Culturally Relevant Booktalking: Using a Mixed Reality Simulation with Preservice School Librarians

Abstract

The role of school librarians is often overlooked in advancing a respect for cultural diversity among youth, yet librarians are in key positions to champion for social justice reform in educational settings. In this qualitative study, we examine preservice school librarians' experiences with booktalking multicultural literature in a mixed reality simulation environment, as a vehicle to introduce social justice issues. Our purpose was to explore the booktalking experience as a means of developing preservice librarians' understanding of culturally relevant pedagogy, a stance concerned with developing cultural competence and critical consciousness. Our findings revealed that preservice librarians gained different levels of understanding of culturally relevant pedagogy; yet, the experience provided them with an opportunity for engaging in critical reflection regarding personal bias and systemic racism in schools and literature.