College students today interact with information media almost non-stop, in vastly differing formats. Whereas informing oneself on a topic once meant locating a particular book or keeping up with a newspaper, today the process of "getting informed" is not so simple, as digital media has provided countless information sources and mediums of varying purpose and quality. Students learn about topics not only through scholarly text and traditional journalism, but through memes, Tweets, videos, and other digital media that are constantly evolving.
Much as writing skills have been emphasized across subject areas, information literacy is a necessary 21st century skill set that students build throughout content areas and course levels. There are a myriad of opportunities to incorporate information literacy concepts into course syllabi and assignments in creative and relevant ways. Contact our Research & Instruction Librarian for questions or collaborations.
The Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education was published in 2016 by the Association of College and Research Libraries, the largest professional organization for academic librarians. This document breaks undergraduate-level information literacy skills into 6 competencies, which are briefly explained here:
Want to learn more about information literacy in higher education? Below are some recommended sources.
Critical Information Literacy: Implications for Instructional Practice (Elmborg, 2006)
Evaluating Information: The Cornerstone of Civic Online Reasoning (Wineburg, et al., 2016)
How Students Engage with News: Five Takeaways for Educators, Journalists, and Librarians (Project Information Literacy Research Institute, 2018).
Tipping the Iceberg: A Collaborative Approach to Redesigning the Undergraduate Research Assignment in an Antarctic History Capstone Seminar (Hicks & Hawkins, 2015)
ACRL Framework Sandbox - A searchable database of assignments and lesson plans designed according to the ACRL Framework. Search by skill type or discipline.
Community of Online Research Assignments (CORA) - Another searchable database of information literacy assignments by librarians and faculty.
The ACRL and ALA have further broken down information literacy concepts into competencey standards for broad subject areas:
