Group items tagged

This paper investigates the similarities and differences between two important ideas in information processing and knowledge utilisation. Those ideas are [critical thinking] and [information literacy]. This suggests that [information literacy] and its associated procedures could significantly augment current instruction in [critical thinking] and indeed, the possibility has been explored by some authors in the current literature. A merging of the two ideas would involve [information literacy] providing tools and techniques in the processing and utilisation of knowledge and [critical thinking] supplying the particulars and interpretations associated with a specific discipline. This type of integration could lead to instructional programs similar in concept and application to those in research methodology where methods from statistics are integrated with the techniques and skills associated with a specific discipline. The development of a curriculum of this type would change functions and perceptions from private, individualised mentation, now associated with [critical thinking], to a more easily learned and practiced process suitable across the breadth of disciplines.

We are pleased to announce publication of the new Visual Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education (pdf) by the Association of College & Research Libraries (ACRL). The Visual Literacy Standards include: · an introduction to and definition of visual literacy · a brief discussion of visual literacy and higher education · a brief discussion of visual literacy and information literacy · suggestions for implementing the Standards · key sources and bibliography · 7 standards, 24 performance indicators, and 90 learning outcomes

Researchers at the Information School at the University of Washington released an important and thought-provoking report in late 2009: "Lessons Learned: How College Students Seek Information in the Digital Age."1 The study confirms and expands on the results of other reports. Its particular value is the size of the population studied, the diversity of institutions represented, and the use of both a survey and follow-up interviews for data collection.

"The goal of this article is to build on the assessment links Jarson provided. Her stated goal was to "guide readers to important resources for understanding information literacy and to provide tools for readers to advocate for information literacy's place in higher education curricula." In addition to the information on resources and tools, Jarson provided links to universities whose assessment tools were available for review on their Web sites. For this article, selected Web sites have been accessed and evaluated further. A handful of additional information resources have been profiled, including new Web sites that offer a variety of assessment tool formats."

"Their is NO charge to download the full text of the following book. Title: Media and Information Literacy Curriculum for Teachers Authors: Carolyn Wilson, Alton Grizzle, Ramon Tuazon, Kwame Akyempong, and Chi-Kim Cheung Publisher: UNESCO Year: 2011 192 Pages (PDF) 978-92-3-104198-3 ISBN"

Perhaps some useful info/concepts in this free text from UNESCO on Media and Information Literacy

Information Literacy and the First-Year Experience ... big collection of links to reports, articles, and books about this big topic.

A draft version of an ACRL Document. It speaks of characteristics of successful information literacy programs.

Now here's a new take on the "digital native" debate. I once bought into that whole concept, but find myself rethinking it. Perhaps the landscape has just changed so much that I'm on the path of deportation? I love this quote: Digital native is a fantasy invented by the fans of silicon valley to pigeonhole a generation for the sake of selling technology, but the truth is far less convenient. Not only the digital natives, but many people take on a feral state in their interactions with the internet, as it constantly shifts its boundaries, its cities and deserts. Likewise, the library is a place where we ought to allow for the feral. The ACRL information literacy standards are only useful to the domesticated to promote their efficient and purposeful use of the library.

Joshua Vossler, Information Literacy/Reference Librarian at Coastal Carolina University, gave an incredibly entertaining and energetic presentation on creating instructional videos. He believes that learning is dependent on focused attention; therefore, the instructional videos we create need to be dynamic and humorous.  Joshua provided a helpful list of best practices for creating instructional videos, such as "Use anything silly or weird, such as a chicken" and "Videos should be no longer than three minutes." I highly recommend that you check out his videos here. He has certainly inspired me to brainstorm ways I can infuse more humor into my own instructional video series.

Free ebook of essays about information literacy.

Our major findings are as follows: 1. During one of the busiest times of the academic year, the students we interviewed were mainly using different IT devices to stay in touch with their friends while they were in the campus library. In the hour before we interviewed them, 81% of the students in our sample had checked for new messages (e.g., email, Facebook, IMs, texts). 2. At the same time, many of the same respondents who said they had checked for messages had also prepared assignments for submission (60%), studied and reviewed materials for class (52%), and satisfied personal curiosity with a computer search (e.g., sports score, news, gossip) (45%). 3. Despite the pressing need to complete assignments at crunch time, few respondents reported having used the full range of library resources and/or services during the previous hour. Many more respondents said they had used library equipment (39%) such as computers and printers than anything else, including scholarly research databases (11%), library books (9%), face-to-face reference (5%), and/or online reference (2%). 4. Overall, we found most respondents (85%) could be classified as "light" technology users. These were students who used "only" one or two IT devices primarily in support of coursework and, to a lesser extent, communication. The most frequent combination (40%) of devices being used was a cell phone (including smart phones) with a personally owned laptop computer while they were in the library. In stark contrast, only 8% of the sample could be classified as "heavy" technology users. 5. For over half the sample, a personally owned laptop (58%) was the primary-most essential-device in use at the time of the interview. A smaller percentage of respondents (35%) were using a library desktop computer. 6. More than any other combination of applications, respondents had both a Web browser and a word processing program open at the same time (47%) while they were in the library. 7. Despi

presentation from Lauren Pressley on AAC&U's value rubrics, including information literacy

This amazing workshop document was shared in this discussion: http://friendfeed.com/lsw/76c9d2b8/if-this-workshop-results-in-changes-people-are?source%3De-best  It looks at how information literacy is involved with students taking comprehensive exams.  The workshop is for faculty development, to train faculty on scaffolding students up to the skills they will need for the exams.  

PP slides from a lecture given by Dr. Jane Secker at the University of Sheffield iSchool on March 1st, 2012.

This presentation offers some interesting graphics and new ways to define what I am trying to figure out we are trying to accomplish with our instructional opportunities and classroom collaborations.