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
