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What is your definition of critical thinking? How does it apply to developing library instruction programs?

Join us as we examine the challenges of teaching critical thinking . Together we will strive to define the theory and practice behind this important component of information literacy.

Craig Gibson, expert theorist from George Mason University and Joyce Kasman Valenza, ground breaking practitioner from Springfield Township High School (Pennsylvania), will explore these aspects of critical thinking.

The program will include poster sessions.A summary of the program is now available.

More information on our speakers:

Craig Gibson is Associate University Librarian for Public Services at in Fairfax, VA, where he is responsible for reference and instruction, interlibrary loan and document delivery, government documents, and for access services in the main library. Previous positions include those at Washington State University (1988-1996), Lewis-Clark State College (1986-88), and the University of Texas at Arlington (1985-86). His article, "Critical Thinking: Implications for Instruction," won the Reference Press Service Award in 1997 for best article in RQ. He was selected to be a participant in the ACRL Instruction Section's Think Tank III, and he has held several ACRL Instruction Section committee memberships and offices. In 1999, he was selected to join the Institute for Information Literacy's Immersion Program Faculty, and in that same year, he served on the ACRL Task Force on Information Literacy Competency Standards. He developed and taught the first-ever course on information literacy for The Catholic University's graduate program in library and information science, where he teaches each year as an adjunct faculty member, and he has consulted with the TLT Group (Teaching and Learning with Technology Group) on numerous instruction-related initiatives and projects. He has given numerous presentations and workshops on critical thinking and research skills, staff development, and the concept of the learning library, and has written articles on assessment and distance learning.

is the librarian at and the columnist for the Philadelphia Inquirer. She is a Milken Educator for 1997/98, and has participated as a Library of Congress American Memory Fellow and in the Fulbright Japan program. Her first book, Power Tools, was published by the Editions in 1998; a second edition will be published in late 2003. Power Research Tools, which contains information literacy activites and a series of posters, was published this year. Her video, Internet Searching Skills (Schlessinger), won a YALSA Top Ten Award. She recently completed work on a new series of videos for Schlessinger on information skills for elementary children.

Joyce won the for 2001. She has taught courses on searching skills for Chestnut Hill College and Mansfield University. Joyce speaks nationally on issues relating to libraries, education, and information literacy skills and contributes regularly to Classroom Connect, Voice of Youth Advocates, School Library Journal, and a variety of other educational journals.