To answer this question, one must understand that this ostensibly simple definition belies a complex concept over which many educational battles have been fought. The discourse regarding how best to achieve information literacy remains an engaging issue for current educators and it behooves current educators to be cognizant of the development of information literacy models and their underlying principles so that they are able to make reasoned decisions regarding the myriad model options that are available to them in instructional design.
So why use a model at all? Information literacy models are designed to provide structure and meaning to the process of solving an information need. In today’s world, information is everywhere, but that information may be good, bad, or otherwise qualified. All humans today need to develop strategies for coping with the information they encounter and seek. Young humans, in particular, will need strategies for survival in today’s schools to meet standards and for the future they face to meet the demands of their occupations and lifestyles. Schools that recognize the importance of developing information literate students will often adopt a research process model and hold their faculty responsible for introducing students to the research process through such models.
Depending on the school, the adopted model may comprise any amalgamation of subscribed to philosophies and practices (e.g., full-fledged behaviorism or constructivism or any mix). It behooves teacher-librarians and classroom teachers to understand the instructional philosophy of their school in order to capitalize upon the implementation of the most apt information literacy models available in order to provide students with the best materials and technology throughout the learning process.
The information literacy models listed on this website are not a comprehensive list; the focus here is on providing an introduction to the most popular models in the school environment. The models proffered to guide the research process and facilitate the development of information literacy (the foundation of lifelong learning) are multitudinous but a few of the most popular among school library media specialists include:
Other models that formulate the research process in clear and clever ways include Annette Lamb’s 8 W’s and Alice Yucht’s FLIPIT model. These models offer the school-age crowd fun mnemonic devices and engaging structures. And the above list posits just a few of the information literacy models that have been developed!
What is notable about all of these models is that, although various terminology is used, the information research steps remain largely the same. Charts have been created to compare and contrast these models (e.g., Eduscapes comparison chart). These charts reflect that while the models call the steps by different name and some models may add a few steps or emphasize different parts of the process there remains time after time the recognition of the information need, the search, the use, the evaluation.
Finally, given these similarities among models, it’s also important to recognize that while it is important to introduce students to information processing models, models can serve as vanguards for independent thought. In the spirit of creating independent thinkers and learners, educators should allow students flexibility to adapt these model to their own learning style.
Additional Website Introductions to Information Literacy Models
QUEST: Quality Education Support and Training
The QUEST website provides an adequate introduction to currently popular information literacy models as well as inquiry learning activities tried and tested by educators.
Eduscapes: Models
Among its many information-literacy related materials, the Eduscapes website contains a section devoted to Approaches to Information and Communication Literacy.
