Background to Information Literacy

Scholarly Paper #1 What Works
"The question for all of us is, as automobiles replace horse-drawn carriages, when are we going to sell the horse farm?" (David Loertscher, page 4).

1. 
   D. Loertscher (2008) examined some background aspects of information literacy and went on to consider its parameters. He pointed out that the focus of the library program has evolved from "reading to teaching the research process" (page 1). He provided a list of foundational documents that every teacher-librarian should be familiar with as follows:

1. 1. AASL's Standards for the 21st Century Learner. The focus of these standards is the attitude, the perseverance and the reading skills. Available at http://www.aasl.org/ala/aasl/aaslproftools/learningstandards/AASL_LearningStandards.pdf




2. Partnership for 21st Century Learning Skills This resource emphasizes three basic skill sets related to content knowledge, including life and job-related skills, learning and creativity skills, and technology skills. Available at http://www.21stcenturyskills.org/.




3. International Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) Literacy Panel's "Digital Transformation: A Framework for ICT Literacy." This resource presents four key literacies: "Access," Manage," "Evaluate," "Create." Available at http://www.ets.org/Media/Tests/InformationandCommunication_Technology_Literacy/ictreport.pdf



4. Information Literacy: An International State-of- the-Art Report Second Draft, May 2007. This report gives a sense of the topic on an international level. Available at http://www.infolitglobal.info/.

These sites provide a comprehensive look at the roots of information literacy and provide clear direction for teacher-librarians and other educators to teach information literacy skills. There is a trend for scholars now study technology and the possibilities of social networking rather than expand their studies of information literacy (Loertscher, page 2). Loertscher questioned whether the research process is the main push of the teacher-librarian or whether the teacher librarian should also be involved in teaching other literacies and emerging literacies. He questioned whether information literacy should be progressively taught in its own area through school. He pondered what the teaching of information should look like in terms of teacher responsibility and collaboration. He pointed out that the broader educational community lacks consistency in its approaches to information literacy (page 3). He challenged teacher-librarians to provide strong leadership and new approaches to bridging the divide from print to digital space.

Loertscher's concerns are consistent with what I have noticed in my workplace. At my school, I have not ever heard information literacy discussed outside my course work and own initiative. In discussion, teachers consider information literacy to be a one-step process of evaluating material in terms of its authenticity. The other facets of information literacy seem fluid with each educator taking an individual approach. As I believe that information literacy skills should be integrated into all areas of the curriculum, it seems logical that the teacher-librarian be the leader in building awareness of the increased need for information literacy skills and assisting teachers in such instruction. Given the environment of change and emerging literacies, a cookie cutter approach is unlikely to be effective. Therefore, teacher-librarians need to offer models of the research process, so teachers can select the model that best suits their teaching style and area of the curriculum.

References



Loertscher, D. (2008, June). information literacy: 20 years later. Teacher Librarian, 35(5), 42-43. Retrieved September 14, 2008, from Academic Search Complete database.