The Critical Inquiry Imperative: Information Literacy and Critical Inquiry as Complementary Concepts in Higher Education

Abstract

Sharing a variety of characteristics and theories, critical inquiry and information literacy have the potential to complement one another in a higher education setting. This article explores an initiative at the University of South Carolina Aiken to help students with their critical thinking and reasoning skills through the implementation of a new, one-credit, freshman seminar course. The class, entitled Critical Inquiry, would address three student learning outcomes, including one directed at information literacy. A case study of how the initiative was implemented is discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Active learning
• critical inquiry
• general education
• higher education
• information literacy
• teaching methods