Academia research can be a whole new world of information to learn in college.
The University of Washington Bothell has a great course designed for students to learn how to be better students. It's called CUSP 100, and it offers students a chance to learn and understand analytical thinking and learning strategies for academic success. Chelsea Nesvig, one of my site supervisors, is the lead librarian for this class. I sat in and observed her work with students on a task they had been given with searching in the online library resource database. As I watched Chelsea and students work together, I couldn't help but think of the different levels of knowledge that students in the 100 level classes must possess. Some have a lot of prior knowledge, which is helpful, and some do not, having never done research before outside of Google.
What is Information Literacy and why is it important? Some scholars in this field argue that it is imperative to understand how to navigate the wide and tangled web of information for the sake of democracy. I tend to believe that too. The American Library Association states, "Information Literacy is a set of abilities requiring individuals to 'recognize when information is needed and have the ability to locate, evaluate, and use effectively the needed information.'" Thinking about this in an academic setting makes sense for doing research and furthering your knowledge. Thinking about this in a much more worldly sense, you can apply it to the ever-evolving standards of information in government/politics, media (social, commentary, news), healthcare, the environment, and our financial landscape. This is precisely why it is important for each person to have the ability to think critically and understand how to utilize the information they are given.
According to the The Mongoose Librarian Blog, aside from academic Information Literacy, there is new literacy (multi-modal learning), digital (ethics and e-safety), and media (critical use of non-contextual communication formats). Information Literacy is a set of standards, practice, and knowledge in critical thinking and evaluation of sources. I think this model shows how information science is important for each of these separate, but very connected parts of how Information Literacy works.
So, thank a librarian the next time you use their services. They help the world be a better and more informed place to live in!
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