Information Literacy Essential Skills for the Information Age Dr. Mike Eisenberg

© M. Eisenberg 2009

Information Literacy

Essential Skills for the Information Age

Dr. Mike EisenbergUniversity of Washington

© M. Eisenberg 2009

Everything You Want to

Know About Information

Literacy …

© M. Eisenberg 2009

Everything You Want to

Know About Information

Literacy …

in 30 Minutes!

© M. Eisenberg 2009

Why This is Important…

© M. Eisenberg 2009

Agenda

1. Setting the Scene: The Challenges of Information Age

2. Essential Skills for the Information Age: Information Literacy

3. Implementation: Context, Context, Context!

© M. Eisenberg 2009

Agenda

1. Setting the Scene: The Challenges of Information Age

2. Essential Skills for the Information Age: Information Literacy

3. Implementation: Context, Context, Context!

© M. Eisenberg 2009

Problems

• Everyone – information access, overload, quality

• Students – gaining essential information knowledge & skills

• Schools – providing meaningful learning opportunities

• Society – providing opportunity for our children to succeed at the highest possible levels.

© M. Eisenberg 2009

“More new information has been produced in the last 30 years than in the

previous 5,000.”

Information Problem #1: Overload

Reuters Magazine (1997, March/April)

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“The amount of new information stored on

paper, film, magnetic, and optical media doubled in

three years..”

Information Problem #1: Overload

How Much Information, 2003, http://www2.sims.berkeley.edu/research/projects/how-much-info-2003/execsum.htm#summary

© M. Eisenberg 2009

The Solution?

• Speed things up?

• Pack in more and more content?

• Add more technology?

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Speeding Up – The Solution?

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Information Problem #2: Quality

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“More than 2/3 of teens said within the last year that they

use the Internet as their major resource when doing a big

project for school..."

Lester, Will "High School Students Love Net for Research." Syracuse Post Standard, 8/21/01 (from AP )

Quality

© M. Eisenberg 2009

In a study of 500 sites used by Colorado high school students to do research, only 27% of the sites were judged to be reliable

for academic research!

Colhoun, Alexander. "But - - I Found It on the Internet!" Christian Science Monitor. 25 April 2000: 16.

Ebersol, Samuel, “Uses and Gratifications of the Web among Students,” Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 6(1): September 2000, www.ascusc.org/jcmc/vol6/issue1/ebersole.html

Quality

© M. Eisenberg 2009

The Solution?

• Discourage Web Use?

• Pre-select resources?

• Filtering?

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Filtering – The Solution?

bandeg0187r Illustration Works Royalty Free Photograph

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Alternative Solution

• To have students use information and technology effectively and efficiently for success in school, work, and their personal lives.

• To focus on process as well as content.

• For students to be lifelong learners and independent thinkers.

© M. Eisenberg 2009

INFORMATION LITERACYINFORMATION LITERACYINFORMATION LITERACYINFORMATION LITERACY

© M. Eisenberg 2009

Agenda

1. Setting the Scene: The Challenges of Information Age

2. Essential Skills for the Information Age: Information Literacy

3. Implementation: Context, Context, Context!

© M. Eisenberg 2009

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

4.5

5

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6

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ProbSolv

Freshmen Transfers Seniors 1-Yr Grads 5-Yr Grads 10-Yr Grads

Survey of Valued Skills

www.washington.edu/oea/

• Problem Solving• Information Use• Speaking• Independent Work• Technology• Group Work• Writing• Reading

© M. Eisenberg 2009

“To be information literate, a person must be able to recognize when

information is needed and have the ability to locate, evaluate, and use

effectively the needed information.”

American Library Association, 1989

Information Literacy

© M. Eisenberg 2009

Association of College and Research Libraries

Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education

2001www.ala.org/acrl/ilintro.html

© M. Eisenberg 2009

1. The information literate student determines the nature and extent of the information needed.

2. The information literate student accesses needed information effectively and efficiently.

ACRL: Information Literacy Standards

http://www.ala.org/acrl/ilintro.html

© M. Eisenberg 2009

3. The information literate student evaluates information and its sources critically and incorporates selected information into his or her knowledge base and value system.

4. The information literate student, individually or as a member of a group, uses information effectively to accomplish a specific purpose.

http://www.ala.org/acrl/ilintro.html

ACRL: Information Literacy Standards

© M. Eisenberg 2009

5. The information literate student understands many of the economic, legal, and social issues surrounding the use of information and accesses and uses information ethically and legally.

http://www.ala.org/acrl/ilintro.html

ACRL: Information Literacy Standards

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Process

Talking about …

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For the YoungestThe Super3

Beginning Plan

Middle Do

End Review

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1. Task Definition1. Task Definition

2. Info Seeking Strategies2. Info Seeking Strategies

3. Location & Access3. Location & Access

4. Use of Information4. Use of Information

5. Synthesis5. Synthesis

6. Evaluation6. Evaluation

For Older StudentsThe Big6™ Skills

© M. Eisenberg 2009

© M. Eisenberg 2009

© M. Eisenberg 2009

Agenda

1. Setting the Scene: The Challenges of Information Age

2. Essential Skills for the Information Age: Information & Technology Literacy

3. Implementation: Context, Context, Context!

© M. Eisenberg 2009

#1 - the process information problem solving (the Big6)

#2 - technology in context technology in the process

#3 - curriculum real needs in real situations assignments: papers, reports, projects units and lessons

Context

© M. Eisenberg 2009

Context: The Process

Information problem-solving is not always linear, step-by-step.

