Informational literacy has a broad definition. Being informational literate means that an individual is able to identify a problem or question, and then decide how to go about finding the answers. The skills involved as outlined by the American Library Association include:
- Determining the extent of information needed
- Accessing the needed information effectively and efficiently
- Evaluating information and its sources critically
- Incorporating selected information into one’s knowledge base
- Using information effectively to accomplish a specific purpose
- Understanding the economic, legal, and social issues surrounding the use of information, and access and use information ethically and legally
In regards to technology, information literacy allows individuals to use computers, software applications, databases, videos and other technologies to achieve a variety of goals, whether that is personal, work related, or school related. In order to be information literate, individuals must develop technology skills. However, students must become more than just technology literate; they must learn to become technology fluent. Having basic computer skills relies more on rote instruction, learning how to navigate through software interfaces or motions. Being fluent means that individuals are able to apply those skills to solve problems and answer questions with no clear answer.
How does this apply to the classroom?
I think in many schools in Canada, teachers are moving away from simple rote exercises and shifting towards “the big questions” or inquiry based learning. While librarians still use the tried and true methods of using trade books and databases, there are more tools available now than ever. One of our goals as educators is to teach students how to use these tools, such as the Internet. There is such an abundance of information students need to learn how to narrow down results and determine what is a good, reliable source and what isn’t. In order to elevate the process to being fluent, students will have to learn the right questions and phrases to ask in order to find the answers they seek. Furthermore, once they find that information, they must evaluate that information and synthesize their own answer or solution. With technology and communication at our fingertips, students now also have the capability and resources of social networking. They have the potential to contact the experts (or others working on the same problem) directly through blogs, twitter, facebook, Skype, etc.
While technology provides more avenues to explore, students must develop information fluency in order to succeed in school and in their future endeavors. Starting this early in student education will help individuals smoothly incorporate technology and the new tools provided throughout their lives. But for that to happen, educators, parents, school trustees, etc. must push for change so we can keep up and make effective use of the tools around us. Perhaps the IRPs need to be updated to reflect the shift in technology and information literacy, and clearly set out guidelines so educators are unified in this endeavor.
References:
Association of College and Research Libraries. (2000). Information literacy competency standards for high education. Retrieved on July 4, 2013, from http://www.ala.org/acrl/standards/informationliteracycompetency#ildef
My problem with the ALA standards is that they do not address the civic, socio-economic, and cultural aspects of digital technological phenomena. They are still focused on information and our individual relationships to information. Although they mention economic, legal and social issues, they don’t point to the cognitive, cultural, and technological dimensions of our involvements with ICT and how these involvement are changing the kinds of relationships we are forming, and the qualities of interactions that are taking place online. I would be wary of referring to the Internet as a ‘tool’. The Internet is a complex technological phenomena in a constant state of change. The very structure of the Internet is dynamic network connections firing in a similar manner to synapses in the brain. The concept of tool reduces this complexity, conceptually, to an object like a screwdriver or a hammer. The terminology does not accurately represent the reality.
Your blogs are very clear and insightful! With access to a lot more technology students and teachers are being channeled into learning how to effectively search for information. I truly hope that inquiry based learning will be commonly used in every classroom and rote learning will fizzle out. Teachers will no longer need to bring expert guests to the class. I vision students seeking out an expert of their own. They can find someone who is connected and who has relevance to what they are learning about. I love the idea of authors entering the classroom with Skype and Chris Hadfield on twitter.