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Scope, Description and Purpose of the Framework

INFORMATION LITERACY (IL): BACKGROUND

Scope, Description, and Purpose of the IL Framework

Information Literacy defined

Information literacy skills include the ability to find, evaluate, store and manage information; to reuse it to create new knowledge or solve problems; and to understand that information exists within social, ethical, cultural and legal contexts.

Information literacy empowers citizens to participate in democratic processes, enables the progress of research and gives our students skills that help them succeed at university.

Information Literacy in Context

Information literacy is a skill for lifelong learning. Information Literacy is identified as a requisite skill linked to professional competencies that  provide EWU undergraduates and graduates skills which can be applied into all facets of life.  "...literacy is the most basic currency of the knowledge economy..." (Obama, 2005, June 25) Literacy and Education in a 21st-Century Economy [Speech transcript]. http://obamaspeeches.com/024-Literacy-and-Education-in-a-21st-Century-Economy-Obama-Speech.htm

The acquisition of these skills that facilitate translating information synthesis into a knowledge base is relevant to all disciplines.  These skills sets should develop and expand throughout each student’s academic career  Employers seek graduates who have the skills to locate, organize, evaluate and critically analyze information from multiple sources, and synthesize information that leads to meaningful contributions.

Higher-degree and postgraduate research students need a set of foundation information literacy skills which can be developed and applied to provide quality research outcomes. Information literacy is closely aligned with the skills required for effective and efficient research, including strategic searching, critical thinking and the use and management of evidence and raw data, and understanding the distinctions between causation and correlation.

Sources:

Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education, American Library Association, February 9, 2015.  http://www.ala.org/acrl/standards/ilframework.  Document ID: b910a6c4-6c8a-0d44-7dbc-a5dcbd509e3f

Information Literacy Framework, University of the Sunshine Coast.. https://www.usc.edu.au/library/about-the-library/information-literacy-framework.

The Information Literacy framework

This framework identifies opportunities for Academic faculty/staff and the Library to work together in developing information literacy learning opportunities for their students.

The framework:

  • Supports EWU’s strategic priorities.
  • Contributes to EWU Graduate Outcomes.
  • Provides all teaching staff with a direction for developing information literacy skills in their students.
  • Identifies skills which are desirable assets for students’ future employment and global citizenry.

Strategic underpinnings

This framework is based on Information Literacy framework developed by the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL). It contextually defines information itself and the skills required for the use of that information.

The six concepts for considering information are:

  • Authority is constructed and contextual.
  • Information creation as a process.
  • Information has value.
  • Research as inquiry.
  • Scholarship as conversation.
  • Searching as strategic exploration.

The skills, behaviors and understandings that contribute to information literacy are:

  • The ability to understand that information is diverse.
  • The ability to search for information effectively.
  • The ability to evaluate what is found.
  • The ability to manage what is found.
  • The ability to reuse that information.
  • Recognizing that information exists in a social context and is affected by legal, ethical, economic and social factors.

Goals and outcomes

By offering avenues for collaborative development of information literacy skills, the Library aims to:

  • Ensure that all EWU students have the opportunity to develop information literacy competencies.
  • Ensure that teaching staff have access to the skills and support to embed information literacy skills in their courses.
  • Position the library team as a focus of expertise in information literacy.

The Library will take a leadership role to:

  • Facilitate collaborative teaching and learning practice where library instructors and program instructors work together to ensure the best possible information competency outcomes for students.
  • Provide opportunities for EWU students to independently build a repetoire of information literacy skills.
  • Develop a framework of action so information literacy skills can develop progressively through the span of learning from pre-course through to postgraduate.
  • Promote information literacy as a skill which is intentionally taught and systematically extended.
  • Support EWU instructors seeking to embed information literacy skills development into their teaching and experiential learning activities.
  • Create resources for academic instructors and teaching staff to develop their understanding of information literacy.

