EDTE 590 Information Literacy: Creating Independent
Learners
GRADUATE COURSE SYLLABUS--EDTE590
Information Literacy: Creating Independent Learners
Summer 1997
TITLE
Information Literacy: Creating Independent Learners CATALOG DESCRIPTION
Competing in the global economy requires that schools prepare students to
become familiar with a variety of information technology, including the
Internet and other electronic resources. Participants in this course will
explore the rationale and appropriate role of information literacy. They
will learn to search and retrieve information, to evaluate the results of
those searches, and to use the information in the solution of realistic
problems. Students will also learn basic HTML coding in order to present
their work on the World Wide Web. Course projects will emphasize the
incorporation of information technology into the school curriculum. COURSE CREDITS AND PREREQUISITES
3 s.h. graduate credits. No prerequisites. RATIONALE
We are truly in an information society. Now more than ever, moving vast
amounts of information quickly across great distances is one of our most
pressing needs. From small one-person entrepreneurial efforts, to the
largest of corporations, more and more professional people are discovering
that the only way to be successful in the '90s and beyond is to realize that
technology is advancing at a break-neck pace--and they must somehow keep up.
Likewise, researchers from all corners of the earth are finding that their
work thrives in a networked environment. Immediate access to the work of
colleagues and a "virtual" library of millions of volumes and thousands of
papers affords them the ability to encorporate a body of knowledge heretofore
unthinkable. Work groups can now conduct interactive conferences with each
other, paying no heed to physical location--the possibilities are
endless.
You have at your fingertips the ability to talk in "real-time" with
someone in Japan, send a 2,000-word short story to a group of people who will
critique it for the sheer pleasure of doing so, see if a Macintosh sitting in
a lab in Canada is turned on, and find out if someone happens to be sitting
in front of their computer (logged on) in Australia, all inside of thirty
minutes. No airline (or TARDIS, for that matter) could ever match that
travel itinerary.
The largest problem people face when first using a network is grasping
all that's available. Even seasoned users find themselves surprised when
they discover a new service or feature that they'd never known even existed.
Once acquainted with the terminology and sufficiently comfortable with making
occasional mistakes, the learning process will drastically speed up.
B. Kehoe. Zen and the Art of the Internet
Technology and the global marketplace are forcing American companies to work
smarter. Many of these companies have an inflated manager-to-worker ratio in
comparison to their European and Asian competitors. As these companies
become leaner, everyone in the company must learn to manage themselves. The
abilities to communicate and think critically are requisite skills for the
kind of continuous group problem solving that these companies will need to
survive.
Schools have a critical role to play in preparing all future workers to
communicate in the information age. However, simply teaching the technical
skills will not be enough. These future workers must employ critical
thinking skills. First, to develop the search strategies necessary to find
unbiased information from a virtual sea of data. Second, they must have the
ability to use this information to solve problems they must confront
continuously if they are to change quickly enough to remain competitive. In
this way they will become independent learners, able to assume responsibility
for their future information needs.
In other countries, workers are willing to accept a lower wage than U.S.
workers find acceptable. However, simply demanding high wages only forces
companies out of this country. The techniques of mass production (once unique
to the U.S.) provided high wage jobs for Americans. Now they are widely used
throughout the world. American workplaces must work smarter to compete.
These high performance/high wage workplaces will require the skillful use
of information technology.
This course will provide contemporary research skills appropriate for any
graduate student. Several departments have already expressed interest:
Industry and Technology, History, and Educational Foundations. COURSE OBJECTIVES
During this course, participants will:
A. Develop a rationale for information literacy.
B. Select, access and evaluate information in order to solve a variety of
realistic problems.
C. Explore the Internet and share information about it with the other
participants.
D. Participate in a variety of discussions about why and how information
technology can be used across the curriculum.
E. Work cooperatively in small groups and develop skills to enable them
to be independent learners. COURSE OUTLINE A. Information Literacy: Why and What 1. "Teaching and Learning with Technology" by ASCD
a. Using technology to integrate subject areas.b. Connecting students to global networks. c. Fostering cooperative learning skills and self-esteem.d. Addressing a variety of learning styles.e. Motivating students to accomplish sophisticated problem solving
activities.2. "Information Literacy: Developing Students as Independent
Learners" by Don Farmer
a. Definition of information literacy.
(1) Appreciation of the value of information.(2) Awareness of diversity of information formats.(3) Understanding that information and knowledge are not
synonymous.(4) Ability to access information critically and effectively.b. Importance of information literacy.
