Information Literacy in the 21st Century

8/8/2019 Information Literacy in the 21st Century

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Information Literacy in the 21st Century

Cynthia Smith

8205 Riverbrook Way

Ballground, GA 30107

Submitted to:

Dr. S. Jones of Georgia Southern University

In partial fulfillment of the requirements for FRIT 7136-Y03

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The 21st Century has presented early education with new challenges and new

opportunities for learning. The challenges can include new standards, teachers with little

training or understanding of new technologies, no direction for teachers on how to incorporate

the technology and students who are inexperienced with using the technology in a school setting.

However, the benefits of technology can be rewarding and mind opening. When used in

conjunction with curriculum, technology can open new doors for students and teachers. Media

Specialists have a unique opportunity to lead the way in technologies and guide students of their

use.

Media Specialists used to be concerned with the old literacies. Old literacies were

focused on authoritative texts and narrow practices, schooled reading and writing (Goodin,

2006). Those days are over, new multimodal multiliteracies have emerged. “Literacy is not

simply knowing how to read and write, a particular script, but applying this knowledge for

specific purposes in specific contexts of use” (Goodin, 2006). Literacy includes finding relevant

online information, online text comprehension, and Internet skills that will allow the student to

research and navigate the Web for required information and communication, such as blogs,

wikis, video, and emails (Pascopella, 2008). Asselin (2004) explains new literacies as the

“unique ways of reading and writing with the new technologies of information, communication

and multimedia.”

From an interview conducted with a 2nd grade teacher, she views literacy as both old and

new. Literacy should include traditional reading and writing skills, as well as skills newly

available because of technology. The students will need both in their adult lives. One thing is

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certain, the information is available, and students will need to know how to obtain and

understand that information.

The media specialist is in a unique position to teach children 21st Century information

literacy. One reason is that the AASL standards require it, of course. The other reasons include

special education and skills that Media Specialists obtain, they have the desire to promote

literacies of all kinds, and the ability to work with all teachers at all grade levels to determine

needs and abilities of teachers, they also have the flexibility to include multiple literacies in their

curriculum.

In order to meet the needs of the students and enable them to learn 21

st

Century

information literacy skills the library/media center plays a critical role. The library should be

attractive to the students and allow them to work with the available technology. School libraries

need to be the hub of new technologies and the place for books. The decision of how much book

collection space and space for available technologies is an institution decision and should be

addressed frequently (Rolf, 2006). One media specialist that I spoke to makes obtaining new

technology a priority. “Technology is the future; the students should have access and learn the

skills required to navigate in that future.” The county that he works in places importance on

technology and it is incorporated and available in the media center.

As technology becomes more of a priority and has more availability in teaching and

learning, there will be demand and need for information, library, and technology work in

schools. (Lowe). An increase in technology and information will require better teachers and

Media Specialist. According to Johnson (2006), the best technologies will not take the place of

powerful/dynamic human educators. The rest of this paper will focus on the criteria that will

enable a Media Specialist to become a powerful and dynamic educator of information literacy.

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The first way to be a powerful educator is to work to make the library available

throughout the school. The library should not be just within the walls of the library. The Media

Specialist should be visible and available outside of the library. I asked one kindergarten teacher

what she would like the Media Specialist to do when assisting with 21st Century literacy skills.

Her answer was that the Media Specialist should be come to the classroom and assist with

technology at times. “It is not always easy to get to the library with Kindergarteners, let alone

have a technology lesson while there. They can be easily distracted outside of their norm.”

A fifth grade teacher was asked what a media specialist can do to assist her with

information literacy, especially with research. At the time, the fifth grade teacher was working

on integrating a project into curriculum that needed to include higher level thinking and

questioning. She replied that the Media Specialist should know the most current research

methods and how to teach the students how to look for relevance, reliability, and bias from the

Internet. Students need the Media Specialist to teach these skills as well as knowledge of

plagiarism, how to use the information to create projects and presentations, and to foster a love

of information.

There is a wide range of flexibility required of the Media Specialist. The needs of a

kindergarten teacher and students will be very different from the needs of a 5th grade teacher and

students. The media specialist must be able to reach each student and teach with the standards

from the AASL. Each student comes from different backgrounds and abilities. The Media

Specialist must be willing and able to teach the student with their own set of characteristics. The

needs of the teachers must also be met. Those needs can be just as varying as those of the

students. Teachers will each have their own idea of how to incorporate new literacies and have

different demands on the Media Specialist.

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Media Specialists have several resources available to them to include 21st Century

Literacies. Scharber (2009) explains that “one of the possibilities of digital literacies is the

potential for bridging new literacies with the old ways that will gradually transform how youth

express ideas and learn in school.” Youth are users of technology; it is our challenge as Media

Specialists to get them to use them at school. “We must embrace both old and new literacies,

including the multiliteracies connected to new technologies whenever possible, some of which

we may find intrusive – like video games and cell phones” (Goodin, 2006).

Blogs, wikis, webcasts, chat rooms, online book clubs, and WebPages are all tools

available to Media Specialists to excite and encourage children to create and be information

literate.

I asked a Media Specialist what she thought the future of her career held. She replied that

it would always be changing and information and literacy changed. “I think it will always be in

the library helping kids. Regardless of the kind of information they need or the methods

available for getting the information, I will be here. I want them to love information regardless

of its form.”

The Media Center and Media Center Specialist has an exciting opportunity to incorporate

both old and new literacies. When practiced together the results for students will be eye opening

and can promote life-long learning. Goodin (2006) says it best, of the position of Media

Specialists’, “What a creative, complex, and powerful spot to occupy.”

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Asselin, M. (2004). New Literacies: Towards a Renewed Role of School Libraries. Teacher

Librarian, 35(5), 52-53. http://search.ebscohost.com

Erikson, R. (Interviewee), and Douglas J. (Interviewee). (2006). Imagining the Future of the

School Library. Retrieved Sept. 26, 2009 from

http://www.designshare.com/index.php/articles/school-library-future

Goodin, S. (2006). Multiliteracies and the School Library. CSLA Journal , 30(1), 23-25.

http://search.ebscohost.com

Lowe, C. (2001). The Role of the School Library Media Specialist in the 21st Century. Teacher

Librarian, 29(1). http://www.ericdigests.org/2001-3/21st.htm

Pascopella, A. (2008). New Literacies: Entering the Future. (Cover story). District

Administration, 44(7), 44-48. http://search.ebscohost.com

Scharber, C. (2009). Digital Literacies. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 52(1). 433-437.

http://search.ebscohost.com

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Information Literacy in the 21st Century