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Candidates know when and why information is needed, where to find it, and how to evaluate, use and communicate it in an ethical manner. Candidates model, promote, and teach critical-thinking and the inquiry process by using multiple literacies.
Information Literacy
Information Literacy
Information literacy has become a popular topic of discussion. Since a plethora of information is now online, it is actually more difficult for people to find credible sources. Participating in recent class discussions on the topic of, "fake news" allowed me to realize the significance of teaching information literacy and critical-thinking in the 21st century.
In 2017, Stanford University conducted a study to investigate how people determine the credibility of digital information. I was surprised to learn that students overwhelmingly judged false information as a more reliable source. If we’re concerned with the future of democracy, we should know who is producing the information we consume.
Sometimes people confuse opinion pieces with fake news however this isn’t always the case. Many opinion pieces are written by credible individuals expressing their personal or professional opinion on a topic, it is up to the reader to determine whether or not they agree. Now the Rich Want Your Pity, Too from New York Times written by the author of Dream Hoarders is a good example of this.
Completing a library reference collection proposal solidified the concept that when librarians provide credible information, users are more likely to access legimate sources. This can be supported with conventional reference materials such as dictionaries and encyclopedias or with modern materials like journal database subscriptions.
Information literacy is an issue I have become extremely passionate about because it can be used to combat misinformation. Many school libraries I have taught at no longer have physical reference sections or they are extremely limited. Most reference resources are now available online through databases like Gale Virtual Reference Library. Information literacy skills should be included in curriculum.
Cieślak_Reference Collection.pdfReady Reference
Ready Reference
Although many library resources appear to be transitioning to online services, the importance of traditional print dictionaries, encyclopedias, and other references books as research and teaching materials should still be considered. Traditional reference collections can still be used to teach younger students what it looks like to search for a book or topic in the library by modeling behavior without the use of a computer.
This important critical-thinking skill is often neglected in the information age due to vast amount of resources that are available to the public online. Without this skill, students may get lost by information overload on the internet. When children have the opportunity to learn through traditional means with technology as a reinforcer, they will be better equipped to function as citizens in the digital world.
Cieślak_Ready Reference.pdfPolitifact has a useful tool for helping students determine whether an article online may be misleading but more should be done to stop misinformation.
U.S.-Teens-Politics-and-Information-Literacy.pdfK-2 Online Privacy Lesson.pdfPage updated
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