information literacy.

The amount of information available online can seem endless and overwhelming to even the most computer literate amongst us, therefore how do you decipher what is useful and knowledgeable to us and our students and what needs to stay in the realm of cyberspace? As Warschauer (2006) defines it, information literacy refers to the "ability to determine the extent of information needed, access needed information effectively and efficiently, evaluate information and its sources critically, incorporate selected information into ones knowledge base, use information effectively to accomplish a specific purpose and access and use information ethically and legally". Information literacy seems to be a necessity in todays society especially due to the internets continual expansion, online content is growing everyday, therefore its pivotal that teachers take the time to introduce their students to the concept of critical literacy so that they can get the most out of their online interactions. 


As much of a tech-enthusiast that I am and as much as i would love to believe there was an "automatic correspondence between technology deployment and the development of information literacy," (Warschauer, 2006:86) making assumptions about a child's ability to interpret information online is a guaranteed way to lesson their likelihood of learning these skills effectively and efficiently in the classroom. Students concept of information literacy can be dependent on a large number of factors: how long have they had access to technology? how long have they had access to search engines? do they have computers or laptops at home? how well do they interpret information in the classroom already? what are their literacy skills like? the list goes on. Therefore instead of presuming students jump online as critically literate individuals, it's essential that teachers take the time to explain the diverse range of information available online. 


As soon as a reading literate child has access to technology there is a need to introduce them to the concept of information literacy. Sadly there are too many people in this society that have such an immense fear associated with the internet; they view it as a dangerous lair in which children can be victimized, a place where alternative conceptions flourish, when in reality these associations are partly due to a lack of teaching and learning about critical literacy. Whatever they choose to look at and view online, there is the chance that it may be inaccurate therefore it is important that students are taught the ability to evaluate the content they view. Ways of introducing information literacy into the classroom can be as simple as showing comparisons to the students on a topic they are interested in, (choosing something of interest to them will mean they'll have a greater likelihood of understanding and being able to compare inaccurate and accurate information) and brainstorming inaccuracies together, then allowing the students to do the same but individually. Like all things with technology, the best way to learn is to play and explore for yourself, it's amazing how much you absorb through play. 


Exploration can come easy thanks to the concept of search engines. Although they seem to have a lack of "expert quality control" (Pegrum, 2011) they offer you the world at your fingertips. This is when an individuals understanding on information literacy is essential, as they need to decipher what's accurate and what's not. Unfortunately there is no one signal that will tell or show students whether a website is legitimate, but by teaching them common signs of unreliable sources they are able to develop an insight into what to look for when evaluating a website. There are numerous different search engines that you can use, from the most popular Google to Yahoo, TagGalaxy and Rollyo, the list is endless and so are the potential results. By teaching children to question all content they view online, you're making the first step to an information literate child.


If the concept of information literacy seems too complicated for the students or they are struggling to grasp the idea, there are alternative options that teachers can set up to eliminate students viewing illegitimate information. As previously discussed a classroom Wikki is a great way of creating an online resource for students to obtain information relevant to them, hyperlinking websites that are accurate and informative on subjects can enable the less literate students a chance to explore online. Another great way of leading students in the information literate direction is using bookmarking services such as Delicious. Here teachers are able to create their own page, divide it into folders on topics that students are discussing in class and link it back to the classroom webpage. They are then able to bookmark webpages into specific folders so that students have a fast and accurate resource of information. Although you as a teacher are doing the evaluating of the websites, it's a great way to prevent students from irrelevant and incorrect results in search engines and is also much more time efficient. 


Although bookmarking services are a great way of eliminating damaging and illegitimate content, it is still essential to teach children the concept of information literacy so that they can develop a more evaluative and efficient attitude online. For younger years bookmarking services offer the ability for students to travel the web effectively but when they are ability appropriate the concept of information literacy is a necessity to be taught in every classroom. It's beneficial in all areas of literacy, not just on the web, teaching students to critically evaluate and inquire beyond what they normally would.