Canisius College

Information Literacy

According to ACRL, "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 student will be able to:

• Determine the nature and extent of needed information
• Access the needed information effectively and efficiently
• Evaluate critically the sources and content of information
• Incorporate selected knowledge in the learner’s knowledge base and value system
• Use information effectively to accomplish a specific purpose
• Understand the economic, legal, and social issues surrounding the use of information
• Observe laws, regulations, and institutional policies related to the access and use of information

  (From Characteristics of Excellence in Higher Education: Eligibility Requirements and Standards of Accreditation, Middle States Commission on Higher Education)

Information literacy is about life-long learning.

IL skills follow a progression from students just starting out to the independent, life-long learner.

" Information literacy competency extends learning beyond formal classroom settings and provides practice with self-directed investigations as individuals move into internships, first professional positions, and increasing responsibilities in all arenas of life. Because information literacy augments students’ competency with evaluating, managing, and using information, it is now considered by several regional and discipline-based accreditation associations as a key outcome for college students." (ACRL)

Information literacy is not the same as computer literacy.

"Information literacy, while showing significant overlap with information technology skills, is a distinct and broader area of competence. Increasingly, information technology skills are interwoven with, and support, information literacy."  However, IL is about information in all forms and is therefore not dependent on computer technology. Students might gather information from an interview they conducted, or a report from the radio; it might also come from photographs, film, newspapers, journals, books, or Web sites."“Information literacy initiates, sustains, and extends lifelong learning through abilities which may use technologies but are ultimately independent of them." (ACRL)

Who facilitates information literacy?

"Information literacy depends on collaboration among classroom faculty, academic administrators, librarians, and other information professionals. In order to effectively implement a program, all parties must be involved." (ACRL)

Information literacy must be measured.

Assessment is important in order to discover what learning has taken place. Assessment could include:

• Pre- and post-instruction tests
• One minute in-class essays (“class writes”, ex. What did you learn today?)
• Online quizzes from an online tutorial
• Student evaluation forms
• Research journals
• Grades on papers, projects, bibliographies, or presentations, as long as they specifically address information literacy outcomes