The Information Literacy Process

	Defining What is the problem I have to solve? What are the main ideas? What information do I need? What do I already know? What more do I need to find out? How can I use focus questions to help me organise the task? What are the keywords that will help me?
	Locating Where can I find the information I need? Which sources best meet my needs? Which sources do I already have? Where can I find those resources I don't have? Do I need help to find the resources? Do I need help to access or use these resources?
	Selecting How can I search these sources effectively? Are there any clues and cues to help me? Which main ideas am I looking for? Which search terms will help me find these? How will I know that the information is recent, relevant, accurate and unbiased? How will I record the information I find? How will I credit my sources?
	Organising How can I organise this information so that I can understand it better? Does it need to be in a special order? How can I arrange it so that it is easily understood by others? Have I solved the problem? Have I answered my focus questions? Do I need more information?
	Presenting How can I share this information with other people? Who will be my audience? What is the purpose of the presentation? Which would be the best format to meet these needs? What do I need to do with this presentation? Have I included everything I want to share?
	Assessing What have I learned from this? Did I answer my focus questions? Did I use the rubric to ensure I did all the things I needed to do? Did I manage my time well? How have my skills improved? Which parts did I do really well? Which parts would I change if I did the assignment again? Which parts do I need support with in the future?
	Reflecting Where to from here? How does what I have learned connect with what I already knew? How have my knowledge and understanding changed? What will I remember for the rest of my life? How does it help me make sense of the world? Now that I know this, how can I use it?

Information Literacy is regarded as an Across the Curriculum Perspective, which means that it is to be embedded within all the Key Learning Areas. Each of the KLAs incorporates an Information Literacy strand which focuses on processes specific to that KLA.



Why Information Literacy?

Our students will live in a world where the only certainty will be change. If they are to manage their lives fulfil their dreams they will need to become independent lifelong learners able to make intelligent and informed decisions.

Therefore, we are committed to helping our students develop the skills needed to

• access and use resources in print, pictorial and electronic formats
• understand and use effective and efficient research strategies
• select, interpret, evaluate and use information from all sources and media
• expand their own knowledge base and understanding of the world and its people
• think critically and make decisions according to personal needs, beliefs and values as well as factual evidence
• share information and opinions and be able to justify these through reasonable argument
• understand and respect the values and beliefs of other cultures

What is Information Literacy?

If you are information literate, you are able to

• know when you have a need for information
• find the information you need
• evaluate it and use it effectively to meet your needs
• reflect on it and where appropriate assimilate it into your existing knowledge
• apply it to solve similar problems in new situations
• use it to construct new information

How can I become information literate?

The Information Literacy Process is a guide to help you meet your information needs. It is a process which can be used whenever information is required, and modified to meet your needs and circumstances. It is based on how we believe you learn and encourages you to become an independent, lifelong learner.