Information Literacy by Patrice Lyle-Smith

What is Information Literacy? Information literacy is the ability to know when there is a need for information, to be able to identify, locate, evaluate, and effectively use that information for the issue, problem or inquiry at hand."

◦ Why is information literacy important in the digital world? it provides for learners the ability to utilize accessed information, as well as how to apply it. Learners need to learn how to use this information effectively, .

Information literacy equips develops the critical skills necessary to become independent lifelong learners. As the American Library Association Presidential Committee on Information Literacy (1989) explains. "Ultimately, information literate people are those who have learned how to learn. They know how to learn because they know how knowledge is organized, how to find information, and how to use information in such a way that others can learn from them.

The various aspects of informational literacy includes: Using information technologies, such as personal computers, e-mail, software programs, and the Internet.

Other aspects of information literacy involves… The evaluation of the information you obtain using the Internet and online electronic resources

Still other components of information literacy regard the ethical use of information and information technologies. A couple of the primary goals of information literacy are to get people thinking critically about the information they encounter, and building in people the ability to use that information to create new knowledge.

◦What are the most important skills for educators and students to master in information literacy? 1. The ability to identify, locate and access appropriate sources of information to meet the information need 2. The ability to effectively use information resources 3. The ability to critically and ethically apply the information 4. The ability to determine if the need has been adequately met

The skills developed for mastery of information literacy are essential to various learning environments. Personal Learning Environments PLEs are made-up of a collection of loosely coupled tools, including Web 2.0 technologies, used for working, learning, reflection and collaboration with others..

It Includes Critical information literacy The CIL approach to inquiry encourages an individual who is not passive, but one who poses questions and interrogates information systems; who explores, plays, internalises and contributes; one who reflects and revises information practices and beliefs (Accardi, Drabinski, and Kumbier 2010, p. xii).

The similarities and differences between the skills needed for educators and learners Information literacy skills are helpful to every body, especially students, in order to succeed academically and in their future job opportunities.

Teachers and lecturers are greatly in need of information literacy skills, in order to carry out their occupations efficiently and successfully. Basically, everybody in the society is in need of information literacy skills.

Information literacy models In order to achieve the information literacy goals the information scientists have invented different models. These models help students and teachers to reach the ultimate goal of the education, with a specific guided plan. Several such popular models are given below.

Australian School Library Association (I993) Model

The PLUS model-Herring

Big 6 Eisenberg/Berkowitz (1987)

Information literacy models are more successful with the well defined information literacy curriculum The information literacy curriculum http://www.informationliteracy.org/plans/view/1024 http://www.informationliteracy.org/plans/view/1987 http://www.informationliteracy.org/builder/view/914

Resources and Tools for effective learning and assessment. http://jfmueller.faculty.noctrl.edu/infolitassessments.htm http://www.webpages.uidaho.edu/info_literacy/ http://www.ala.org/tools/atoz/profresourcesinfolit/information_liter acy www.ericdigests.org/1999-1/info-lit.html

References *Senior Lecturer, National Institute of Library & Information Sciences, University of Colombo. prasanna@nilis.cmb.ac.lk http://big6.com/pages/about/big6-skills-overview.php http://novemberlearning.com/educational-resources-for- educators/information-literacy-resources/1-information-literacy-quiz/ http://www.philau.edu/infolit/what_students.htm