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TEACHING
TIPS: Developing information literacy skills
Teaching strategies to develop information literacy
Below are some ideas for teaching, learning and assessment strategies which encourage students to:
- independently search for and use information;
- develop their knowledge base and understanding of the topic;
- inquire; and
- critically reflect.
1. Independently search for and use information beyond the lectures, textbook and readings
| Information literacy tasks and concepts | Teaching, learning and assessment strategies |
|---|---|
| Use of a range of sources - journal articles, books, reports, conference papers, newspapers, magazines, websites, people, audio-visual. Searches of library catalogues, library databases, web directories and clearinghouses, browse print and electronic resources. Analysis of viewpoint, bias, currency, authority, relevancy. Analysis of contrasting perspectives. Analysis of web sources for trustworthiness. Use of primary and secondary sources. Ask people. Collect interview and observation data. |
Find and synthesise a range of sources (print, electronic, people). Write summary/abstract of a journal article. Document search strategy (keywords and terms used, tools used). Assessment - submit annotated bibliography for topic as stage one for an essay/report. |
"I think the ideal information user is the one who digests for themselves, relates back to stuff they've found, thinks it through thoroughly and then comes up with their own formulations and doesn't just go with the flow." (First year student)
Lupton, M. & Bruce, C. (forthcoming). Students' ways of experiencing information literacy.
"I suppose I am information literate because I can like question the information that I'm getting and analyse it." (First year student)
Lupton, M. & Bruce, C. (forthcoming). Students' ways of experiencing information literacy.
"I think doing general reading first and from that working out specifically what information you need and then going and looking for that specific information, keeping in mind what you need it for in the end. Like when I do my essays I usually do questions and I go and look for the answer to each of those questions and it helps me to remember when looking for information to keep in mind what you need it for." (First year student)
Lupton, M. & Bruce, C. (forthcoming). Students' ways of experiencing information literacy.
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2. Development of knowledge base and understanding of topic
| Information literacy tasks and concepts | Teaching, learning and assessment strategies |
|---|---|
| Construction of personal 'map' of the topic and structure of knowledge in field/discipline. Concept mapping and mind mapping. Setting the topic in an historical, political, economic, cultural and social context. Understanding the meaning of the topic within the context of the course and assignment. Analysis of what is required in assignment task in terms of the context and audience. Making connections between topics, courses, fields and disciplines. |
Analysis of issues considering the economic, environmental and social impact (ie the triple bottom line). Modelling and practice of concept mapping/mind relationships between aspects of the topic, field and discipline. Critically analyse information with regard to bias, standpoint, viewpoint, ideology, and contrasting perspectives. Requirement that the assignment must include analysis of historical, political, economic, cultural and social context. Peer review of work-in-progress (e.g., essay draft, report outline, website); submission of draft including peers' comments with final product. |
3. Legal and ethical use of information
| Information literacy tasks and concepts |
Teaching, learning and assessment strategies |
|---|---|
| Modelling and practice in citation conventions in the particular field. Modelling and practice in paraphrasing and quoting. Discussion of academic integrity, plagiarism and ethical use of information. Discussion of the social, cultural and economic use of information. |
Modelling and practice of referencing conventions including use of images and audiovisual material. Modelling and practice of paraphrasing and quoting. Correct referencing included in assessment criteria. |
"Well I suppose I am information literate because I can acknowledge that there is information and I have an aim to look at as many different sources and different media as I can when searching for particular information. Then when I get that information I analyse it and decide whether I want to discard it or use it. Then if I use it I keep on further questioning and if I discard it, I discard it at that time except it will probably pop up another time into a new situation. It's just discarded for the time being." (First year student)
Lupton, M. & Bruce, C. (forthcoming) Students' ways of experiencing information literacy.
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4. Inquiry
| Information literacy tasks and concepts |
Teaching, learning and assessment strategies |
|---|---|
| Framing own information research topic - e.g., essay question. Posing of questions during the research process (information and empirical). Critical analysis of research methodologies and data analysis in published academic, industry and government research. Designing research project - posing research questions and hypotheses, collecting, presenting and analysing data within a methodological and theoretical framework. Critical analysis of information as portrayed in the media. |
Analysis of popular science/history/psychology media programs for academic rigour. Analysis of the use of statistics in the media. Analysis of popular and scholarly sources on a particular topic. Collecting and analysing interview and/or observation data. Group mini-research project. Professional practice research project. Essay where students pose their own essay question. |
5. Critical reflection
| Information literacy tasks and concepts | Teaching, learning and assessment strategies |
|---|---|
| Critical reflection on researching and writing/presenting the topic. Documentation and evaluation of search strategies and reflection on how it could have been done differently. Critical analysis of range of sources, use of sources, development of argument. Critical analysis of other students' work, i.e., peer review of draft essays, peer assessment. Critical reflection on how an information search might have been done differently. |
Learning portfolio. Search strategies diary. Learning journal. Online forum participation. Peer review and reflection. |
6. Presentation
| Information literacy tasks and concepts |
Teaching, learning and assessment strategies |
|---|---|
| Presentation of various written document conventions and formats including essays, position papers, lab report, industry/government report, reflective writing, formal and non-formal writing, popular and scholarly writing, learning portfolios, web pages and posters. Using a range of IT applications to present the information including spreadsheets, databases, word processing software, visual presentation software, web design software. Use of tables, figures and concept maps where appropriate. Use of headings, sub-headings and table of contents where appropriate. Design of handouts, overheads and slides to complement seminar. Choosing a communication medium that best supports the purposes of the product and of the intended audience. |
Writing in a range of genres for a range of audiences (popular and scholarly), e.g., newsletter article, newspaper article, magazine article, research essay, report, literature review, webpage, poster. Presenting assignment using a range of appropriate applications and technologies. Presenting a seminar complemented by text, audio, images and video. |
"Information literacy is common to all disciplines, to all learning environments, and to all levels of education. It enables learners to engage critically with content and extend their investigations, become more self-directed, and assume greater control over their own learning."
Australian and New Zealand Institute for Information Literacy
and Council of Australian University Librarians (2003). Australian
and New Zealand information literacy framework. Principles, standards
and practice . Adelaide, Australian and New Zealand Institute for
Information literacy.
Retrieved
from the World Wide Web 24 October, 2006:
http://www.caul.edu.au/info-literacy/InfoLiteracyFramework.pdf
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