Alignment with EWU Priorities

This framework aligns with and supports:

  • The EWU Curriculum and the M.Ed in Literacy

This framework supports the EWU Strategic Mission and core themes of student access, learning, development, and completion leading to student success.  


This Information Literacy Framework is underpinned by EWU’s commitment to excellence in teaching and to providing a high quality student experience by:

  • Supporting instructors to enable EWU students to become skilled and confident information users.
  • Enabling students to increase their information literacy individually through the provision of online and face-to-face support for students working with information, to enable the best possible learning outcome for the individual.

The Library will:

  • Promote information literacy as a lifelong learning skill valued by employers.
  • Work with instructors to map the development of information literacy skills within programs.
  • Encourage the development of quality assessment items which develop information literacy in students.
  • Assist instructors to develop students’ information literacy behaviors which are specific to their discipline.

Implementation of the Information Literacy Framework

Information literacy is an integral component of learning and teaching. Librarians can support and assist teaching instructors in increasing the information literacy of their students.

 ***https://www.usc.edu.au/library/about-the-library/information-literacy-framework#standard-one***

Objective

Opportunity

Responsibility

Practice Example

Outcome/Skills

Support for academic department and library faculty/instructors seeking to integrate information literacy into teaching (Note: future reference will be dept/library instructors for brevity purposes)

Assessment resources designed to intentionally develop and assess information literacy skills

Department or Library instructors

Simple annotated bibliographies

Search and evaluation skills

 

Explicit discussion of information literacy skills in class

Library Instructor or Library Instruction Task Force

Scholarly/peer review/academic publication

Critical thinking and evaluation. Development of scholarly practice

 

Development of information literacy and research skills throughout a program

Library/Dept instructor collaboration

Finding scholarly articles in first year to creating a conference poster in advanced courses

Application of Understanding

 

 

 

 

 

Liaison with faculty/teaching staff to ensure information literacy skills are included in the development of courses and programs or individual library instruction sessions

Map the development of information literacy from first year through to graduation and beyond

Course instructor

Map skills development at both course and program levels

Identify learning and teaching opportunities in existing courses, and as courses are reviewed

 

Identify opportunities to advance information literacy skills in assessments

Course instructor and/or Course/Library instructor

Apply tools such as the Information Literacy Framework and the Framework for Information Literacy in Higher Education to EWU courses

Skills development is implicit in the learning process

 

Ensure the skills to search for, evaluate and synthesize information

Course instructor and Learning Services Coordinator as well as Instruction Task Force members

Encourage searching for, rather than linking to material

Online learning includes a range of skills, including information discovery

 

 

Course & Library instructor

Provide relevant, engaging learning activities and explicit help opportunities

 

 

 

 

 

 

Within courses and/or insruction sessions, increase students’ skills in search and evaluation of information

In collaboration with teaching staff, develop and deliver tutorials and classes

Library

“point of need” support is available online or face to face

Students have the tools to become independent information seekers

Work alongside teaching staff in targeted skills development classes specifically associated with an assessment item

Using information is an intrinsic component of university learning and teaching

Participate in lectures and tutorials where an information literacy component has been identified

Library and teaching staff develop a shared understanding of disciplinary information environments

 

 

 

 

 

Provide resources for both students and teaching staff to develop information skills and knowledge

Develop multimodal help options, such as print, online, video to meet various learning preferences

Library

Subject guides; How-to guides; Contextualized help options for linking or embedding in CANVAS courses

Support is available in multiple formats, not context or location specific

The Information Literacy Standards

Standard One

The Information Literate person recognizes the need for information and determines the nature and extent of the information needed.

