Capital Region BOCES - School Library System

Capital Region BOCES SLS Information Fluency Curriculum

Preface

"Information literacy forms the basis for lifelong learning. It is common to all disciplines, to all learning environments, and to all levels of education. It enables learners to master content and extend their investigations, become more self-directed, and assume greater control over their own learning."
-- American Library Association/Association of College and Research Libraries

Rationale:

18 state studies, along with international studies, now PROVE that instruction in information literacy skills by a certified school library media specialist is a strong correlate to student achievement. State and local assessments, reading scores, and scores on standardized tests were all used as measures of success.
The New York State Learning Standards, National Information Literacy Standards, and ISTE NETS define a thinking, active, and information literate learner.
Information literacy has recently evolved to embrace 21st century skills for the digital age, inquiry, and information fluency.
New roles, competencies, and dynamics now define information literacy for learners and teachers.
A common vision, a shared skills matrix, and common goals emerge for regional teacher/librarians.

Action:

During the summer of 2006 35 school library media specialists in the Capital Region BOCES School Library System met for four days to construct a regional information literacy curriculum.
Responding to the universal demand for information skills, literacy, and mastery of 21st Century Skills for the digital age, the teacher/librarians explored, distilled, and applied innovative, standards based models for instruction in information literacy.
Motivated by the potential to improve student achievement and fueled by professional wisdom, the teacher/librarians collaboratively created a draft document with a focus on INQUIRY and LEARNING STANDARDS.
Refinement and benchmarking of the draft is ongoing.

Curriculum Basics:

Addresses a paradigm shift from information problem solving to INQUIRY.
Matrix leads the learner to analyze, evaluate, and synthesize information.
Focuses on digital literacy, emerging technological capabilities.
Emphasizes student centered process, questioning, exploration, assimilation, reflection, critical and creative thinking.
Learner is engaged and active, connecting to prior knowledge, constructing meaning from text, evaluating process and product, drawing original conclusions, synthesizing and creating, expressing and sharing new understanding.
Incorporates 21st Century Skills for information fluency: information evaluation and management; collaboration; strategic use of information systems, databases, communication technologies; production and sharing of quality products.
Guideposts for the project: NYS Learning Standards; NYS Core Curriculum in ELA, Social Studies, Science; New York City’s Information Fluency Continuum; National Information Literacy Standards; Partnership for 21st Century Skills; regional District and school curricula; WSWHE BOCES Regional Information Literacy Curriculum.
Creates framework for instructional partnerships linking librarians, teachers and students in active learning. Designed for collaboration and integration.
INQUIRY model empowers the learner to: CONNECT, FOCUS, INVESTIGATE, CREATE/CONSTRUCT, EXPRESS, and REFLECT/EVALUATE.
Outcomes of the project: a boost in student motivation and achievement, the development of higher order thinking skills, fostering of life long learners with productive habits of mind, understanding of the real world, collaborative school culture, and enhanced mastery of knowledge in the content areas.