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As academic librarians, a large part of our work consists of collaborating with teaching faculty who incorporate research into their courses. Often our first meetings with professors might include statements like, “I wish my students knew how to use the library’s resources” or, “I’ve noticed that my students aren’t using credible sources.” I’m sure you may have had a similar experience. The beauty of information literacy is that it addresses those issues, but also goes so much deeper. It has the potential to open up deep engagement with the processes of research, writing and questioning within a discipline. For me, information literacy is an exciting field, full of potential for sparking curiosity, foregrounding big, important questions and developing habits of reflection and inquiry. More than just learning to use the library or how to cite properly, it can nudge students along the journey to becoming more confident, engaged, inquisitive, and critical thinkers.
Information literacy is related to other ideas and other fields, such as writing instruction and reading. Being able to do lateral reading effectively, being able to assess and evaluate sources, being able to develop an argument, being able to assess data effectively, all of these practices and teaching are already out there, and the framework that we propose is actually designed to bring all of those aspects of teaching and learning together so that students themselves become more proficient and confident researchers over time. They learn how to question and they learn how to gain confidence in themselves as apprentice scholars.
Information literacy has been defined by several different organisations around the world. For this course, we will focus on the definition and framework from the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL). ACRL defines information literacy as “…the set of integrated abilities encompassing the reflective discovery of information, the understanding of how information is produced and valued, and the use of information in creating new knowledge and participating ethically in communities of learning.”
While information literacy is less commonly taught as a standalone topic, common challenges for students which stem from IL may sound familiar. Practices such as simple fact checking and lateral reading (intentionally seeking out additional readings on a topic to complement an initial source) and evaluating and contextualizing information sources appropriately all touch upon dimensions of information literacy. In writing projects, synthesis issues such as patchwriting (piecing together text from outside sources with minimal alteration), different citation practices, use of evidence, logic or argumentation, identifying types of sources, and developing a search strategy all have deep connections to information literacy. Oftentimes, uneven previous instruction can contribute to greater struggles for learners or even place them in situations where it is necessary to un-learn habitual concepts and strategies developed over time.
A focus on information literacy helps to move learners toward an understanding of themselves as scholars and creators of information rather than simply passive consumers. Information literacy also helps foster more nuanced concepts of authority and authoritativeness beyond labelling information sources as “good or bad,” which leads to more appropriate and contextual evaluation of sources. IL also encourages learners to develop research processes beyond gathering and reporting facts; it explores the recursive inquiry processes which underlie experienced research.
Discussions
Are aspects of information literacy specifically taught in your discipline, or do educators tend to take a more implicit approach?
Please share your thoughts and questions in the comments section below.