The 'multiple literacies' - Information literacy, digital literacy, media literacy etc. - touch all grades and subjects. Specific outcomes for student skill development in these areas can be found throughout the Ontario Ministry of Education curriculum. Librarians and library associations have also been active in developing a vision for information literacy within education.
Internationally, the American Association of School Librarians Standards for the 21st Century Learner provide the framework for most K-12 information literacy work. Four standards for information literacy are identified with specific outcomes for each standard grouped under the categories; skills, dispositions in action, responsibilities and self-assessment strategies. The standards are:
Learners use skills, resources, and tools to:
Wonderopolis is "a place where wonder and learning are nurtured through the power of discovery, creativity and imagination."
There is a new wonder everyday which students can learn about in a fun and interactive way.
The site also includes activities and advice for students, parents, and teachers.
Simply defined, information literacy is the ability to "recognize when information is needed and have the ability to locate, evaluate, and use effectively the needed information." (ACRL). This task has become increasingly complex in our global information society and requires the ability to: know how and why information is created, presented and disseminated; to know how to use technology to access information; and, most importantly to understand and critically evaluate information. The development of information literacy skills allows students to become not only astute information consumers, but ethical and thoughtful information creators as well.
Information literacy is a part of, and compliments, research skills, collaborative inquiry, and critical literacy.
The following websites and videos can be used in the classroom to help students choose appropriate resources for their information need.
The links below can help you use PebbleGo (ask your LCI for the username and password) to integrate information literacy in the K-3 classroom.
The internet and mobile communication offer a wealth of opportunities for fun, learning, and exploration. They also present parents and teachers with a host of concerns. In this section, you can find resources on how to tackle these issues in a positive way. Credit to MediaSmarts.
