Information literacy instructions have for a long time focused on a push-and-find approach, where literacy is determined by ability to define an information need, find places or collections to visit to search for the needed information, and knowing which buttons to push in a specific database or library or web search engine to find and retrieve the information we need. So in an attempt to provide structure for this process and to ensure the effective application of information literacy process, the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) Standard Committee developed the Information Literacy Competency Standard. This was also an endeavour to move information literacy instructions beyond just demonstrating database skills and just learning to push buttons.
However, recent technological developments have impacted developments in information creation, use and sharing behaviours, shifting the way people learn information literacy skills. Consequently, ACRL, considering key concepts in information literacy, developed a theoretical and philosophical framework in 2010 to guide information literacy learning. Nevertheless, key concepts in this new Framework for Information Literacy do not appear easy for learners to understand. That is why Joanna M. Burkhardt’s Teaching Information Literacy Reframed is a must read for all who seek information and knowledge as a lifelong learning process. The Information Literacy Framework has six threshold concepts, which learners need to understand to become information literacy experts. The book carefully discusses that these threshold concepts only point to the destination of becoming an expert, but every learner will need to follow their own path of learning information literacy.
The first chapter of the book gives a general overview of how the framework was developed and briefly explains the threshold concepts of the Information Literacy Framework and how they were developed. The middle six chapters are dedicated to fully discussing each of the six threshold concepts, which are Scholarship as Conversation, Research as Inquiry, Authority, Information Creation as a Process, Searching as Strategic Exploration and Information has a Value. The last chapter shows how to create exercises, rubrics, learning objectives and learning assessments deriving from these.
Burkhardt’s rich experience in researching about information literacy teaching and her skills in developing assessment frameworks for information literacy learning are fully demonstrated in the book. There are around 10 different framework-based exercises at the end of each chapter to help readers understand the techniques of developing information literacy instructions and assessments. This book is useful to gain initial ideas about the information literacy teaching and learning processes. Apart from some unclear referencing issues on page 2, the book’s rich reference base can lead readers to a further understanding of key concepts in information literacy and lifelong learning.
The Open Polytechnic of New Zealand
© 2016 Eric Boamah
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00049670.2016.1250614