Jason Dyck

Professional Biography

I am a Teaching and Learning Librarian for the Arts and Humanities and History. I work together with faculty to provide instruction on the research process, to design instructional materials, and to create tailored assignments related to the library and research skills. Before coming to Western Libraries, I taught a range of history courses at various universities in southern Ontario.

Education

• BA, History and Philosophy, Brock University
• MA, History, Queen’s University
• MLIS, Western University
• PhD, History, University of Toronto

Research Interests

My current research focuses on colonial religion, missionary work, and sacred history in the early modern Spanish world. My transcription work offers library users with access to critical editions of manuscripts by Jesuits in colonial Mexico.

Teaching Philosophy

My teaching is rooted in a respect for difference. I want students to think about questions of cultural diversity in the ways they search for information and how libraries and archives are organized. In my classes, the research process is an intellectual journey of self-discovery, one in which searching is a creative art form deeply informed by critical thinking. When it comes to citations, I want students to move beyond bibliographic information to see references as a reflection of their moral character and generosity as global citizens. In all my teaching, I am a co-learner with my students.