Information Literacy

All information looks like noise until you break the code.
Neal Stephenson ~ Snow Crash

Critical Thinking about the Internet

Am I "Information Literate"? New skills are required to be information literate in the 21st Century. Take the Grammar of the Internet test and see if you know how to be a critical thinker on the web.
Pre-assess your knowledge
Why is information literacy Important?

View these slides in PowerPoint or in PDF format - this is a good starting point for staff or class discussion.
More starting points for discussions

Developing Critical Literacy Literacy for the21st Century
How do I search the Internet effectively? Knowing how to search the Internet gets you where you want to go and gets you there quickly.
Effective Searching  

What can I learn from an Internet address?
As soon as children begin using the Internet we need them to become aware of
"the grammar of the Internet". The first step is reading the URL or the web address in order to know the source of your information.
Understanding an Internet address Applying this knowledge


How do I recognize quality Internet resources?

 

When we learn to read we learn the grammar of print.
The same is true for the Internet - we need to understand the grammar of the Internet to be able to use it effectively
MAPping the Internet - for Middle Years and older students

Validating Internet sites - for Grades 4 - 6 students

Can I apply my literacy skills to the Internet?
Now that we have practiced these skills we need to apply them whenever we search. Students using the Internet to gather information should be able to defend their choice of resources by outlining their MAPping information.

Teach students to be detectives and gather their evidence with every assignment.
MAPping Evidence
These resource sheets can be used as part of research references.
Am I aware of the issues of media literacy?
Teachers play a key role in helping students learn how to be students online both at school and at home. These multi-media resources help address various topics in this area.

Am I information literate for the 21st Century?

 Find out and learn more with the Post Assessment
Do I understand plagiarism and the issues involved?

In this copy and paste world, we need to teach students they can build their ideas on those of others but they must tell everyone whose shoulders they stood on to reach above. Plagiarism


Do I understand copyright?

Issues and questions associated with copyright


View these resources in a site map layout.



Students need our help to find information, to determine relevance
and to determine accuracy.

David Thornburg

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