Information Literacy Assessment Strategies

The ACRL 6 information literacy standards mentioned in the previous posting are meant to be instructional design guidelines. Each standard has several performance indicators and outcomes.

Here is a summary of the first standard:

An information literacy learner can determine the type and depth of information needed
Performance indicator	Outcomes
1. Learner knows their need for information	a) Communicates with classmates to identify research information need b) Creates a thesis statement and questions based on information need c) Becomes familiar with topic through general information sources d) Modifies information need into manageable content e) Identifies key search words f) Synthesizes existing information to produce new information
2. Learner can identify various information types and formats as sources	a) Knows the formal and informal types of information organization b) Knows the disciplines of information organization c) Knows the value and differences of various media formats d) Distinguishes audience of resources (popular vs. scholarly) e) Knows the difference between primary and secondary sources f) Realizes the need to at times construct information from raw data
3. Leaner knows cost and benefits of finding information	a) Can broaden search beyond local sources (e.g., interlibrary loan) b) Considers the realistic time involved in finding information
4. Learner can reevaluate the nature and extent of information	a) Revises and refines initial information need b) Articulates how information gathering decisions were made

One of the questions in researching about information literacy that I have had involves determining how to best assess these standards within instruction. In practice, the group project that I am involved in with the IDE 611 class is using information literacy standards to help guide our instructional design. However, a challenge we are facing is how to assess that a learner is indeed, for instance, ‘identifying key search words’. Through this process I am hoping to look at assessment as a way to best design instruction.

Perhaps a checklist such as this one could help with the process:

Communicates with classmates to identify research information need	Does the learner share with classmates and teacher the challenges faced in finding what information is needed?
Creates a thesis statement and questions based on information need	Does the learner’s information need influence research thesis and questions?
Becomes familiar with topic through general information sources	Is the learner exploring general information sources? (e.g., wiki, blog, newspapers)
Modifies information need into manageable content	Is the learner modifying search topics into manageable forms? (e.g., narrowing down search terms and using Boolean operators)
Identifies key search words	Is the learner using appropriate keyword searches?

By using the standards as guidelines, an instructional designer can create ideal learning situations and assess them in a meaningful way. Perhaps then, its not so much a matter of determining who is better at using the technology (digital natives or digital immigrants) but HOW they use the technology.