I need help with two Essays (both Essays are about the same subject)

ContentServer1.pdf

Home >English homework help >I need help with two Essays (both Essays are about the same subject)

Overcoming Challenges of the Technological Age by Teaching Information Literacy Skills

MELYNDA BURKE Graduate Student, Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, Kentucky, USA

The technological age has forever altered every aspect of life and work. Technology has changed how people locate and view infor- mation. However, the transition from print to electronic formats has created numerous challenges for individuals to overcome. These challenges include coping with the massive amounts of informa- tion bombarding people and sorting through a multitude of often inferior sources. To adjust and cope, individuals must acquire in- formation literacy skills. The American Library Association defines information literacy as a set of abilities requiring individuals to “recognize when information is needed and have the ability to locate, evaluate, and use effectively the needed information.”

Information literacy skills are a necessary skill for survival in today’s information driven society. Schools must prepare students to be successful in the real world, by teaching them to become effective users of information through information literacy skills. Technolog- ical innovations are sure to continue to advance; therefore we must adapt and embrace these changes or we will be left behind.

KEYWORDS information literacy

ISSUE

The technological age has forever altered every aspect of life and work. The development of the personal computer and explosion of the Internet in the 1990’s revolutionized the transmission and format of information. Today, the majority of Americans use the computer on a daily basis. The Pew Internet & American Life Project reported that on a daily basis 72% of adults use the Internet, and 42% of young people ages 5–17 use the Internet daily for school work (National Center for Educational Statistics). However, this tran- sition from print to electronic formats has created numerous challenges for

Address correspondence to Melynda Burke. E-mail: [email protected]

247

248 M. Burke

individuals to overcome. These challenges include coping with the massive amounts of information bombarding people and sorting through a multitude of inferior sources. To adjust and cope, individuals must acquire information literacy skills.

ISSUE SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT

Currently, the need for information literacy skills is the most pressing global issue impacting educational technology and library media education. Over- coming and adapting to the challenges of the technological age is and will be the most significant transition in our lifetime, and possibly even all of history. This transition impacts people from all age groups, education levels, and incomes from across the globe. Everyone around the world is impacted by the challenges of the technological age and must learn to adapt and cope by learning information literacy skills.

CHALLENGES

In the technological age, there is an overabundance of resources available. Nelson (2000) explained, “More information has been produced in the past 30 years than in the last five millennia” (para. 11). We have vast amounts of information at the touch of our fingertips. However, this overabundance of information does create many obstacles for individuals to overcome. Daily we are bombarded with information coming at us from a variety sources and formats. There are so many sources to review, but so little time. This bombardment of information is often referred to as information overload (Warnken 2004). Individuals must learn to digest properly all this data and be able to locate the information of use to them.

Another problem associated with the technological advancements of the Information Age is the ease of publication on the World Wide Web. Many sources located on the Web are filled with inaccurate and even false information. Nelson (2000) revealed, “Large volumes of data are fraught with inconsistencies, errors and useless data” (para. 15). Information users must be able to verify the accuracy and reliability of their sources.

SOLUTION

Schools must prepare our students to handle the challenges of the tech- nological age by teaching information literacy skills. The American Library Association defines information literacy as a set of abilities requiring in- dividuals to “recognize when information is needed and have the ability

Overcoming Challenges of the Technological Age 249

to locate, evaluate, and use effectively the needed information” (Ameri- can Library Association [ALA] 2010). Information literacy topics can include teaching effective search strategies, copyright laws, evaluating sources, and intellectual freedom. Information literacy skills teach individuals how to be- come effective users of information, and “provide the foundation for lifelong learning which is increasingly viewed as a fundamental human right” (Say- ers 2006, 68). Information literacy skills are necessary for survival in today’s information driven society. Information literate individuals tend to have a higher quality of life, due to being more informed and more capable of making wise decisions (Milam 2002, 17). Furthermore, information literate individuals are in high demand with employers. Milam explained, “Infor- mation literacy skills are a necessity, as information drives industry” (Milam 2002, 3).

Information literacy is also the hope that “the digital divide between information-rich and information-poor will eventually be bridged” (Sayers 2006, 62); which could also assist individuals transition into higher socio- economic and education groups. Sayers further revealed, “The 2003 Infor- mation Literacy Meeting of Experts in Prague identified information literacy as a powerful community tool that facilitates access to information and has real impact on its health, wealth, and well-being” (Sayers 2006, 70).

