Information Literacy

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INFORMATION LITERACY

Several conceptions and definitions of information literacy have become prevalent. For example, oneconception defines information literacy in terms of a set of competencies that an informed citizen of aninformation society ought to possess to participate intelligently and actively in that society (from [1]).The American Library Association's (ALA) Presidential Committee on Information Literacy, Final Reportstates, "To be information literate, a person must be able to recognize when information is needed and havethe ability to locate, evaluate, and use effectively the needed information" (1989).Jeremy Shapiro & Shelley Hughes (1996) define information literacy as "A new liberal art that extends fromknowing how to use computers and access information to critical reflection on the nature of informationitself, its technical infrastructure and its social, cultural, and philosophical context and impact." (from [2])Information literacy is becoming a more important part of K-12 education. It is also a vital part of university-level education (Association of College Research Libraries, 2007). In our information-centricworld, students must develop skills early on so they are prepared for post-secondary opportunities, whether in the workplace or in pursuit of higher education.History of the conceptA seminal event in the development of the concept of information literacy was the establishment of theAmerican Library Association's Presidential Committee on Information Literacy, whose final report outlinedthe importance of the concept. The concept of information literacy built upon and expanded the decades-long efforts of librarians to help their users learn about and how to utilize research tools (e.g., periodicalindexes) and materials in their own libraries. Librarians wanted users to be able to transfer and apply thisknowledge to new environments and to research tools that were new to them. Information literacy expandsthis effort beyond libraries and librarians, and focuses on the learner, rather than the teacher (Grassian,2004; Grassian and Kaplowitz, 2001, pp.14-20).Other important events include:1974: The related term ‘Information Skills’ was first introduced in 1974 by Zurkowski to refer to peoplewho are able to solve their information problems by using relevant information sources and applyingrelevant technology (Zurkowski, 1974).1983: A Nation at Risk: The Imperative for Education Reformshows that we are "raising a new generation of Americans that is scientifically and technologicallyilliterate."1986: Educating Students to Think: The Role of the School Library Media Programoutlines the roles of the library and the information resources in K-12 education1987: Information Skills for an Information Society: A Review of Researchincludes library skills and computer skills in the definition of information literacy1988: Information Power: Guidelines for School Library Media Programs1989: National Forum on Information Literacy (NFIL), a coalition of more than 90 national andinternational organizations, has its first meeting1998: Information Power: Building Partnerships for LearningEmphasizes that the mission of the school library media program is "to ensure that students and staff areeffective users of ideas and information."Specific aspects of information literacy (Shapiro and Hughes, 1996)

Tool literacy, or the ability to understand and use the practical and conceptual tools of current informationtechnology relevant to education and the areas of work and professional life that the individual expects toinhabit.Resource literacy, or the ability to understand the form, format, location and access methods of informationresources, especially daily expanding networked information resources.Social-structural literacy, or understanding how information is socially situated and produced.Research literacy, or the ability to understand and use the IT-based tools relevant to the work of today'sresearcher and scholar.Publishing literacy, or the ability to format and publish research and ideas electronically, in textual andmultimedia forms (including via World Wide Web, electronic mail and distribution lists, and CD-ROMs).Emerging technology literacy, or the ability to continuously adapt to, understand, evaluate and make use of the continually emerging innovations in information technology so as not to be a prisoner of prior tools andresources, and to make intelligent decisions about the adoption of new ones.Critical literacy, or the ability to evaluate critically the intellectual, human and social strengths andweaknesses, potentials and limits, benefits and costs of information technologies. Ira Shor defines criticalliteracy ashabits of thought, reading, writing, and speaking which go beneath surface meaning, first impressions,dominant myths, official pronouncements, traditional clichés, received wisdom, and mere opinions, tounderstand the deep meaning, root causes, social context, ideology, and personal consequences of anyaction, event, object, process, organization, experience, text, subject matter, policy, mass media, or discourse.[3]Related terms are library orientation, library skills, bibliographic instruction, library use instruction or library instruction. National Forum on Information LiteracyBACKGROUNDIn 1983, the seminal report “A Nation at Risk: The Imperative for Educational Reform” declared that a“rising tide of mediocrity” was eroding the very foundations of the American educational system. It was, infact, the genesis of the current educational reform movement within the United States. Ironically, the reportdid not include in its set of reform recommendations the academic and/or the public library as one of the keyarchitects in the redesign of our K-16 educational system.This report and several others that followed, in conjunction with the rapid emergence of the informationsociety, led the American Library Association (ALA) to convene a blue ribbon panel of national educatorsand librarians in 1987. The ALA Presidential Committee on Information Literacy was charged with thefollowing tasks:(1) to define information literacy within the higher literacies and its importance to student performance,lifelong learning, and active citizenship; (2) to design one or more models for information literacydevelopment appropriate to formal and informal learning environments throughout people's lifetimes; and(3) to determine implications for the continuing education and development of teachers.In the release of its Final Report in 1989, the American Library Association Presidential Committee onInformation Literacy summarized in its opening paragraphs the ultimate mission of the National Forum onInformation Literacy:

