Information Literacy & Digital Fluency

In a world of global information, the ability to handle information effectively has never been more vital. The school library is much more than a gateway to information sources. It is where pupils learn to make sense of what they see and acquire the essential building blocks of information skills – the key to the lifelong learning process.

The school must adopt a whole school approach to teaching information skills, so that skills are not taught out of context but are reinforced in the classroom and the library as the curriculum requires.

The recent research report by Demos “Truth , Lies & the Internet 2011 highlights that the internet is the greatest source of information for people today, however, many young people are unable to find the information they are looking for, and  lack the careful critical discerning skills to evaluate that which they find.

“ A specific body of skills  and knowledge is required to make informed judgments. We use the term “digital fluency” to describe the competence: the ability to find and critically evaluate online information. It is a combination of the “old” critical thinking  skills, such as source verification and the “new” knowledge  about how the digital world works….. These are the bedrock skills necessary for the individual to use the internet to search, retrieve, contextualise, analyse and synthesise information effectively “ Demos (2011)¹ p4

Pupils should be able to move seamlessly from effectively  locating, retrieving and evaluating book based information to evaluating digital information. The use of a recognised “Research Model” such as that developed by Michael Marland² (which has formed the basis of subsequent models such as the Exit Model³) will assist pupils in developing the ability and dexterity to locate information, and effectively evaluate information.

The success of such a research model lies within it being used systematically throughout the school and across the curriculum in:-

 a) Project/ independent work 

and

b) Where opportunities within the context of “real learning “are given to explore and evaluate book based information with digital information.

Reinforcing the learning sequence

• Pupils need time and opportunity to learn how to make full use of the library and to handle information efficiently and effectively

• Information literacy must be taught and reinforced through out the pupils’ school careers and across the curriculum

• Pupils need systematic guidance and experience in the selection and use of information books and other digital sources

• The seeking of information and the resulting organisation and presentation needs to be within the everyday demands of each curriculum subject

 N.B. Your local School Library Service may be able to provide a trainer for this work

other ideas can be obtained from : http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/informationliteracy/sharingpractice/index.asp

References:

1. Bartlett, J & Miller C.   Truth, lies & the internet; a report into young people’s digital fluency, DEMOS, 2011, ISBN  9781906693817

2. Marland, M. Information skills in the secondary curriculum. Schools Council Curriculum Bulletin. Methuen, 1981, ISBN 0423509101

3. Wray, D & Lewis, M.   Extending literacy: children reading & writing non fiction, Routledge, 1997, ISBN 9780415128308

4. Marland, M.  Information skills in the secondary curriculum. Schools Council Curriculum Bulletin.  Methuen 1981 ISBN 0423509101