Cal Poly Pomona
University Library
Prepared by
Kathleen Dunn, Ph.D.
Assistant
University Librarian
Reference,
Instruction, Collection
INFORMATION LITERACY DEFINED:
Information literacy is a set of abilities enabling
individuals to "recognize when information is needed and have the ability
to locate, evaluate, and use effectively the needed information." An information literate individual is able
to:
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT FOR STUDENTS TO BE INFORMATION LITERATE?
Individuals are faced with diverse, abundant information choices--in their academic studies, in the workplace, and in their personal lives. Information is available through libraries, community resources, special interest organizations, media, and the Internet--and increasingly, information comes to individuals in unfiltered formats, raising questions about its authenticity, validity, and reliability. The sheer abundance of information will not in itself create a more informed citizenry without a complementary cluster of abilities necessary to use information effectively.
The Boyer Commission Report, Reinventing Undergraduate Education, recommends strategies that require the student to engage actively in "framing of a significant question or set of questions, research or creative exploration to find answers, and the communications skills to convey the results..." Courses structured around these skills create student-centered learning environments where inquiry is the norm, problem solving becomes the focus, and thinking critically is part of the process. Proactive learning environments require information literacy competencies.
The convergence of the prodigious production of the information age and the growing awareness of the student memory loss of course content suggests that a vital part of education must be in the students' ability to locate information for themselves. If students graduate from a CSU campus unable to locate, synthesize, and evaluate information, they will not have the skills necessary for survival in any field. Moreover, even if student retention of course content was almost perfect, the rate of change of knowledge is so high that what students learn today, especially in certain fields, may not be accurate or relevant a few years from now.
Developing lifelong learners is central to the mission of higher education institutions. By ensuring that individuals have the intellectual abilities of reasoning and critical thinking, and by helping them construct a framework for learning how to learn, colleges and universities provide the foundation for continued growth throughout their careers, as well as in their roles as informed citizens and members of communities. Information literacy is a key component of, and contributor to, lifelong learning. Information literacy competency extends learning beyond formal classroom settings and provides practice with self-directed investigations as individuals move into internships, first professional positions, and increasing responsibilities in all arenas of life. Because information literacy augments students’ competency with evaluating, managing, and using information, it is now considered by several regional and discipline-based accreditation associations as a key outcome for college students.
WHO SHOULD ASSUME
RESPONSIBILITY FOR INFORMATION LITERACY TEACHING AND LEARNING?
The research undertaken by the CSU
Information Competence Work Group suggests that isolated, hit-or-miss, ad hoc
attempts cannot ensure that students are well equipped for the Information Age.
It also indicates that the best programs are integrated into the curriculum and
are built on strong alliances between discipline faculty and library
faculty. This suggests,
therefore, that education in information literacy is a responsibility to be
shared by discipline faculty and library faculty and should be an integral
element of the curriculum.
Through lectures and by leading discussions, faculty establish the context for learning, inspire students to explore the unknown, and monitor students’ progress. Academic librarians coordinate the evaluation and selection of intellectual resources for programs and services; organize, and maintain collections and many points of access to information; offer guidance on how best to fulfill information needs, and provide instruction to the campus community on effective methods of accessing, selecting, and evaluating information. Administrators also play a significant role through active support of information literacy programs and by creating opportunities for collaboration and staff development among faculty, librarians, and other professionals who initiate information literacy programs, lead in planning and budgeting for those programs, and provide ongoing resources to sustain them.
Freshman Seminar/Transitions courses are now widespread, and they provide a place to begin a sustained education in information literacy. The "orientation" nature of these courses, however, usually dictates that the component devoted to information competencies is brief.
Since
the ability to use information effectively and wisely is crucial to a student's
success in higher education, it seems natural to incorporate information
literacy into the general education curriculum required of all students. It
could be added as a stand-alone course
dealing with the topic, or it could be added as a component in several or all
of the courses included in the General Education curriculum
§
Cornerstone Class in Major Area
Each
discipline has information resources that document and preserve the scholarship
of the discipline. In addition research
on information transfer documents that disciplines differ in the emphasis
placed on currency, use of primary documents, use of electronic publishing,
etc. Discipline-specific information
literacies have been identified and all graduates should be well versed in thus
aspect of their discipline.
1.
One option for
including discipline-specific information literacy in the major area is to
integrate it into an "introductory" or "gatekeeper" or
"funnel" course, the one that students take first in their
disciplinary sequence. The introductory course in a discipline typically
familiarizes students with the methodologies, terminologies, and resources of a
discipline.
2.
Other models emphasize
information competence in part or all of several courses required in the major.
These models can be effective if the information literacy component is a
required course component, regardless of the professor currently teaching the
class.
Information Competence through Competency-Based
Mastery
·
A recent trend has
been the willingness to award academic credit on the basis of demonstrated
mastery of skills rather than through course work. For example, many nurses who return to college to pursue a
baccalaureate degree are permitted to receive credit for demonstrated mastery
of the skills they have acquired through experience, and are then placed in the
appropriate course in the baccalaureate sequence. CSU Monterey Bay is an
experimental program through which students, in order to graduate, must
demonstrate mastery of a host of skills and knowledge--regardless of whether that
knowledge was gained through life experience, independent study, regular
university courses, or community service.
·
Another method, then,
for a campus to institute a program of information literacy is to require
students to demonstrate mastery. Students can be given ample opportunity to
acquire the necessary skills through workshops, workbooks, computer tutorials,
classroom instruction, etc., and when they believe they have mastered the
competencies identified, they can apply for an assessment and evaluation. Once
the students have passed the assessment, their transcript reflects that they
have completed this requirement for graduation.
Source Consulted
1. Association of College and Research Libraries. Information Literacy Competency Standards
for Higher Education. ACRL: Chicago, 2000
2. California State University, Commission on Learning
Resources and Instructional Technology, Work Group on Information Competence. Information
Competence in the CSU: A Report.
CSUN, 1995.