“How our country deals with the realities of the Information Age will have enormous impact on our democratic way of life and on our nation's ability to complete internationally. Within America's informationsociety, there also exists the potential of addressing many long-standing social and economic inequities. Toreap such benefits, people--as individuals and as a nation--must be information literate. To be informationliterate, a person must be able to recognize when information is needed and have the ability to locate,evaluate, and use effectively the needed information. Producing such a citizenry will require that schoolsand colleges appreciate and integrate the concept of information literacy into their learning programs andthat they play a leadership role in equipping individuals and institutions to take advantage of theopportunities inherent within the information society. Ultimately, information literate people are those whohave learned how to learn. They know how to learn because they know how knowledge is organized, how tofind information, and how to use information in such a way that others can learn from them. They are people prepared for lifelong learning, because they can always find the information needed for any task or decisionat hand."Acknowledging that the major obstacle to people becoming information literate citizens, who are preparedfor lifelong learning, "is a lack of public awareness of the problems created by information illiteracy," thereport recommended the formation of a coalition of national organizations to promote information literacy.”Thus, in 1989, the A.L.A. Presidential Committee established the National Forum on Information Literacy, avolunteer network of organizations committed to raising public awareness on the importance of informationliteracy to individuals, to our diverse communities, to the our economy, and to engaged citizenship participation.THE FORUM TODAYSince 1989, the National Forum on Information Literacy has evolved steadily under the leadership of itsfirst chair, Dr. Patricia Senn Breivik. Today, the Forum represents over 90 national and internationalorganizations, all dedicated to mainstreaming the philosophy of information literacy across national andinternational landscapes, throughout every educational, domestic, and workplace venue.Although the initial intent of the Forum was to raise public awareness and support on a national level, over the last several years, the National Forum on Information Literacy has made significant stridesinternationally in promoting the importance of integrating information literacy concepts and skillsthroughout all educational, governmental, and workforce development programs. For example, the NationalForum co-sponsored with UNESCO and IFLA several “experts meetings”, resulting in the PragueDeclaration (2003) and the Alexandria Proclamation (2005) each underscoring the importance of information literacy as a basic fundamental human right and lifelong learning skill.In the United States, however, information literacy skill development has been the exception and not therule, particularly as it relates to the integration of information literacy practices within of our educationaland workforce development infrastructures. In October, 2006, the first national Summit on InformationLiteracy brought together well over 100 representatives from education, business, and government toaddress America’s information literacy deficits as a nation currently competing in a global marketplace. Thissuccessful collaboration was sponsored by the National Forum on Information Literacy, Committee for Economic Development, Educational Testing Service, the Institute for a Competitive Workforce, and National Education Association (NEA). The Summit was held at NEA headquarters in Washington, D.C.A major outcome of the Summit was the establishment of a national ICT literacy policy council to provideleadership in creating national standards for ICT literacy in the United States.

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