TDTD

ISSISSL&AL&A

UIUISS

EE

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Non-Linear

TDTD

L&AL&A

UIUI

ISSISS

SS

EE

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Not LinearTDTD

L&AL&A

UIUI

SS

EE

ISSISS

EE

L&AL&AUIUI

UIUI

ISSISS

SS

SS

SS

© M. Eisenberg 2009

Not LinearTask

Definition

Information Seeking

Strategies

Location and Access

Information Use

Synthesis

Evaluation

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Context #2: Technology in Context

© M. Eisenberg 2009

Technology - Out of Context

• Multimedia production (PowerPoint)

• ftp• Programming

• Instant Messaging

• HTML• Telnet

• Algorithms

• Video production

• E-Mail • Word processing

• Group discussion

• Use of operating systems

• Statistical analysis presentation

• Database management systems

• CAD/CAM

• Copy/paste

• Web page design

• Graphics

• Chat

• Web browsing

• Electronic indexes

• Web searching• Online catalogs

• Electronic spreadsheets

• Upload/download

• Spell/grammar check

• Brainstorming software• PDAs

• Inspiration

• Hyperstudio

© M. Eisenberg 2009

• E-Mail • Word processing• Group discussion• Online catalogs• Electronic indexes• Web browsing• Web searching• Electronic spreadsheets• Upload/download• HTML• Spell/grammar check• Brainstorming software• PDAs• Video production• Algorithms

• Multimedia production (PowerPoint, Hyperstudio)

• ftp• Chat• Graphics• Database management• Inspiration• Use of operating systems• Web page design• Copy/paste• Statistical analysis presentation• CAD/CAM• Telnet• Programming• Instant Messaging

Better, But Still Out of Context

© M. Eisenberg 2009

Technology in Context

TASK DEFINITION

Students use e-mail, listservs, newsgroups, chat, videoconferencing, and other online communication methods to clarify assignments and brainstorm problems. May also use software to generate timelines, organizational charts, etc. to plan and organize complex problems

INFO SEEKING STRATEGIES

Students identify and assess computerized resources as they develop information seeking strategies toward their problem.

LOCATION & ACCESSStudents use online catalogs, searchable periodical indexes, electronic encyclopedias, Web search engines, and other online searching tools to locate useful information.

USE OF INFORMATIONStudents connect to and access online or locally stored electronic information sources, view, download, and decompress files, and use copy-and-paste features to extract relevant information.

SYNTHESIS

Students organize and communicate their results using word processing, database management, spreadsheet and graphics software, and distribute their projects via e-mail, Web publishing, or other media.

EVALUATIONStudents evaluate the impact of the technology they used, including its effectiveness and efficiency

Exercise

Word processing

Search engines, electronic indexes, online library catalogs

Spell/grammar check

Brainstorming software

Blogs

Presentation software (PowerPoint)

Email

Technology in Context

Task Definition Brainstorming software; Email

Info Seeking StrategiesSearch engines, electronic indexes, online library catalogs; Blogs

Location & AccessSearch engines, electronic indexes, online library catalogs

Use of Information Presentation Software; Blogs

Synthesis Presentation Software

Evaluation Spell/grammar check; Email

© M. Eisenberg 2009

Content AreaCurriculum

Content AreaCurriculum

Info & TechLiteracy

Info & TechLiteracy

Context #3: Curriculum

© M. Eisenberg 2009

CourseCurriculum

CourseCurriculum

Info & TechLiteracy

Info & TechLiteracy

IntegratedProgram

Context #3: Curriculum

© M. Eisenberg 2009

In Closing…

© M. Eisenberg 2009

Problems

• Everyone – information access, overload, quality

• Students – gaining essential information knowledge & skills

• Schools – providing meaningful learning opportunities

• Society – providing opportunity for our youth to succeed at the highest possible levels.

© M. Eisenberg 2009

Solution

• Information literacy.

• Recognized as essential.

• Infused through education and society at all levels.

© M. Eisenberg 2009

Thanks for

listening!

© M. Eisenberg 2009

Questions or

comments?

© M. Eisenberg 2009

ResourcesAASL Information Literacy Standards (1998)

www.ala.org/aasl/ip_nine.html

AASL Learning Standards proposed (2007) www.ala.org/ala/aasl/aaslproftools/learningstandards/AASL_Learning_Standards_2007.pdf

ACRL Information Literacy Standards www.ala.org/acrl/ilintro.html

The Big6 www.big6.com

Fluency in Information Technology http://www.nap.edu/books/030906399X/html

ISTE/NETS-S www.iste.org/inhouse/nets/cnets/students/pdf/NETS_for_Students_2007.pdf

Janet Murray – matrix http://janetsinfo.com/big6info.htm