A rationale for information literacy as a credit-bearing discipline

Abstract

Purpose: While the need for comprehensive information literacy in today’s society is becoming increasingly apparent, and initiatives abound within local, regional, national and international educational venues, there is evidence that information literacy within higher education today is failing to meet its dual intentions of becoming credible within the academic community and pervasive within university programs. The goal of this paper is to present a more rigorous approach to information literacy as a credit-bearing discipline. Approach: Following a literature review, the paper will propose an educational rationale for information literacy as a discipline. Practical Implications: If a proper educational rationale can be determined for information literacy, this can become the basis for actual information literacy credit programming within institutions of higher education. Originality/Value: While the idea of information literacy as a liberal art or a discipline is not new, this paper is the most comprehensive attempt to date to provide a rationale for information literacy as a credit-bearing discipline.

Research is an Activity and a Subject of Study: A Proposed Metaconcept and Its Practical Application

“…Badke criticizes this approach, colorfully stating, "teaching application without teaching method and philosophy is akin to showing someone how to steer and use the brakes on a car without teaching overall driving technique and the rules of the road." 53 In writing studies, there is a similar expectation that, as Sommers and Saltz put it, students will "become master builders while they are still apprentices." 54 However, composition instruction does not generally begin and end with application the way information literacy instruction does.…”

Credit-Bearing Information Literacy Courses in Academic Libraries: Comparing Peers

“…Badke calls for IL to stand as its own discipline, complete with a specific range of foci that includes theoretical, methodological, and practical approaches. 3 Best practices in developing, delivering, and assessing credit-bearing IL courses are treated by Hollister in his compilation of the ideas and thinking of current practitioners in the field. 4 Another example considers the student perspective by studying and measuring student engagement in IL courses.…”

Overcoming the barriers to information literacy programs

“…A longtime proponent of credit-bearing information literacy courses, William Badke went so far as to say that "true information literacy will not become a reality until it is elevated to the status of an academic discipline that has a confirmed role within the curriculum" (Badke, 2008a). Badke noted that information literacy should be "lodge [d]…into the cores of majors or making them significant components of courses across the curriculum" (Badke, 2008a). He offered "Ten Reasons to Teach Information Literacy for Credit," which include classroom preparation, life-long learning, and career preparation (Badke, 2008b).…”