(1) Preparation of an educated citizenry for the Information
Society.(2) Empowerment of students to become independent, life-long
learners.(3) Enabling of workers to function competitively in a global
marketplace.c. Components of information literacy program.
(1) Emphasis on learning as process.(2) Development of problem solving and critical thinking skills.(3) Focus on intended audience and purpose of information.(4) Development of ability to recognize and use information
systems.(5) Recognition of logic of information and documentation
systems.(6) Use of computer for research and writing.B. Solving Problems with Information Literacy.
1. Internet
a. Making the most of the Information Superhighway.
(1) Historical context.(2) Philosophy of networking.(3) Trends and future implications.b. Global communication.
(1) E-mail.(2) Listservs.c. Internet tools for effective access to information.
(1) World Wide Web.(2) Other Internet tools (i.e. gopher, ftp, telnet, etc.).2. Other electronic resources.
a. Databases on CD-ROM and via remote access.
(1) ERIC.(2) Expanded Academic Index.(3) Government Resources.(4) Other databases.b. Fee-based online resources.
(1) DIALOG.(2) FirstSearch.(3) Other fee-based online resources.3. Print resources.
a. Importance of not overlooking non-computerized resources.b. Using print resources in conjunction with electronic
resources.
C. Information Literacy Across Disciplines.
1. A universal model for information literacy.
a. "Model Statement of Objectives for Academic Bibliographic
Instruction" by the Bibliographic Instruction Section of the Association
of College and Research Libraries (1991).b. "Conceptual Frameworks for Bibliographic Education: Theory into
Practice" by Mary Reichel (1987).2. Integration of information literacy into all subject areas (active
learning).COURSE REQUIREMENTS
A. Each participant will complete a series of hands-on activities. Each
activity will develop a particular component of information literacy.
Activities include: using e-mail; subscribing to a listserv; searching
electronic databases; and using the World Wide Web.
B. Each participant will complete a research project (e.g., paper,
learning activity, presentation, etc.) with evidence of: (1) references drawn
from at least five of the resources mentioned in class and (2) critical
analysis of the resources and the information they provide. Projects
include: Rationale for Information Literacy; Acceptable Use Policy;
Information Literacy and Critical Thinking; Information Anxiety; and
Integrating Information Literacy into the Curriculum. EVALUATION
Assignment weights:
A.
Portfolio of completed information literacy problems
25%
B.
Research projects
45%
C.
Written and performance tests
30%
TEXT
Doyle, C.S. (1994). Information literacy in an information society:
a concept for the information age. ERIC Clearinghouse.
REFERENCES
Barclay, D.A. (1995). Teaching electronic information literacy : a
how-to-do-it manual. New York : Neal-Schuman Publishers.
Bleakley, A. & Carrigan, J.L. (1994). Resource-based learning
activities : information literacy for high school students. Chicago,
IL: American Library Association.
Breivik, P. S. and Gee, E.G. (1989). Information literacy :
revolution in the library. New York : London : American Council on
Education : Macmillan; Collier Macmillan.
Carnegie-Mellon University, Dept. of Engineering and Public Policy,
Dept. of Social and Decision Science, & Heinz School of Public Policy and
Management. (1993). The Internet in K-12 education. Pittsburg, PA:
Author.
Farmer, D.W. & Mech, T. (Ed.). (1992). Information literacy:
Developing students as independent learners. San Francisco, CA:
Jossey-Bass.
Heide, Ann. (1996). The teacher's complete & easy guide to the
Internet. Toronto, Ont. : Trifolium Books.
Information literacy and education for the 21st century : toward an
agenda for action : a symposium. (1991). Washington, DC: National
Commission on Libraries and Information Science.
Information literacy : learning how to learn : proceedings of the
twenty-eighth annual symposium of the graduate alumni and faculty of the
Rutgers School of Communication, Information, and Library Studies, 6 April
1990. (1991). Jefferson, NC: McFarland.
Kehoe, B.P. (1997). Children and the internet : a Zen guide for
parents and educators. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Robin, B. (1997). Educator's guide to the web. NY: MIS
Press.
Roerden, L.P. (1997). Net lessons: Web-based projects for your
classroom. Sebastopol, CA : Songline Studios and O'Reilly &
Associates.
Shenk, D. (1997). Data smog: surviving the information glut.
San Francisco, CA: Harper.
Wurman, R.S. (1990). Information anxiety: what to do when
information doesn't tell you what you need to know. NY: Bantam.