© 2005 Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy “In the five years that I have worked in this district, I have noticed each year that students are more and more familiar with the Internet and completely at-ease in searching. Despite this, they are not savvy when it comes to actually finding what they are searching for. They often search aimlessly or give up and just print pages and pages hoping that somewhere in all that information, they will find what they are seeking. Too often, teachers assume that their students know how to find just the right information, even though the teacher has not spent time instructing the students in appropriately using the internet. I have realized that many times the teachers themselves do not really know how to be an effective searcher. The teachers need someone who can either give them the skills or give them a tool to give their students the skills.”

© 2005 Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy “I’ve noticed that middle school students tend to believe just about anything they read or hear. They don’t know how to evaluate the credibility of any source, and instruction is necessary to make them not only better writers but also better citizens and consumers.”

© 2005 Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy “I worked with all my (8 th grade) classes the past three years doing projects requiring the use of information on the Internet. I found that most of them enjoyed accessing information on the Internet. Since our class periods were only 40 minutes long each day and we had limited access to the computers, I had to use hot-lists of sources that I found to be appropriate, reliable and directly related to the problem. There were some students who were quite Internet savvy, and were capable of searching at home and finding additional resources which I could then evaluate and add to the list. I think that all students need guided access to the Internet and training on how to be more effective searchers, evaluators and documenters of the resources on the internet.”

© 2005 Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy “At the freshmen level students are introduced to the library in a 30- minute orientation. As sophomores they are shown the various databases that are available to them through the Library Resources page located on [our school’s] website. Junior level simply builds on those skills. By the time that I have them in class as seniors, they have become complacent and rely heavily on the Galenet subscription databases that are provided for them. Although these are wonderful sources, it is a concern that when students leave [our school] they will not know how to find and evaluate reliable sources.”

© 2005 Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy “The traditional role of the teacher as the ‘fountain of knowledge’ must be reconsidered as massive amounts of information are readily accessible over the Internet…. With the continued emergence of new technologies, learning will be less about knowledge residing in the head and more about learning the pathways to knowledge.” J.D.Frechette (2002) Developing media literacy in cyberspace: Pedagogy and critical learning for the twenty-first-century classroom. p. xvii

© 2005 Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy learning the pathways to knowledge “The traditional role of the teacher as the ‘fountain of knowledge’ must be reconsidered as massive amounts of information are readily accessible over the Internet…. With the continued emergence of new technologies, learning will be less about knowledge residing in the head and more about learning the pathways to knowledge in a digital age

© 2005 Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy What is 21st Century Information Fluency? The goal of this program is to build the capacity of librarians, educators and students in Illinois to The goal of this program is to build the capacity of librarians, educators and students in Illinois to –Locate –Evaluate –Use digital information resources Funded by a Grant from the US Department of Education, Funds for the Improvement of Education Funded by a Grant from the US Department of Education, Funds for the Improvement of Education Short-term: Envisioned as a 3-5 year project to work with 1200 Middle and High Schools in Illinois. We are now starting our 4 th year. Short-term: Envisioned as a 3-5 year project to work with 1200 Middle and High Schools in Illinois. We are now starting our 4 th year. Long-term: Develop into a National Model Long-term: Develop into a National Model

© 2005 Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy What is 21st Century Information Fluency? Information Literacy can be defined as “the ability to locate, evaluate and use information” Information Literacy can be defined as “the ability to locate, evaluate and use information” 21st Century Information Fluency combines this basic definition with Technology Literacy resulting in the “ability to locate, evaluate and use digital information resources efficiently, effectively and ethically ” 21st Century Information Fluency combines this basic definition with Technology Literacy resulting in the “ability to locate, evaluate and use digital information resources efficiently, effectively and ethically ” In terms of the Big6 ™ we concentrate on steps 2 – 4 In terms of the Big6 ™ we concentrate on steps 2 – 4

© 2005 Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy Challenges to K-12 educators in a digital age Vastness of Digital Resources Vastness of Digital Resources Quantity over Quality Quantity over Quality Digital Immigrants teaching Digital Natives Digital Immigrants teaching Digital Natives Both groups struggle to find information they need and to evaluate its worth Both groups struggle to find information they need and to evaluate its worth Useful Information Messed-up Information Mostly Useless Information Misinformation Malinformation

© 2005 Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy The Web has not been designed for educational use The Web has not been designed for educational use –Large blocks of text –Non-juried content –Non-graded reading level –Non-linear nature: Hypertext –Visual (and audio) distractions Challenges to K-12 students encountering the Web Student Perceptions of the Web The Web is motivatingThe Web is motivating Interactive, immediate feedback, unexplored and always changing The Web has the correct answerThe Web has the correct answer Experience is disappointingExperience is disappointing

© 2005 Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy Source: Minooka Junior High School 7 th Grade Language Arts students Monthly 26% Weekly 48% Daily 26% Daily Weekly Monthly How often do students search online?

