The Association for College and Research libraries defines information literacy as the ability to recognize when information is needed and then be able to locate, evaluate, and effectively use the needed information. These skills are essential for success in both the classroom and daily life. Assignments and in-class research that is relevant to your subject/topic build information skills that students will hopefully continue to use and rely on outside of the classroom!
Some Tips for Incorporating Information Literacy into the Classroom
- Encourage students to reach out to the library during any point of their research process! Consider including the information for AskKSL and subject librarian on your syllabus or assignment sheets.
- Collaborate with a librarian about activities (in-class or as homework) to build information literacy skills
- Consult our Instruction Hub for tutorials and activities
- Schedule an instruction session with a librarian or offer extra-credit to your students for attending library events
- Practice evaluating sources in class to make expectations clear to your students (assigned readings can be a great starting point to tell students why you choose each source)
- Break assignments down into manageable and meaningful parts so students can get feedback and assistance as needed
