A Conversation Re Information Fluency:
What? Why? How?
DEFINITION: Our students will graduate
with “information fluency” when they can
find, evaluate, adapt, organize, and use data!
David G. Brown
VP, Dean (ICCEL), Professor (Economics)
Wake Forest University
Montreal. June 6, 2000.
Metaphors for Achieving
Information Fluency
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Drive a car
• Program a VCR
Pass drivers’ exam
• Understand tennis
Use a library
• Play tennis
Write an essay
• Speak French
Give a speech
Name State Capitals
Check the two that
for you come closest!
Components of Information
Fluency
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Find materials on the web & in print
Evaluate materials on the web & in print
Create a Spreadsheet
Create a Web Page in html
Place information on the web & in print
Organize information against hypotheses
Know where to get help when stumped
Recognize the perishability of information
Check all that apply & add others.
WHY INFORMATION
FLUENCY?
…the institutional answer
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Communication & Community!
Level Playing Field
After College Use
Faculty/Students Demand Them
Customized/Personalized
Digitized Scholarship
Marketable Difference
Wake Forest University
WHY INFORMATION
FLUENCY?
…the faculty answer
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Interactive Learning
Collaborative Learning
Communication
Visualization
Different Strokes for Different Folks
• From Interactive Learning (Anker Publishing Co.,
January 2000.)
Wake Forest University
Possible Actions
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Politic for “Information Fluency” & Funding
Purchase & Manage Electronic Databases (Library)
Define “information fluency” minimums (faculty)
Teach assuming “information fluency” (faculty)
Judge the wisdom of a requirement (faculty)
Monitor the quality of “fluency” training
Train All Students (Just in Time)
Train Faculty and Staff
Certify Information Fluency