INFORMATION

The most authoritative sources for information regarding information liter- acy issues are from the American Library Association (ALA) and American Association of School Librarians (AASL). The ALA serves as an advocate for li- braries. The organization publishes numerous publications including books, newsletters, magazines, and journals. The AASL is a branch of the ALA and serves as an advocate for school libraries and school librarian’s issues. The AASL also publishes numerous works that relate to information literacy in the school library. However, there is also currently a wealth of resources avail- able on this topic in libraries and on the World Wide Web. Many of these sources are authored by librarians, education programs, and school systems. More sources on this topic can be located in the annotated bibliography section of this paper.

GROUPS WITH INFLUENCE

Information literacy can be influenced by library media specialists, parents, teachers, administrators, and politicians. Library media specialists should serve as the leader for modeling, teaching, and promoting information lit- eracy skills. Parents can promote and influence the teaching of information

250 M. Burke

literacy skills by modeling information literacy skills to their children at home, and by advocating the need for more instruction in this area to teachers, ad- ministrators, and politicians. Teachers can influence information literacy by teaching the content in their classrooms, and by promoting the topic to fellow teachers, administrators, and politicians. Administrators can impact information literacy by encouraging their teachers to include the skills in their classrooms, and by lobbying politicians to mandate information liter- acy. Politicians can influence the issue by passing legislation to mandate information literacy into the curriculum.

LOCAL LEVEL OUTCOMES

Information literacy at the local level can be promoted by modeling, encour- aging, and marketing the topic. Library media specialists should serve as the leader in this push for teaching information literacy skills. Library media specialists should model information literacy skills to the school community, and serve as an advocate for the field. Advocating for the inclusion of more information literacy skills can include offering sessions on subject, collab- orating with teachers to better cover the topics assigned, and encouraging the school community to focus on the subject area. Library media specialists should also work closely with school and district administrators to promote the need for inclusion of information literacy skills. Outcomes of local efforts will vary depending on the success of the library media specialist, and the openness of school, the school community, and local administrators.

IMPACT ON LIBRARY

The advancements of the technological age have also drastically changed the role and function of the library and the librarian. Prior to the techno- logical age, libraries were simply storehouses of information (Miller 2000). “Librarians primarily bought books and periodicals and relied on book re- views and standard reference works as selection tools” (Thornton 2000, 842). Today, libraries must maintain computer software programs for cataloging books, offer computer access to patrons, and even offer sources entirely in electronic formats. According to Miller the modern library is “an increasingly complex mix of formats and means of access” (Miller 2000, 663).

Due to the technological age, librarians must be technologically savvy and stay current on technological innovations. The modern librarian must often fulfill the role of a teacher, assisting and educating patrons on technol- ogy and information literacy skills. Warnken further explained that librarians should “inform and empower learning with technology that enables patrons

Overcoming Challenges of the Technological Age 251

to access and interact effectively with information in its many forms and format–real and virtual—and use it responsibly” (Warnken 2004).

CONCLUSION

Information literacy skills are a necessary skill for survival in today’s informa- tion driven society. Schools must prepare students to be successful in the real world, by teaching them to become effective users of information through information literacy skills. Technological innovations are sure to continue to advance; therefore we must adapt and embrace these changes or we will be left behind.

REFERENCES

American Library Association (ALA). 2010. Sections: History, contact, what ALA does, reason to join, publications, and membership. Retrieved June 16, 2010, from http://www.ala.org/.

Miller, R. 2000. Electronic sources and academic libraries 1980–2000—a historical perspective. Library Trends 48(4): 842–856. Retrieved July 5, 2010, from Google Scholar.

Milam, P. 2002. InfoQuest: a new twist on information literacy. Worthington, Ohio: Linworth.

Nelson, M. 2000. We have the information you want, but getting it will cost you: Being held hostage by information overload. ACM Student Magazine pp. 1–9. Retrieved February 21, 2010, from http://www.acm.org/crossroads/xrds1– 1/mnelson.html/.

Pew Internet & American Life Project. Latest Trends: Online Activities—Daily. Re- trieved December 06, 2009, from http://www.pewinternet.org/Data-Tools/Get- the-Latest-Statistics.aspx/.

Sayers, R. 2006. Principles of awareness-raising: Information literacy, a case study. Retrieved July 3, 2010, from http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/ 0014/001476/147637e.pdf/.

Thornton, G. 2000. Impact of electronic age on collection development, the roles of librarians, and library consortia. Library Trends 48(4): 842–856. Retrieved July 5, 2010, from Wilson Web.

Warnken, P. 2004, March. Managing technology: The impact of technology on infor- mation literacy education in libraries. Journal of Academic Librarianship 30(2): 151–156. Retrieved July 6, 2010. from Wilson Web.

ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY

American Library Association (ALA). 2010. Sections: History, Contact, What ALA Does, Reason to Join, Publications, and Membership. Retrieved June 16, 2010, from http://www.ala.org/.

