Page 5 - Literacy Information

INFORMATION LITERACY GROUP

It has particular relevance for those It enables learners to engage in deep
students involved in enquiry-based learning - perceiving relationships
learned learning such as those enrolled between important ideas, asking novel
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on the International Baccalaureate and questions, and pursuing innovative lines
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the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) of thought.
which is an extended piece of work This active and critical way of learning
on a topic chosen by the student and encourages pupils and students to quickly
supervised by their teacher. Information master factual and descriptive elements of
literacy also helps students navigate content (‘What’ and ‘How’) and then move
the transition from school to further and on to investigate higher-level aspects
higher education. such as source, degree of authority,
In Higher Education, information possibility of bias, and what it means in
Information Literacy and literacy contributes to academic the wider context. It is in line, for instance,
Education competencies, research methodologies with the English National Curriculum
and an understanding of plagiarism. In aim to equip students “to ask perceptive
Information literacy applies to all stages common with the Association of College questions, think critically, weigh evidence,
of learning, formal and informal, covering and Research Libraries (ACRL) , we sift arguments, and develop perspective
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schools (primary and secondary), further regard information literacy education as and judgement.” 4
education (FE), higher education (HE) a series of ‘threshold concepts’ that allow Importantly, information literacy equips
and, crucially, lifelong learning – students to discover new ways of thinking learners at every level with the intellectual
information literacy does not cease with and new knowledge. Information literacy strategies and tools such as adopting a
formal education. underpins transferable and employability questioning approach, not only to solve
Information literacy can enhance and skills, equipping students as part of problems, but also to frame problems and
enrich a range of taught subjects in the lifelong learning. In formal educational situations in new and ground-breaking
school curriculum, being embedded environments, information literacy can ways. This capability is crucial, beyond
as part of critical thinking skills and be seen as the critical capacity to read education, to meeting the expectations of
knowledge development. between the lines. the workplace. 5

or customers) and transform it into
knowledge. Information Literacy means
working ethically, understanding the
implications of data protection, intellectual
property rights, such as copyright.
Information Literacy also manifests
itself both in terms of the information
behaviour of individual workers and in the
corporate policies, strategies and activities
of organisations. It may be subsumed in
other employment-related concepts such
Information Literacy and as knowledge & information management Information Literacy and
the Workplace and data management. It also contributes Health
to employability by underpinning attributes
In the workplace, information literacy is that are well-recognised by recruiters, Information literacy, sometimes
knowing when and how to use information such as teamworking, problem-solving and known in this sense as health literacy,
in order to help achieve organisational analytical skills. helps make informed choices relating
aims, and to add value to organisational to the health and wellbeing of
activities. This applies whatever the scale individuals and their families. Finding
and location of the workplace, and whether reliable sources of information for
the work environment is in the commercial, management of health conditions,
public or not-for-profit sector. preventative care and ageing is vital
The exact nature of information literacy for individuals or their carers.
is highly dependent on the context of This implies using credible and
the workplace, and it reflects workplace reputable healthcare sources when
culture, practices and experiences. looking for treatment and prognosis.
As such, it may manifest itself in a To be an active partner in their
multitude of ways, reflecting the rich healthcare, patients benefit from
variety of environments to which it information literacy, allowing them to
applies. Information Literacy helps engage in an informed dialogue with
to interpret work-related information, healthcare professionals.
share it (within organisations and with
external stakeholders, such as clients
4 Department for Education (2013) National curriculum in England: history programmes of study. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-curriculum-in-england-history-
programmes-of-study/national-curriculum-in-england-history-programmes-of-study (Accessed 21 February 2018)
5 Head, A. J. (2017) Posing the million-dollar question: What happens after graduation? Journal of Information Literacy, 11(1), pp.80-90. http://dx.doi.org/10.11645/11.1

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