Information Literacy

 Hey followers,

We are back again this week and our topic is on information literacy. We shall discuss what abilities information officers need to have and the standards that need to be followed when handling information.

Let me start by defining information literacy. It is the set of abilities needed by an individual to recognize information when its needed and the ability to locate, evaluate and use it effectively. This has become more important with the rapid changes in technology and the information explosion on the internet. One now needs special skills in order to sieve through the huge amounts of data available online. 

Information literacy forms the basis for lifelong learning and it is common to all disciplines including learning environments and all levels of education.

Information literacy is not all about writing or reading, no. It involves much more than that. In order to be qualified as an information literate person, you need to posses certain characteristics. I will now take time to explain some of these characteristics. One of them is that an individual should be able to determine to what extent information is needed. The information should be in the right amount and be able to solve the problem at hand. The other one is that an individual should be able to access the needed information in an effective and efficient manner. This can be achieved by having the necessary skills required. Also the individual should be able to evaluate information and its resources critically. Considering the vast amounts of information available online it is very critical that one is able to evaluate information and the credibility of its source. One of the most important skills is that you should be able incorporate the information you have selected into your knowledge base. This brings into play your analytical skills in keeping relevant information for future use.

Also of much importance is the ability to effectively use the information you have gathered to accomplish the specific purpose you needed the information for. Information gathered should be put to good use. It is also very important that information seekers understand the implication of using information. You should be able to understand the economic, legal and social issues surrounding the use of information. Information users should understand that access  and use of information should be done in an ethically and legally acceptable manner.

Let me conclude todays discussion by pointing out that information literacy is governed by competency standards that need to be followed when dealing with issues of information literacy issues. Currently there are  five standards and twenty two standards that guide use of information.

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