Information Literacy

Robin Kear

Nazarbayev University Library

April 2012

What is Information Literacy?

Set of abilities requiring individuals to “recognize when information is needed and have the ability to locate, evaluate, and use effectively the needed information.”

ACRL Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education

http://www.ala.org/acrl/standards/informationliteracycompetency

ACRL Standards

Created in 2000 and modified by the American College & Research Libraries division of the American Library Association

http://www.ala.org/acrl/sites/ala.org.acrl/files/content/standards/standards.pdf

Standards Toolkit

The Standards Toolkit is a set of tools, web pages and other resources that will help you to use the Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education.

• Standard One: Know• Standard Two: Access• Standard Three: Evaluate• Standard Four: Use• Standard Five: Ethical/Legal

http://www.ala.org/acrl/issues/infolit/standards/standardstoolkit

Example of Standard 2.1.CStandard Two: The information literate student accesses needed information

effectively and efficiently.

Performance Indicators:

1. The information literate student selects the most appropriate investigative methods or information retrieval systems for accessing the needed information.

Outcomes Include:

A. Identifies appropriate investigative methods (e.g., laboratory experiment, simulation, fieldwork)

B. Investigates benefits and applicability of various investigative methods

C. Investigates the scope, content, and organization of information retrieval systems

D. Selects efficient and effective approaches for accessing the information needed from the investigative method or information retrieval system

Next Step

Create Teaching Goals and Learning Objectives or Outcomes related to the Standards.

http://www.ala.org/acrl/standards/objectivesinformation

Teaching Goals & Learning Objectives

Help you plan what to cover in your instruction session

Guide in evaluating the effectiveness of the session

Assess student learning

Teaching Goals

• What skills you plan to teach • Examples:

• Search the online catalog• Scholarly vs. Popular sources

Learning Objectives

Info Lit skills the students will take away from class

Translates goals into specific and quantifiable behaviors

Should be realistic and attainable within class time

Objectives for 2.1.C2.1.C. Investigates the scope, content, and organization of information

retrieval systems

Objectives can include:

Describes the structure and components of the system or tool being used, regardless of format (e.g., index, thesaurus, type of information retrieved by the system).

Identifies the source of help within a given information retrieval system and uses it effectively.

Selects appropriate tools (e.g., indexes, online databases) for research on a particular topic.

Identifies the differences between freely available Internet search tools and subscription or fee-based databases.

Identifies and uses search language and protocols (e.g., Boolean, adjacency) appropriate to the retrieval system.

Information Literacy Objectives

1. Develop a Research Strategy2. Select Finding Tools3. Search4. Use Finding Tool Features5. Retrieve Sources6. Evaluate Sources7. Document Sources8. Understand Economic, Legal, and Social Issues

-Modeled on the SAILS Skill Sets

Example Goal and Objectives

Goal 1. Search the catalog By the end of the instruction session:

- 1.1 Student will effectively locate an item using Title or Author searches

- 1.2 Student will effectively use keyword searching and the AND operator to locate resources on a particular topic

Rubrics

The ULS has created several rubrics that can be used by faculty and librarians to incorporate appropriate structure and assessment to the development of their instructional sessions.

These rubrics are based on the ACRL Standards and the eight skill sets identified by the SAILS (Standardized Assessment of Information Literacy Skills) test currently in use. There are four levels for all of the ULS rubrics. These include: novice, developing, proficient and accomplished.

Novice Developing Proficient Accomplish

ed

Develop Research Strategy

Unable to narrow

topic; Unsure of

how to findinformation

neededfor

assignment

Understandsnature & scope of

assignment;Determines

general keywords

in relation to topic

to begin searching

Shows an increased

understanding of

information neededfor topic; Refines

keywords and

develops synonymsfor search

terms

Able to adapt search

process to topic;

Knows what keywords

and phrases to employ

What is a Curriculum Map?

Grid for subject specific information literacy instructionScope and Sequence of skillsCustomizable to needs of a particular department or major

Components of a Curriculum Map

Courses offeredRubric LevelIL Concepts & SkillsProgression

Engineering Library: Judy Brink

MUST READ

"Finding Context: What Today's College Students Say about Conducting Research in the Digital Age”, Alison J. Head and Michael B. Eisenberg, Project Information Literacy Progress Report, University of Washington's Information School, February 4, 2009 (18 pages).

http://projectinfolit.org/publications/

LibGuide Companions

Information Literacy Fundamentals http://pitt.libguides.com/infolit

Information Literacy Tools http://pitt.libguides.com/infolittools

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