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Information Literacy Information Literacy andand

Higher EducationHigher Education

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In 1775, Samuel Johnson said:

“Knowledge is of two kinds: we know a subject ourselves

or we know where we can find

information upon it”

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ALA Definition of Information Literacy

“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. Presidential Committee on Information Literacy. Final Report. (Chicago: American Library Association, 1989). http://www.ala.org/acrl/nili/ilit1st.html

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Source: Breivik, Patricia. "Information Literacy and Lifelong Learning: The Magical Partnership." International Lifelong Learning Conference,

Central Queensland University, 2000.

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Information Literacy and Information Technology

IT skills support Information Literacy:“computing principles and skills to support their activities in other disciplines”(From 2003 RU calendar entry for CSC1L1:Computer Literacy course offered by RU Computer Science Dept.)

IL focus is on: content, communication, analysis, information searching, and evaluation

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What is IL?

See RU Library’s online tutorial

http://www.ru.ac.za/library/infolit/

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Why is Information Literacy important?

Equips individuals for lifelong learning Includes critical reflection on information Highlights the global nature of information Allows use of relevant information for

informed decision making

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Responsibility for Information Literacy Education

Shared responsibility of all educators and information providers

Requires collaboration of academics and librarians

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Why integrate Information Literacy into the curriculum?

Information literacy is a process, not a discrete set of skills

Information literacy represents a shift in thinking and skills should be reinforced by integration into courses at all levels

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Teaching Information Literacy

Resource-based learning (Active Learning)

Activities that stimulate critical thinking

Requires collaboration between academics and librarians

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Benefits

Prepares and empowers students for lifelong learning

Improves the quality of assignments Promotes self-directed learning and

problem-solving Students are less intimidated by

information explosion and IT

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Vital questions to ask

Is the development of information skills identified in learning objectives?

Does the curriculum ensure progressive development of increasingly sophisticated information skills?

Is information literacy widely encouraged in the early years of undergraduate study as well as later?

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Vital questions to ask, cont.

Do teaching and learning strategies encourage regular use of information skills?

To what extent are students required to identify their own learning resources?

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Information Literacy at RU Library

Extract from RU Library Mission Statement:

“be sensitive to its users' different information needs and varying levels of information literacy skills, and contribute to the development of the users' abilities to retrieve, analyse, evaluate and organise information;”

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Information Literacy at RU Library (cont.)

Workshops/tutorials/presentations by Information Services Librarians

Tutorial exercises set by individual lecturers (preferably in conjunction with Library staff)

2006: 1180 undergrads, 216 postgrads. Extended Studies Unit (8-10 week course) Use of IL online tutorial:

http://www.ru.ac.za/library/infolit/ Problem: No standards/framework for IL teaching Result: Most students are NOT information literate

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Implementing an IL programme

Integration into all curricula Collaboration of academics, librarians

and administrators– Academics: establish context for learning,

inspire, guide and monitor– Librarians: Provide instruction, maintain

collections and points of access to information

– Administrators: Plan and budget to provide resources for IL programme

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"Within today's information society, the most important learning outcome for all students is their being able to function as independent lifelong learners. The essential enabler to reaching that goal is information literacy." (Source: Breivik, Patricia. "Information Literacy and Lifelong Learning: The Magical Partnership." International Lifelong Learning Conference, Central Queensland University, 2000. http://elvis.cqu.edu.au/conference/2000/home.htm)

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Thank you!

(Acknowledgement: Rochester Regional Library Council for permission to adapt their Presentation for Academic Libraries:

http://www.rrlc.org/infolit/presentations.html)