Information Literacy at USC Aiken
Index
What is Information Literacy
Goals of the Information Literacy Program
Information Literacy Tips of the Week Archives (see link at bottom of page to view the archives)
Additional Information
What is Information Literacy?
- “The ability to locate, evaluate, and use information to become lifelong learners.”
- … Commission on Colleges, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). Criteria for Accreditation, section 5.1.2 [Library and Other information Resources] Services. 10th ed. Dec. 1996 http://www.sacscoc.org/SectV.htm
Goals of the Information Literacy Program
The primary goal of the program is to help students become information literate so that they are able to:
- Define — The information literate student determines the nature and extent of the information needed.
- Access — The information literate student accesses needed information effectively and efficiently.
- Evaluate — The information literate student evaluates and incorporates selected information into his or her knowledge base and value system.
- Use/Perform — The information literate student, individually or as a member of group, uses information effectively to accomplish a specific purpose.
- Document — The information literate student understands many of the economic, legal, and social issues surrounding the use of information and accesses and uses information ethically and legally.
Why?
In support of the mission of USCA, the library faculty seeks to enable all members of the college community to achieve information literacy. As part of USCA’s Strategic Plan administration and faculty were charged with:
Goal One: Provide superior curricular and co-curricular programs which prepare students to be effective participants in and contributors to a dynamic global society.
Objective Establish and implement standards for information literacy in support of USC Aiken’s curriculum.
1.d.1 Establish a mechanism for a series of discussions of campus standards and expected performance levels for use of information literacy in the general education core curriculum.
1.d.2 Establish a mechanism . . . in the major introductory and research methods courses…to introduce students to print and electronic resources in their disciplines.
How?
- While many classes do teach one or more of these skills, a campus-wide initiative that targets each student is necessary to ensure both basic and upper level mastery of information literacy skills.
- In Spring of 2007 the library emailed to the USCA List and Student News a Weekly Information Literacy Tip that included an ACRL standard, expected outcome, assignment, and a tip. During the same semester, Dr. Mike Fowler’s Graphic Design class created posters to graphically depict the five standards outlined above.
- In Fall of 2007, each student in AFYS 101 received a STUDY postcard which outlined the ACRL standards in simple language with the new pacer logo used as the visual.
- Throughout the 2007–08 academic year library faculty will work with any interested faculty to design effective library assignments using information literacy standards and discuss ways for these skills to be integrated into the curriculum at both an individual and departmental level.
- In 2008–2009, weekly tips continued to be emailed, and spotlight on selected databases provided updates on USCA Library resources.
Information Literacy Tip of the Week Archives
Additional Information
- Information Literacy as a “Liberal Art” by Jeremy Shapiro & Shelley Hughes, Educom Review, Volume 31, Number 2, March/April 1996
- Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education Asssociation of College and Research Libraries, 2000.
- Introduction to Information Literacy for Faculty and Administration From the American Library Association
Last modified on: July 02, 2009, at 07:56 AM