© 2005 Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy 87% of all middle and high school students use the Internet (21 million online teens) 87% of all middle and high school students use the Internet (21 million online teens) 68% of all teens use the Internet at school 68% of all teens use the Internet at school This represents 45% growth rate since 2000 This represents 45% growth rate since 2000 The Internet at School August 2005

© 2005 Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy 88% of online teens believe that the Internet helps teenagers to do better in school (83% of their parents agree) 88% of online teens believe that the Internet helps teenagers to do better in school (83% of their parents agree) 25% of teenagers believe that a child who is not using the internet by the time they start school will fall behind their peers (44% of their parents agree) 70% of teens believe their peers waste a lot of time online, when they could be doing more important things The Internet at School August 2005

© 2005 Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy Evaluating information on the Web: How have college students learned to evaluate Internet information? Nearly 60% of all college students surveyed have received library training in evaluating traditional resources, which came most frequently from high school teachers Nearly 60% of all college students surveyed have received library training in evaluating traditional resources, which came most frequently from high school teachers “…about 30% of university students have received training in evaluating sources on the Internet, leaving a surprising two-thirds of students untrained and presumably inventing their own criteria of evaluation.” “…about 30% of university students have received training in evaluating sources on the Internet, leaving a surprising two-thirds of students untrained and presumably inventing their own criteria of evaluation.” Investigating the practices of student researchers: patterns of use and criteria for use of internet and library sources Computers and Composition, Vol. 17, No. 3. (December 2000), pp Source:

© 2005 Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy Access, access, access Access, access, access –“source is easy to understand” (1) –“source is easy to find” (2) –“source is available” (3) “When students seem to use sources without discrimination, they are probably using what is most accessible… (no real search is required)” “When students seem to use sources without discrimination, they are probably using what is most accessible… (no real search is required)” Investigating the practices of student researchers: patterns of use and criteria for use of internet and library sources Computers and Composition, Vol. 17, No. 3. (December 2000), pp Source: Evaluating information on the Web: What makes a source most desirable to college students?

© 2005 Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy …up-to-date or recently published information (8) …up-to-date or recently published information (8) …the use of external support, particularly from primary sources (11) …the use of external support, particularly from primary sources (11) …the reputation of the publication (5), the author (17), and the publisher (22) …the reputation of the publication (5), the author (17), and the publisher (22) Investigating the practices of student researchers: patterns of use and criteria for use of internet and library sources Computers and Composition, Vol. 17, No. 3. (December 2000), pp Source: Evaluating information on the Web: What makes a source most desirable to college students?

© 2005 Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy The level of technical skills says nothing about the ability to process information into meaningful knowledge The level of technical skills says nothing about the ability to process information into meaningful knowledge Students prefer to browse intuitively rather than search systematically using keywords Students prefer to browse intuitively rather than search systematically using keywords –Vague or ill-defined tasks are more suitable for browsing –Ill-defined tasks have more potential answers and are easier to answer Students search for the “right answer” rather than deduce an answer for themselves from several information sources (i.e., they don’t use the Web for inquiry) Students search for the “right answer” rather than deduce an answer for themselves from several information sources (i.e., they don’t use the Web for inquiry) Without help, students lack skills and patience to search for precise concrete information; they tend to accept information uncritically Without help, students lack skills and patience to search for precise concrete information; they tend to accept information uncritically Numerous opportunities to help K-12 digital natives

© 2005 Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy

Search Wizard Evaluation Wizard Citation Wizard Search Challenge How did the design of Roman spears give soldiers who used them two advantages in battle?

© 2005 Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy Search Wizard Evaluation Wizard Citation Wizard

© 2005 Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy Searching Skills Before and After Class 1Class 2Class 1Class 2 Before After Scale: 1=Poor 5=Excellent Self-Rating Searching Skills Before and After the Project Source: Minooka Junior High School 7 th Grade Language Arts students (n = 45) 19% average improvement for both classes

© 2005 Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy Searching Skills Before and After Intervention Internet Basics Performance Assessment Glen Crest Middle School (n = 115) PRE_TOTAL POST_TOTAL percentage correct 42% 53% 20% average student improvement PRE_TOTAL POST_TOTAL percentage correct 60% 67% Illinois Teachers (n = 28) 11% average teacher improvement

© 2005 Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy How we can help: Free Workshops and Webinars Building Digital Information Fluency Skills into Schools (full day) Power Searching (one hour, half day, full day) Free Courses 6 week Survey Course 12 week Lab Course (3 graduate credits) Free Curriculum and Tools DIF Investigator, MicroModules, Search Challenges Assessment Lesson Plan Repository Tools: Search Wizard, Evaluation Wizard, Citation Wizard

© 2005 Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy For more information: Web Portal 21cif.imsa.edukeywords: information fluency Bob Houston, Director Carl Heine, Professional Development