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Information Literacy: Information Has Value

Information Has Value - 
Citation elements are consistent, topic is in context

From the Framework

Knowledge Practices

Learners who are developing their information literate abilities

  • give credit to the original ideas of others through proper attribution and citation;
  • understand that intellectual property is a legal and social construct that varies by culture;
  • articulate the purpose and distinguishing characteristics of copyright, fair use, open access, and the public domain;
  • understand how and why some individuals or groups of individuals may be underrepresented or systematically marginalized within the systems that produce and disseminate information;
  • recognize issues of access or lack of access to information sources;
  • decide where and how their information is published;
  • understand how the commodification of their personal information and online interactions affects the information they receive and the information they produce or disseminate online;
  • make informed choices regarding their online actions in full awareness of issues related to privacy and the commodification of personal information.

Dispositions

Learners who are developing their information literate abilities

  • respect the original ideas of others;
  • value the skills, time, and effort needed to produce knowledge;
  • see themselves as contributors to the information marketplace rather than only consumers of it;
  • are inclined to examine their own information privilege.

Mapped to the LEAP Standards

Capstone

4

Milestones

3                                                                  2

Benchmark

1

Understands that information possesses several dimensions of value, including as a commodity, as a means of education, as a means to influence, and as a means of negotiation and understanding the world. Understands that information is impacted by legal, sociopolitical, and economic interests.

Begins to understand that information possesses several dimensions of value. Understands that information is impacted by legal, sociopolitical, and economic interests.

Marginally understands that information has several dimensions. Is beginning to understand that information can be impacted by legal, sociopolitical, and economic interests.

Has trouble understanding that information has several dimensions. Does not identify that information can be impacted by legal, sociopolitical, and economic interests.

Assignment Ideas

  • Time is money. Ask students to blog for a week about their life of information, noting their information needs and the associated costs of getting that information. What are the associated costs if they cannot find the information, and what are the benefits of getting the information? For example, if a student cannot find a FAFSA form in time, or how to complete it, or the details to provide within the form, they lose out on scholarships.
  • Ask students to find several images that would enhance the project or paper on which they are working. Then ask them to determine which can be used without asking permission. What would they need to do to use this material?
  • Assign students to read a timely article connected to information ethics in the field of study as a discussion starter.
  • Discern between the economic processes behind different types of information, e.g. newspaper articles vs. 24-hour TV news, edited academic volume vs. popular title on a top 10 list.
  • Ask students to determine what information they can find about themselves or a relative online, and to assess whether steps should be taken to control this personal information.