1. Craig Gibson, "Student Engagement and Information Literacy" (Chicago: ACRL, 2006); this book offers insight on how information literacy is changing and shaping the way we teach in higher education. If you would like to purchase this book please let us know and we will make arrangements - available for purchase at: http://www.alastore.ala.org/SiteSolution.taf?_sn=catalog2&_pn=product_detail&_op=2158
2. "How Choice, Co-Creation, and Culture Are Changing What It Means to Be Net Savvy", by George Lorenzo, Diana Oblinger, and Charles Dziuban. When was the last time you went to the library to look up information? Now don't get me wrong, I still love a good day at the library! However, most of us in the 21st century go right to the Internet for information. I know most of my students almost exclusively use the Internet for research. In fact, in a recent study 72% of college students use search engines as their primary and first method to find information. Our culture has become very net dependent. According to the authors of this article, students must achieve information literacy, which implies the acquisition of three primary skills: basic information technology skills, information resource skills (such as the ability to identify useful resources), and critical thinking skills. Although students may possess the ability to create and navigate myspace, they may not truly understand the most efficient and useful tools on the net to find relative information, e.g., blogs, social bookmarking, Google tools and much more!
http://www.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELI3008.pdf
3. National Academy of Sciences, "Being Fluent with Information Technology". In the last 30 years we have seen a rapidly changing technological world. It is hard to imagine that the Internet was really introduced a little over 10 years ago. With this rapid change, many have not been properly educated on how to use the Internet effectively. Essentially, this article goes in depth with this as the main focus: "Many who currently use information technology have only a limited understanding of the tools they use and a (probably correct) belief that they are underutilizing them." And: "Fluency with information technology requires three kinds of knowledge: contemporary skills, foundational concepts, and intellectual capabilities. These three kinds of knowledge prepare a person in different ways for FITness."
http://books.nap.edu/html/beingfluent/
4. Carie Windham, "Getting Past Google: Perspectives on Information Literacy from the Millennial Mind". Do you know how to effectively evaluate online resources and use them appropriately? Do our students? On the pages of North Carolina State University’s Technician, the editorial board offered the following tip:
"Don’t put pictures on there you don’t want everyone to see—a great gauge for this is to pretend your grandma gets on MySpace.com once a week because she is hip and likes to check out emo bands. Do you really want her to see you chugging a beer while shaking your Laffy Taffy in the air in the sweater she knitted for you last Christmas?"
Interestingly, "After resident assistants discovered photos of underage students on a Facebook profile that suggested they were consuming alcohol, 15 students were handed citations during the 2005–2006 academic year for alcohol violations." These ethical issues and using the web to research are key aspects of this article.
http://www.educause.edu/LibraryDetailPage/666?ID=ELI3007
5. Twitter - if you are like me and are not sure what Twitter is prior to reading this article this definition might help: Twitter is an online application that is part blog, part social networking site, and part cell phone/IM tool. It is designed to let users describe what they are doing or thinking at a given moment in 140 characters or less. As a tool for students and faculty to compare thoughts on a topic, Twitter could be used academically to foster interaction and support metacognition. "The 7 things You Should Know About Twitter" answers the Who, What, Where, Why and How Q's.
http://connect.educause.edu/library/abstract/7ThingsYouShouldKnow/44762
Happy reading...
Andrew Shean, EdD
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
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