Instructors' Tip Sheet
INFORMATION LITERACY IN THE CLASSROOM
Begin by thinking of how to give students a method for finding, evaluating and using information. Do not assume that students know how. A simple worksheet where students turn in keywords, best resources, location of resources, sample articles, etc., can get them off to a great start.
Step 1: Collaborate with your librarian early in the semester.
Step 2: Include in your syllabus learning objective(s) or outcome(s) related to the information skill(s) that you want your students to develop.
Step 3: Include assignment(s) on your syllabus that would meet the objective(s) or outcome(s) desired.
REMEMBER: Teaching information skills does not require a research paper or an end product.
EXAMPLES OF ASSIGNMENTS from low-level critical thinking to higher-level--
The student lists keywords (broad, narrow, synonyms) related to a topic or lists questions about the topic. (Learning to define a task)
The student finds one resource, such as a book, an article or website and writes a short paragraph on why this particular resource would be a great source of information. (Learning to evaluate resources)
The student creates a working bibliography with annotations and uses APA style. (Learning to evaluate and synthesize information)
Step 4: Include in your syllabus a time for the librarian to meet your students and/or work with them.
The Big6 is a process model of how people of all ages solve an information problem. From practice and study, we found that successful information problem-solving encompasses six stages with two sub-stages under each...
1. Task Definition
1.1 Define the information problem
1.2 Identify information needed
2. Information Seeking Strategies
2.1 Determine all possible sources
2.2 Select the best sources
3. Location and Access
3.1 Locate sources (intellectually and physically)
3.2 Find information within sources
4. Use of Information
4.1 Engage (e.g., read, hear, view, touch)
4.2 Extract relevant information
5. Synthesis
5.1 Organize from multiple sources
5.2 Present the information
6. Evaluation
6.1 Judge the product (effectiveness)
6.2 Judge the process (efficiency)
