Information Literacy is more than a set of skills.

“Information literacy is more than a set of skills”

Information literacy has been described as a core literacy for the 21st century. (Lloyd & Williamson, 2008). There are many ways that we currently share and process information, yet this will evolve and change as we move into the future. (Armstrong, 2008). Valenza states that searching is a “life skill”. Information will help us make wise choices, reach conclusions and communicate well. (Valenza, 2005). Information literacy is important for those who are living and learning in this century, but is it more than a checklist of skills that help us and our students?

Information literacy skills help people recognise when information is needed, and have the ability to locate, evaluate, and effectively use the information. (Association of College & Research Libraries, 2012). It is certainly essential for academic success. (Macpherson, 2004). We live in an incredible age, where the facts we need or want are only a click away. The internet has become an important and wonderful tool for use in education, yet it has become a challenge for many teachers and teacher librarians to give students the skills needed to test “reliability, currency and relevance” for the information they encounter. (Breivik, 2010).

Macpherson (2004) states that perhaps our aim should not be to teach skills but to develop “theoretical frameworks” for twenty-first century literacy. This flexibility might lead to new perspectives to explore? We also bring a level of bias to our learning. There is certainly a broad range of individual differences, and variability within performance. Teacher librarians need to consider relevant learning strategies while being aware of this. (Macpherson, 2004). Not all square students will fit into the round information literacy shape we try to put them in? There are so many different variables we work with. What does information literacy look like on the other side of the world? Surely it has different characteristics in different contexts and cultures? (Lloyd & Williamson, 2008). We learn and teach in and about an environment in constant flux. (Valenza, 2005). The world is in a state of continual change and we struggle to keep up with what is current. What will information literacy look like in ten or twenty years time? 

We are trying to help students participate in emerging information landscapes. (Valenza, 2005). There are important skills to develop, but a searching attitude is also required, as are the habits and behaviours involved. (Valenza, 2005) The “info-fluent” student has a sense of inquiry, thinks creatively about words, manages time effectively and is persistent - just to name a few extra skills. (Valenza, 2005) Kuhlthau has described the cognitive and affective stages that students follow during research as a process of becoming information literate. (Bishop, 2003). This becoming is a continuing journey. In our information-overloaded world there is a need for better thinkers, problem solvers and inquirers. Those who are information literate are indeed a precious commodity. (ACRL, 2012., Breivik, 2005). Yet this involves more than a checklist of skills. For some information literacy is a definite group of skills and when you can tick off those abilities you are classed as "literate". However, it also involves a mindset and an attitude that continues to change and grow throughout our lives as change continues around us. It is an evolving process where students and adults learn how they learn. (FitzGerald, 2011).

References:

Association of College & Research Libraries (2012). Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education. Retrieved Janaury 13^th, from http://www.ala.org/acrl/standards/informationliteracycompetency

Armstrong, S. (2008) Information Literacy: Navigating and Evaluating Today’s Media. Shell Education. Retrieved January 13^th, 2012 2-12, from http://csuau.eblib.com.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/patron/FullRecord.aspx?p=408103

Bishop, K. (2003) What in the world is happening with information literacy? Knowledge Quest, 31(5), 14-16. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/194726687?accountid=10344

Breivik, P. (2005). 21st century learning and information literacy. Change: The Magazine of Higher Learning. 37:2, 21-27. Retrieved January 13, 2013, from http://dx.doi.org/10.3200/CHNG.37.2.21-27

FitzGerald, L. (2011). The twin purposes of Guided Inquiry: guiding student inquiry and evidence based practice. Scan, 30(1), 26-41. Retrieved January 13th, 2013 from http://www.csu.edu.au/division/library/ereserve/pdf/fitzgerald-l.pdf

Lloyd, A., and Williamson, K. (2008) Towards an understanding of information literacy in context: Implications for research, Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, Vol 40(1), 3-12. SAGE Journals, UK. Retrieved January 13th, 2013 from http://lis.sagepub.com/content/40/1/3.abstract

Macpherson, K (2004). Undergraduate Information Literacy: A Teaching Framework. alia publishing, Australia, 238-240. Retrieved January 13th, 2013, from http://www.alia.org.au/publishing/aarl/35.3/macpherson.pdf

Valenza, J. (2005) Super Searchers Go To School: Sharing Online Stategies with K-12 Students, Teachers, and Librarians, Vol.35. Medford, NJ: CyberAge Book. Retrieved January 13th, 2013, from Google Books ‪http://bit.ly/OOdmHo