Relevant Graduate Qualities

Empowered
Having both the capacity and confidence to pursue the attainment of your full potential, with acquired skills for

  • problem solving
  • organization

Learning outcomes

The student should be able to:

  • define and articulate their information need
  • analyze key words and concepts, synonyms and related topics
  • decide on a focus, position for their research
  • identify their existing knowledge
  • consider their personal biases
  • understand and differentiate the purpose and scope of a range of information sources
  • identify the audience and purpose of the information found
  • review and re-evaluate the information already gathered
  • synthesize information from different sources
  • discard unnecessary information

Suggested learning/teaching strategies

  • teaching staff map skills needs against expected assessment outcomes
  • students identify key concepts and ideas through concept mapping, brainstorming
  • introduce library resources 
  • use course reading lists for assignment work

Advanced

  • use a combination of research and evidence-based information
  • library training: accessing evidence-based resources
  • use statistics for community profiling
  • library training: locating statistical information

Postgraduate

  • develop a research hypothesis
  • use of “grey literature”
  • library training: searching for reports, proceedings etc
  • identify ‘gaps’ in the research literature

Standard Two

The information literate person finds needed information effectively and efficiently

Relevant Graduate Qualities

Knowledgeable
Building disciplinary and interdisciplinary knowledge through a scholarly approach incorporating global and regional perspectives, with the skills for

  • problem solving
  • applying technologies
  • organization

Learning outcomes

The student should be able to:

  • select the most appropriate tools for finding information
  • construct and implement effective search strategies
  • obtain information using appropriate and multiple methods
  • keep up to date with information sources, information technologies, information access tools and investigative methods

Suggested learning/teaching strategies

  • library training: using the catalog to search by topic
  • use resources on a reading list and resources found independently
  • library training timed to introduce library resources required for a specific assessment topic

       Advanced

  • develop an annotated bibliography
  • library training: advanced search techniques, Boolean searching, subject-specific thesauri eg MeSH

        Postgraduate

  • library training: citation databases and citation searching
  • library training:  Citation/Referencing Styles
  • use national and international library catalogs to locate material – WorldCat, Library of Congress, Summit
  • library training: searching beyond EWU
  • maintain current awareness via alerting services, RSS feeds

Standard Three

The information literate person evaluates information and the information seeking process

Relevant Graduate Qualities

Creative and critical thinking
Generating original ideas and concepts, and appreciating innovation and entrepreneurship 

Knowledgeable
Building disciplinary and interdisciplinary knowledge through a scholarly approach incorporating global and regional perspectives

Empowered
Having both the capacity and confidence to pursue the attainment of full potential, with the skills for

  • Problem-solving
  • organization

Learning outcomes

The student should be able to:

  • assess the usefulness and relevance of the information obtained
  • examine and compare information from various sources
  • define and apply criteria for evaluating information
  • recognize and question prejudice, deception and manipulation through information
  • reflect on the information seeking process and revises search strategies as necessary
  • understand that context affects the production and interpretation of information
  • understand the impact of personal context and bias

Suggested learning/teaching strategies

  • students use books and articles in an assessment item
  • library training: introduction to finding library resources 
  • use material produced within a time period (eg health resources)
  • library training: introduction to finding library resources
  • library training: scholarly journal articles

Advanced

  • annotated bibliography using multiple types of resources
  • library training: locating scholarly journal articles
  • library training: trade and professional publications

Postgraduate

  • view information search strategies as a reflective process
  • understands peer review
  • library training: locating and identifying peer-reviewed journals
  • library training: citation and key author searching
  • library training: research databases and document delivery

Standard Four

The information literate person evaluates information and the information seeking process

Relevant Graduate Qualities

Creative and critical thinking
Generating original ideas and concepts, and appreciating innovation and entrepreneurship 

Knowledgeable
Building disciplinary and interdisciplinary knowledge through a scholarly approach incorporating global and regional perspectives

Empowered
Having both the capacity and confidence to pursue the attainment of full potential, with the skills for

  • Problem-solving
  • organization

Learning outcomes

The student should be able to:

