the assignment’s main components, example outcomes, student feedback, and the instructor’s reflections. To conclude, links are provided to an online exhibition about the project and to detailed assignment guidelines that other educators may borrow.