|
Taken from Five Colleges of Ohio
Taken from the
Taken from the
|
|
| Mellon Grant Definition |
| from Appendix A of grant proposal |  |
|
|
Information Literacy encompasses both print and electronic forms of information and consists of the ability to:
- Understand in a basic sense how resource information is produced, disseminated, and organized, including differences among primary, secondary, and tertiary literature, and the distinction between popular and peer-reviewed literature;
- Understand basic tools for accessing information, including catalogs, indexes, and bibliographies, in both print and electronic format, and particularly the structure of electronic databases;
- Learn basic search strategies for accessing information, including how to determine the nature of information needed and how to formulate and refine questions throughout the search;
- Learn to evaluate the quality and appropriateness of information, including the ability to question the place, context, and time in which information was produced; the reliability and potential biases of the original source of the information, and whether the information has been reviewed by trustworthy referees; and
- Understand how to make effective and appropriate use of information, in light of issues of intellectual property and copyright in the electronic age; the need to synthesize and reconcile differences in information obtained from varying and sometimes conflicting sources; and protocols for properly citing sources and avoiding plagiarism.
| Association of College and Research Libraries: Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education |
|
|
Information literacy is a set of abilities requiring individuals to "recognize when information is needed and have the ability to locate, evaluate, and use effectively the needed information." Information literacy is increasingly important in the contemporary environment of rapid technological change and proliferating information resources. Because of the escalating complexity of this environment, individuals are faced with diverse, abundant information choices--in their academic studies, in the workplace, and in their personal lives. Information is available through libraries, community resources, special interest organizations, media, and the Internet--and increasingly, information comes to individuals in unfiltered formats, raising questions about its authenticity, validity, and reliability. In addition, information is available through multiple media, including graphical, aural, and textual, and these pose new challenges for individuals in evaluating and understanding it. The uncertain quality and expanding quantity of information pose large challenges for society. The sheer abundance of information will not in itself create a more informed citizenry without a complementary cluster of abilities necessary to use information effectively.
Information literacy forms the basis for lifelong learning. It is common to all disciplines, to all learning environments, and to all levels of education. It enables learners to master content and extend their investigations, become more self-directed, and assume greater control over their own learning. An information literate individual is able to:
- Determine the extent of information needed.
- Access the needed information effectively and efficiently.
- Evaluate information and its sources critically.
- Incorporate selected information into one?s knowledge base.
- Use information effectively to accomplish a specific purpose.
- Understand the economic, legal, and social issues surrounding the use of information, and access and use information ethically and legally.
| Directory of Online Resources for Information Literacy: Definitions of Information Literacy and Related Terms |
|
|
- information literacy
"the ability to locate, evaluate, and use information to become independent life-long learners" - Commission on Colleges, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). Criteria for Accreditation. 10th ed. Dec. 1996.
"the abilities to recognize when information is needed and to locate, evaluate, effectively use, and communicate information in its various formats" - State University of New York (SUNY) Council of Library Directors. Information Literacy Initiative. 30 Sept. 1997.
"a new liberal art that extends from knowing how to use computers and access information to critical reflection on the nature of information itself, its technical infrastructure, and its social, cultural and even philosophical context and impact" - Shapiro, Jeremy J. and Shelley K. Hughes. "Information Literacy as a Liberal Art." Educom Review. 3.2. Mar./Apr. 1996.
"the skills of information problem solving" - Wisconsin Educational Media Association (adopted by the National Forum for Information Literacy). Position Statement on Information Literacy. 1993.
- information competence
"the ability to find, evaluate, use, and communicate information in all of its various formats" - Work Group on Information Competence, Commission on Learning Resources and Instructional Technology (CLRIT), California State University (CSU) system. Information Competence in the CSU: A Report. Dec. 1995.
"the fusing or the integration of library literacy, computer literacy, media literacy, technological literacy, ethics, critical thinking, and communication skills" - Work Group on Information Competence, Commission on Learning Resources and Instructional Technology (CLRIT), California State University (CSU) system. Information Competence in the CSU: A Report. Dec. 1995.
- media literacy
"the ability to decode, analyze, evaluate, and produce communication in a variety of forms" - Trent Think Tank on Media Literacy (Ontario, Canada). 1989.
- computer literacy
"the ability to use a computer and its software to accomplish practical tasks" - Webster's II New College Dictionary
"the regular use of a major microcomputer application, such as word processing" - The Instructional Technology Program and Its Curriculum, Instructional Technology, University of South Florida, Tampa
- visual literacy
"the ability, through knowledge of the basic visual elements, to understand the meaning and components of the image" - The On-Line Visual Literacy Project. 14 Sept. 1998.
- lifelong learning
"...the deliberate and intentional efforts of learners themselves, consciously planned, self-managed, and generally in proportion to their motivation, their ability and the opportunities available to them ... [that is] deliberate self-directed learning" - Candy, P.C. et al. 1994. Developing Lifelong Learners Through Undergraduate Education
- resource-based learning
"the achievement of both subject and information literacy objectives through exposure to and practise with diverse resources" - Stauffer Library, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario. What is Resource-Based Learning?. 18 Feb. 1997.
