Information Literacy
For Teaching & Learning:
A Workshop For Faculty & Librarians
Libraries & Educational Technologies
Center for Faculty Innovation
James Madison University
Dr. Terrence Mech
King’s College, Wilkes-Barre, PA
May 9-11, 2006
Today’s High Education
Articulation & assessment of outcomes
Student centered approach to course &
curriculum development
Emphasis on student understanding &
capabilities rather than fact-learning
Emphasis on undergraduate research
Preparing students to apply their
knowledge in non-academic settings
(NEA 2001)
From Teacher Centered to
Learner Centered
Cover the material VS. using the
material
Cover topics VS. mastering learning
objectives
Listening/reading VS. constructing
knowledge through integration
From Teacher Centered to
Learner Centered
Lecture VS. active learning
Sage on the stage VS. designer of
learning environments
Present VS. engage
Grades VS. classroom assessment
Why Information literacy ?
It draws on and builds on basic
general education skills
– Reading
– Critical thinking & reasoning abilities
– Written & oral communication skills
It is actively student focused
It is assessable
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,
1989
Information Literacy:
A Classic Liberal Art
Information Skills
• Know
– Determine Need
• Access
– Access Efficiently/Effectively
• Evaluate Sources
– Evaluate Critically
• Evaluate Content
– Add to Knowledge & Values
• Use Information
– Accomplish Specific Purpose
• Do All Ethically/Legally
– Understand Economic,
Legal & Social Issues
Building Process
Need a solid
foundation to
achieve new
knowledge.
New
Knowledge
Critical use &
ethical application
Effective use of
information resources
Access resources
Ability to determine information need
Information Literacy’s
Common Themes
Recognizes a need for information
Engages in information seeking behavior
Explores, accesses and locates materials
Interacts with the information to
formulate hypotheses
Synthesizes, interprets. organizes, applies
and communicates the information
Evaluates the results
(Eisenberg & Brown, 1992)
Why Information Skills?
Faculty want improvements in the quality of
student work, more effective student research,
& students taking more responsibility for their
own learning
Students want to complete assignments with
less difficulty & more satisfaction
Employers want to hire graduates who are
“competent”, take responsibility, can solve
problems, & produce new ideas
Why Information Skills?
Content mastered by graduation is soon outdated
or forgotten
Ongoing personal & professional competence
depends on knowing how to find, evaluate, & use
information
Ability to find data, absorb & synthesize key
concepts, organize & present information are
desirable “knowledge economy” skills
Why Information Skills?
Common to all disciplines, to all learning
environments, & levels of education
Enables learners to master content, solve
problems, & become critical & effective
information consumers
Recognizes that learning is a combination
of content plus competencies
Why Information Skills?
Society functions best when it has an
educated, informed & productive
citizenry.
Easy access to information & good
information skills are vital for a
vibrant democracy.
“Access to computers, computer
applications, web-enhanced courses,
and information resources such as
books, journals, and databases does
not translate into information literate
students.”
Developing Research & Communication Skills, p.6
Information literacy is not
about libraries.
Information literacy is about
teaching and learning.
Metacognitive Approaches
“How can students gain the skill to
manage their own thinking, change
unproductive search strategies,
monitor their time and attention, know
what they know and what they need to
learn?”
Diane Halpern
The Recursive Nature of Learning
Determine the
Information Needed
Access
Information
Evaluate
Information
Use
Information
Understanding
The Recursive Nature of
Learning
Recursive questioning and searching
– Promotes conscious regulation of the
investigative process
Through the continuous reprocessing of:
Information
Findings
Pro-forma conclusions
Oswald Rattery
Model of the Information Search Process
Tasks
Initiation
Selection Exploration Formulation Collection Presentation
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------→
Feelings uncertainly
(affective)
optimism
doubt
Thoughts
(cognitive)
confusion
frustration
clarity
sense of
satisfaction or
direction/ disappointment
confidence
vague-------------------------------------→focused
-----------------------------------------------→
increased interest
Actions
seeking relevant information----------------------------→seeking pertinent information
(physical)
exploring
documenting
Carol Collier Kuhlthau, Information Search Process, Rutgers University
Information literacy
is a
curriculum issue.
Why
Strong information skills have a positive
effect on student academic success
Information skills are best learned when
integrated into the curriculum and taught
in context
Many courses already include information
literacy concepts, although not explicitly
Students often look to faculty and to each
other to learn information skills
The Three Curricula
One in the catalog
One the professors teach
One the students experience
An Information Literacy
Curriculum is:
University-wide
Inquiry and resource based
Makes effective use of instructional
technologies and communication tools
Learner centered
Integrated with learning outcomes in
general education and the disciplines
How is Information Literacy
Achieved?
Reinforcement in:
 freshmen & transition courses
 lower & upper division GE courses
 junior level courses for transfer students
 major courses
 honors programs
 service & experiential learning
 senior capstone experiences
How is Information Literacy
Achieved?
Integrated into department
learning outcomes
Included on class syllabi
Reflected in class assignments
Assessed in GE and the major
Information literacy as
an end in itself
Information literacy as
a means to an end
Cognitive development
Ways of Knowing.
Baxter Magolda (1992)
Domains
Absolute
Knowing
Nature of
Knowledge
● Is certain or
absolute
Role of
learner
Role of
instructor
Transitional
Knowing
● Is partially
certain and
partially
uncertain
Independent
Knowing
Contextual
Knowing
● Is uncertain –
everyone has
own beliefs
● Is contextual; judge on
basis of evidence in
context
● Obtains
● Understands
knowledge
knowledge
from instructor
● Thinks for self
● Shares views
with others
● Creates own
perspective
● Exchanges and
compares perspectives
● Thinks through
problems
● Integrates and applies
knowledge
● Communicates
knowledge
appropriately
● Ensures that
students
understand
knowledge
● Promotes
independent
thinking
● Promotes
exchange of
opinions
● Promotes application of
knowledge in context
● Promotes evaluative
discussion of
perspectives
● Student and teacher
critique each other
● Uses methods
aimed at
understanding
● Employs
methods that
help apply
knowledge
Absolute
Transitional
Independent
Contextural
Figure 2.1. Ways of Knowing by Year.
Baxter Magolds (1992) p. 70-72
90%
83%
80%
80%
70%
68%
57%
60%
53%
50%
46%
40%
32%
31%
30%
16%
20%
12%
11%
10%
1%
5%
1%
2%
2%
0%
Freshman
Sophomore
Junior
Senior
Year 5
Why Information Literacy ?
More time & energy students invest in
activities related to desired outcomes,
the more likely they are to achieve
those outcomes
Educationally effective institutions
design experiences that channel
students’ energies to purposeful
activities
Whose Job is It?
Everybody
Somebody
Anybody
Nobody
Questions?
Exercise & Discussion