Merriam-Webster defines information as:
1. the communication or reception of knowledge or intelligence, or 2a. knowledge obtained from investigation, study, or instruction.And it defines literacy as:
knowledge that relates to a specified subject.Bruce's (2008) definition of informed learning [my emphasis] is "using technology for awareness or communication, identifying sources of relevant information, organizing information, developing...personal knowledge bases, and using the information acquired with wisdom or professional judgment." (p. 1) The ALA states that information literacy is "a set of abilities requiring individuals to 'recognize when information is needed and to have the ability to locate, evaluate, and use effectively the needed information'"(ACRL, 2000). These two definitions sound very much alike, but one refers to learning while the other refers to literacy. The two go hand-in-hand, and one cannot exist without the other.
Just as we discussed earlier this semester, knowing is part of learning. However, understanding is, in my opinion, the ultimate goal of learning. The real goal of information literacy is not just that someone "know" how to find information, but that they also "understand" how to use it effectively. Someone can be shown how to find information on a database, on a web page, or in an index, but do they understand how to use the information that is found? Knowing how to find the information is only the first step in learning, or becoming literate. The ultimate learning outcome is not just to know when we need information and how to find it. It's also understanding how to use it. An assumption made by some instructors is that a student will understand how to use information. But do all instructors know the Standards set forth by the ALA? There are still schools that do not require that students take information literacy courses, nor do they incorporate these Standards into other courses. For instance, at the college I work for, the English 1A curriculum states that:
Students will also be expected to locate and effectively evaluate sources used to write essays and the research paper, whether the sources are print sources, online database sources, or Internet sources. Students will also be able to precisely document outside sources in the essays and the research paper using current MLA form.However, the college does not require that students take the information literacy (LIBR10) course before taking English. Do the instructors of the English courses really have the time to incorporate information literacy into the semester in a way that students will not only know how to find information they need, but also understand how to use it? I used to work closely with the English department, and I would often hear instructors talking about how students still plagiarized, even at the college level. So, I think that by the time students reach college-level, it is assumed that they have learned enough to understand how to use information in completing their assignments. I'm not so sure about that.
If I was teaching a course focused on information literacy, I would want my students to know how to identify their information need and how to locate the information. I would also want them to understand how and when to use the information in order to enhance their own thinking and communication of ideas. But, most importantly, I would want my students to also understand how being information literate not only will help them in school, but also help them in life. I would want them to understand how to transfer the concepts learned in my class to all areas of their lives, be able to seek information anywhere and anytime to satisfy any question or enhance any idea they may have, whether it be in future classes, their careers or even their personal lives.
Bruce (2008) states that "if we understand information literacy as being about using information to learn, we can draw on information use or information practices to help secure the learning outcomes we seek." (p. 15) To me this can refer to the learner as well as the teacher.
References:
Association of College & Research Libraries (2000). Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/acrl/standards/informationliteracycompetency.cfm#f1
Bruce, C. S. (2008). Informed Learning. Chicago: American Library Association.
"Information." Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. 2010. Merriam-Webster Online. 26 February 2011 http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/information
"Literacy." Merriam-Webster's Learning Dictionary. 2011. Merriam-Webster Online. 26 February 2011 http://www.learnersdictionary.com/search/literacy
8 comments:
Good post Tracey! I was amazed to read that the Information Literacy classes were not one of the first required courses that students have to take. That seems to be somewhat of a backwards system, especially if there are professors that are bemoaning the fact that students are uninformed about what plagiarism is.
You mention that the definitions from Bruce and the ACRL are very similar, but one is about learning and one is literacy. I tend to agree with that, but you also say that they go hand in hand and that you can’t have one with out the other. I would tend to disagree with that. There are many people that are illiterate, but who learn using books one tape, listen to speeches, lectures or symposiums. They might seem as if they are very “learned” and in fact they are but they are not literate.
However, I think that the point that you were tying to make was that no matter how you learn you need to be able to find information and know how to use it correctly. That is a vital skill that needs to be addressed in our school systems.
I can see your point in the argument that some who may be information illiterate can should like they are learned. But you mention that they use books on tape, listen to speeches, lectures of symposiums, then use that information to sound "learned". In some ways they aren't completely illiterate. They've taken in information and found a way to use it effectively, which is essentially information literacy on some levels.
I agree Tracey. If we look at Bruce’s (2008) definition of Information literacy, “Information literacy is being able to draw upon different ways of experiencing the use of information to learn” (p. 6), it clearly states that as long as you can use information to learn, you are literate. What can we say about cultures who do not read or write? Are they considered information illiterates? I would think not, as long as the information that they receive in whatever way they receive it is able to be applied in a way that shows they understand and have learned something from that information. There are many ways to absorb and learn from information and then apply it that involve the mental act of thinking and the physical act of doing, so isn’t that considered information literacy? Just some food for thought……..
Bruce, C. S. (2008). Informed Learning. Chicago: American Library Association.
p.s. I think that we have to think outside of the box as far as information literacy is concerned. We are so used to associating literacy with being literate in terms of reading and writing. I think that information literacy extends beyond that scope and reaches out to earning experiences that aren't traditional in terms of what we know and have experienced as learners.
sorry-had to repost since I had a spelling error. :)
which is still there even though I corrected it!
The discussion seems to be going to the topic of literacy. The dictionary defines literate as the ability to read and write; illiterate is the inability to read and write. However, I think that literacy has a broader meaning. For example there is computer literacy and number literacy, in addition to the literacies in reading and writing. Is an individual who is informed but unable to read illiterate?
I find it difficult to say that such an individual is illiterate but I think that if they are unable to read then they are by definition illiterate. However, Socrates was probably illiterate by this definition. So it is true that to be learned you do not need to be literate. However it is very difficult to be illiterate and learned in our modern world. Interestingly technology is making more non-print information available. I can ‘read’ audio books and newspapers. I can learn a wide range of things on You Tube, or from podcasts. However to find this information I need to be able to read.
In conclusion I think that literacy (an ability to read and write) is a necessary precondition of information literacy.
I would tend to think that the discussion is focused on the topic of literacy because of Bruce's definitions and thoughts regarding information literacy are contrary to what we usually think of when we define literacy. I guess that I see Bruce's ideas as separate from reading and writing literacy since the definition by itself does not require a learner to be able to read and write.
This is a great conversation - maybe the question should have been What is literacy?
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