Situated Information Literacy A Model of Students’ Information Uses and Practices Jim Nichols, SUNY Oswego

Need for statements of information literacy outcomes Plan instruction and learning activities Plan instruction and learning activities Assess student performance Assess student performance

National standards Standard Info seeking ReadingWritingThinking Determine need XXXX Find sources XXX Evaluate & learn XX Use information XXX Social/ ethical Recognize social context for mutual informing

Case Studies Purpose of research Purpose of research –Describe actual effective practices Data Collection Data Collection –10 case studies –Biweekly interviews and closing interview – s and documents Analysis Analysis –Qualitative: emerging categories –Pattern matching

3 Directions

Situated Cognition Community of practice Community of practice –Function of practices in society –Methods –Tools –Tacit and explicit knowledge –Culture of the practitioners Legitimate peripheral participation Legitimate peripheral participation

Planning and Assessing Set objectives by: Set objectives by: –Community of practice –Degree of periphery/ participation in that community Assess by observing authentic practice Assess by observing authentic practice –Document the processes and the products of a whole project –Project is relevant to the community of practice and valued by the student

Sample Rubrics Standard One: The information literate student determines the nature and extent of the information needed. State initial topic within scope of assignment, and show originality or intellectual curiosity. State initial topic within scope of assignment, and show originality or intellectual curiosity. Use subject specialized background source clearly connected to the topic. Use subject specialized background source clearly connected to the topic. Refine topic to address interesting questions or apparent gap in research. Refine topic to address interesting questions or apparent gap in research.

Pro and Con of Testing for Information Literacy Pro Good for lower order learning (knowledge telling) Good for lower order learning (knowledge telling) Good for particulars of using tools Good for particulars of using tools Good for explicit knowledge Good for explicit knowledgeCon Cannot easily address higher order learning (knowledge trans- forming) Cannot easily address higher order learning (knowledge trans- forming) Removed from authentic practice Removed from authentic practice Cannot address tacit knowledge Cannot address tacit knowledge

Who’s afraid of Google® It’s just a tool! Students need to use the tools of their community of practice If the experts in the community are using Google, then so should the students If not, then not

Questions?