Information literacy is the set of integrated abilities encompassing the reflective discovery of information, the understanding of how information is produced and valued, and the use of information in creating new knowledge and participating ethically in communities of learning. -- from the Association for College and Research Libraries' Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education.
At STLCC, information literacy is infused in a wide range of courses. Instruction librarians partner with discipline faculty to create learning opportunities through which our students may develop these abillities. And, our General Education Program includes a skill set called Managing Information. Many of the skills in this area can be mapped to concepts outlined in the Framework.
The ACRL Framework Concepts
For more information about knowledge practices and dispositions for each of the frames, click the links below.
Information resources reflect their creators’ expertise and credibility, and are evaluated based on the information need and the context in which the information will be used. Authority is constructed in that various communities may recognize different types of authority. It is contextual in that the information need may help to determine the level of authority required.
Information in any format is produced to convey a message and is shared via a selected delivery method. The iterative processes of researching, creating, revising, and disseminating information vary, and the resulting product reflects these differences.
Information possesses several dimensions of value, including as a commodity, as a means of education, as a means to influence, and as a means of negotiating and understanding the world. Legal and socioeconomic interests influence information production and dissemination.
Research is iterative and depends upon asking increasingly complex or new questions whose answers in turn develop additional questions or lines of inquiry in any field.
Communities of scholars, researchers, or professionals engage in sustained discourse with new insights and discoveries occurring over time as a result of varied perspectives and interpretations.
Searching for information is often nonlinear and iterative, requiring the evaluation of a range of information sources and the mental flexibility to pursue alternate avenues as new understanding develops.
STLCC Managing Information Skills
Students will be able to:
Develop effective and comprehensive strategies to locate, retrieve, and /or construct information from various sources using appropriate technology.
