Dr. Norline Wild, assistant professor of early childhood education, authored an article published in the Journal of Equity & Social Justice in Education titled “Picturebooks as Catalysts: Fostering Social Justice and Critical Consciousness in Higher Education.”
Dr. Wild discusses the way picturebooks can be powerful tools for promoting social justice in higher education based on a study she conducted with students in a first-year social justice course. The students in the study reported that leading read-alouds contributed to the cultivation of their critical consciousness, and that they gained personal insights, challenged biases, and strengthened their commitment to identity, diversity, justice, and action. Dr. Wild concludes that the work demonstrates accessible mediums like picturebooks can be an innovative practice for fostering deeper engagement and understanding of complex social justice issues in higher education contexts.
“I am grateful to my students for their thoughtful engagement in this work, and I hope it encourages educators to consider picturebooks as powerful, inclusive tools for advancing social justice learning in higher education,” said Dr. Wild.