252 M. Burke

– The ALA serves as an advocate for libraries. The organization publishes nu- merous publications including, books, newsletters, magazines, and journals; many of which focus on information literacy issues.

American Association of School Librarians (AASL). 2010. Sections: History, Con- tact, Mission and Goals, Publications, Knowledge Quest, Hotlinks, Member- ship, Membership Benefits. Retrieved June 16, 2010, from http://www.ala.org/ ala/mgrps/divs/aasl/index.cfm/.

– The AASL is a branch of the ALA and serves as an advocate for school libraries and school librarian’s issues. The AASL also publishes numerous works that relate to information literacy in the school library.

American Association of School Librarians. 2009. Standards for the 21st-Century Learner in Action. Chicago, IL: American Library Association.

– A guide for library programs developed by ALA to assist educators to meet the needs of the modern learner.

BIG 6. 2010. BIG 6. Retrieved July 8, 2010, from http://www.big6.com/.

– The BIG 6 is a model used to teach information literacy skills.

Blip Networks Inc. 2010. LION: Library Information literacy Online Network. Re- trieved July 7, 2010, from http://liontv.blip.tv/.

– An Online Network devoted to the world of Information. Covers issues re- lated to Information literacy (such as Privacy, Copyright, and Plagiarism). Site includes tutorials.

Burkhardt, J. M., M. C. MacDonald, and A. J. Rathemacher. 2005. Creating a com- prehensive information literacy plan: a how-to-do-it manual and CD-ROM for librarians. New York: Neal-Schuman.

– Book and CD ROM that assists school librarians to create an information literacy plan. Resources include: details how to prepare for the comprehensive plan, an information literacy (IL) tool kit, history of IL, needs assessment, statistical data, methodologies, definitions, associations, standards, guidelines, marketing, and real IL plans: one for a K-6 institution and five others for academic libraries.

Cardiff University. Handbook for Information Literacy Teaching. Retrieved July 03, 2010, from. http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/insrv/educationandtraining/infolit/hilt/.

– Handbook for Information Literacy Teaching developed by librarians at Cardiff University.

Overcoming Challenges of the Technological Age 253

Common Senses Media. 2010. Retrieved June 30 2010, from http://www.common sensemedia.org/.

– The site includes various media and information literacy related resources for educators including online training, discussions, toolkits, and numerous lesson plans that include detailed instructions and student handouts.

Data Momentum, Inc. Information Literacy: Lesson Plans. Retrieved July 6, 2010, from http://www.informationliteracy.org/.

– S.O.S. for Information Literacy is a Web-based multimedia resource for edu- cators, to enhance the teaching of information literacy skills to children.

Kent State University Libraries. 2010. Trails: Tool for Real-time Assessment of Information Literacy Skills. Retrieved July 6, 2010, from http://www.trails-9. org/index.php/.

– Site offers a multiple-choice assessment to test a variety of information literacy skills, based on sixth and ninth grade standards. This Web-based system was developed to provide an easily accessible and flexible tool for library media specialists and teachers.

Norris, P. (2001). Digital Divide? Civic engagement, information poverty and the Internet worldwide. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

– Book discusses how the growth of the Internet is increasing existing inequal- ities between the information rich and poor, industrialized and developing societies, and rich and poor nations.

Shenk, D. 1998. Data Smog: surviving the information glut (Revised Ed.). San Fran- cisco: Harper Collins.

– Book details the impact of information overload or information glut.

Sayers, R. 2006. Principles of awareness-raising: Information literacy, a case study. Retrieved July 3, from http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0014/001476/ 147637e.pdf/.

– Handbook detailing methods for promoting information literacy awareness. Methods and strategies based upon the United Nations Literacy Decade 2003–2012.

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Libraries. 2009. Information Literacy Activities. Retrieved July 7, 2010, from http://www4.uwm.edu/libraries/ris/instruction/ ip/.

254 M. Burke

– Activities developed by librarians at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee to promote the teaching of Information Literacy. The activities feature active learning exercises and tools to assess student learning.

University of Wyoming Libraries. 2010. TIP: Tutorial for Info Power. Retrieved July 5, 2010, from http://tip.uwyo.edu/.

– Tutorial that teaches: – Investigating a topic – Searching for information – Locating the information in the library – Evaluating the quality of information -Utilizing the information in papers,

speeches, or projects

Information Literacy. 2010. Information Literacy: Big 6 Game. Retrieved July 6, 2010, from http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/big6/game/index.html/.

– Game developed on BIG 6 model to be used when teaching tool/activity.

may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express

written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use.