  • assess the usefulness and relevance of the information obtained
  • examine and compare information from various sources
  • define and apply criteria for evaluating information
  • recognize and question prejudice, deception and manipulation through information
  • reflect on the information seeking process and revises search strategies as necessary
  • understand that context affects the production and interpretation of information
  • understand the impact of personal context and bias

Suggested learning/teaching strategies

  • students use books and articles in an assessment item
  • library training: introduction to finding library resources 
  • use material produced within a time period (eg health resources)
  • library training: introduction to finding library resources
  • library training: scholarly journal articles

Advanced

  • annotated bibliography using multiple types of resources
  • library training: locating scholarly journal articles
  • library training: trade and professional publications

Postgraduate

  • view information search strategies as a reflective process
  • understands peer review
  • library training: locating and identifying peer-reviewed journals
  • library training: citation and key author searching
  • library training: research databases and document delivery

 

Standard Five

The information literate person applies prior and new information to construct new concepts or create new understandings

Relevant Graduate Qualities

Creative and critical thinking
Generating original ideas and concepts, and appreciating innovation and entrepreneurship

Knowledgeable
Building disciplinary and interdisciplinary knowledge through a scholarly approach incorporating global and regional perspectives

Engaged
Contributing positively to diverse communities through service and leadership, with the skills for

  • communication
  • organization

Learning outcomes

The student should be able to:

  • compare and integrate new understandings with prior knowledge
  • select information that provides evidence to support a topic
  • know that information and knowledge is a social construct which is subject to change as a result of ongoing dialogue and research
  • communicate knowledge effectively
  • choose a communication medium that suits their task and the audience
  • communicate clearly and in a style to support the purposes of the intended audience

Suggested learning/teaching strategies

  • present assessment item for a particular genre eg debate, new item
  • applies own innovative solution to a given problem
  • locates evidence to support a known outcome
  • find books/journal articles on a topic
  • library training: introduction to finding library resources

Advanced

  • assessment in the form of a poster presentation, online resource, multimedia communication
  • prepare a pros and cons argument for an issue
  • preparation of a literature review
  • library training: databases for your subject area

Postgraduate

  • creation of poster presentation
  • literature review
  • library training: evidence-based and research databases
  • library training: locating support material to assist in constructing research projects
  • library training: research databases and document delivery

 

Standard Six

The information literate person uses information with understanding and acknowledges the cultural, ethical, economic, legal and social issues surrounding the use of information

Relevant Graduate Qualities

Ethical
Acting with integrity in intellectual, professional and community pursuits

Knowledgeable
Building disciplinary and interdisciplinary knowledge through a scholarly approach incorporating global and regional perspectives, with the skills for

  • organization
  • applying technologies

Learning Outcomes:

The student should be able to:

  • acknowledge that there are cultural, ethical and socioeconomic issues related to access to, and use of, information
  • recognize that information is underpinned by values and beliefs conform with conventions and etiquette related to access to and the use of, information
  • legally obtain, store and disseminate text, data, images or sounds

Suggested learning/teaching strategies

  • understands plagiarism 
  • understands the need for appropriate referencing 
  • uses computers, software, and technology in accordance with University and national rules and legislation
  • understands that information is affected by cultural beliefs and values
  • discussion of importance of observing copyright

Advanced

  • understand information in an Australian/national context 
  • library training: locating Australian resources
  • respect copyright in assessment items
  • appropriate acknowledgement and referencing

Postgraduate

  • understands and applies ethical research standards
  • understands copyright as it affects their own work and others’ 
  • training: copyright

ACRL IS Information Literacy in the Disciplines

The ACRL IS Information Literacy in the Disciplines Committee has gathered links and citations to information literacy standards and curricula developed by accrediting agencies, professional associations, and institutions of higher education in all the Disciplines linked in this Guide.

Source:   URL: https://acrl.libguides.com/IS/informationliteracyinthedisciplines                

Source Last Update: Feb 6, 2024 11:07 AM

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