From the ACRL Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education (2015):
Information resources reflect their creators’ expertise and credibility, and are evaluated based on the information need and the context in which the information will be used. Authority is constructed in that various communities may recognize different types of authority. It is contextual in that the information need may help to determine the level of authority required.
The Internet has made it quicker and easier to access, create, and manipulate information, making the skills of evaluating information more important than ever. Teacher education students evaluate information during their teacher education programs, where they assess scholarly literature in order to complete research papers and other assignments, and in their everyday work. As teachers, they engage in professional development in order to keep abreast of new ideas and understandings in the field, and evaluate claims about "evidence-based practices" in education and "effective" educational technologies. Teachers also teach their PK-12 students about evaluating information, so that their students learn to think critically and develop the skills they need to be good citizens.
In an Education Context |
Teacher Preparation and EducationAs they prepare for service as educators, teacher education students:
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Teacher Professional PracticeIn their professional practice, educators:
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Teacher Pedagogy PracticeIn their instructional practice, educators:
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Additional Key Knowledge Practices and Dispositions |
Social JusticeThere are many ways for teachers to incorporate social justice ideals into their classrooms, including:
Incorporating these ideals means that teachers understand:
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Digital/Media LiteracyAs teachers develop their digital and media literacy skills, they:
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Metacognition/ReflectionAs teachers assess their information literacy processes, they:
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Example Learning Objectives and Activities |
Example Objective 1: Teacher education students will evaluate scientific claims about education. |
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About the Objective: According to the InTASC standards, teachers must "keep abreast of new ideas and understandings in the field," use "meaningful research on education issues and policies," and access and evaluate information. Similarly, the ACRL Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education states that experts are open to "changes in schools of thought," "view authority with an attitude of informed skepticism," and "understand the need to determine the validity of the information created by different authorities." Research is often used to inform or defend decisions in education policy and practice, but the quality of this research may vary. This objective asks teacher education students to evaluate scientific claims about education. Related InTASC and ISTE Standards: InTASC 4o, 5k, 10f, 10h; ISTE 2.1.c Suggested Activity:
Assessment: Students engage in performative assessment, reporting their findings to their peers. Using a rubric, peers offer feedback to the presenter. Caulfield, M. (2019, June 19). SIFT (The Four Moves). Hapgood. https://hapgood.us/2019/06/19/sift-the-four-moves/ Willingham, D. T. (2012). When can you trust the experts?: How to tell good science from bad in education. Jossey-Bass. http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/783862091 |
Example Objective 2: Teacher education students will recognize students and their families as sources of authority that should inform their teaching. |
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About the Objective: The Framework emphasizes that authority is "constructed and contextual," that biases may "privilege some sources of authority over others," and that "unlikely voices can be authoritative." Teachers often fail to recognize the knowledge and expertise of marginalized communities. Therefore, this objective gives teacher education students the opportunity to recognize PK-12 students, their families, and/or members of the community in which they teach as sources of authority. It connects well with an important concept in the field of education: "funds of knowledge" which "is based on a simple premise: people are competent and have knowledge, and their life experiences have given them that knowledge" (Gonzalez et al., 2005). Related InTASC and ISTE Standards: InTASC 4q, 9e; ISTE 2.4.d Suggested Activity:
Assessment: Ask teacher education students to reflect on how they can use the expertise and assets of the community to improve their practice. Gonzalez, N., Moll, L. C., & Amanti, C. (Eds.). (2005). Funds of knowledge : Theorizing practices in households, communities, and classrooms. Routledge. http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/506264442 |
Example Objective 3: Teacher education students will teach their PK-12 students to critically evaluate information. |
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About the Objective: It is becoming increasingly recognized that information literacy (which relates closely to digital literacy, media literacy, and civic literacy) must be taught to students at all levels and in all subject areas. The InTASC standards call for teachers to "facilitate learners' critical analysis of [multiple] perspectives" and to collaborate with librarians and media specialists, while the ISTE standards state that teachers must "establish a learning culture that promotes curiosity and critical examination of online resources and fosters digital literacy and media fluency." Therefore, teacher education students must not only develop their own information literacy skills (using the Framework), but also learn to teach information literacy skills to others. Related InTASC and ISTE Standards: InTASC 4p, 5k; ISTE 2.3.b Suggested Activity:
Assessment: Students will work in pairs, sharing their lesson plan and discussing how it could be successfully applied in the classroom to support PK-12 students’ ability to critically evaluate information. Collins, C., & Shuster, K. (2017). Learning the landscape of digital literacy. Learning for Justice. https://www.learningforjustice.org/magazine/publications/learning-the-landscape-of-digital-literacy |
The sites below can be searched for teaching activities related to Authority is Constructed and Contextual:
Relevant InTASC Standards |
Relevant ISTE Standards for Educators |
4o. Content Knowledge--Critical Dispositions: The teacher realizes that content knowledge is not a fixed body of facts but is complex, culturally situated, and ever evolving. S/he keeps abreast of new ideas and understandings in the field. 4p. Content Knowledge--Critical Dispositions: The teacher appreciates multiple perspectives within the discipline and facilitates learners' critical analysis of these perspectives. 4q. Content Knowledge--Critical Dispositions: The teacher recognizes the potential of bias in his/her representation of the discipline and seeks to appropriately address problems of bias. 5k. Application of Content--Essential Knowledge: The teacher understands the demands of accessing and managing information as well as how to evaluate issues of ethics and quality related to information and its use. 8o. Instructional Strategies--Essential Knowledge: The teacher understands how content and skill development can be supported by media and technology and knows how to evaluate these resources for quality, accuracy, and effectiveness. 9e. Professional Learning and Ethical Practice--Performances: The teacher reflects on his/her personal biases and accesses resources to deepen his/her own understanding of cultural, ethnic, gender, and learning differences to build stronger relationships and create more relevant learning experiences. 10f. Leadership and Collaboration--Performances: The teacher engages in professional learning, contributes to the knowledge and skill of others, and works collaboratively to advance professional practice. 10h. Leadership and Collaboration--Performances: The teacher uses and generates meaningful research on education issues and policies. |
From International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) Standards for Educators: 2.1.c. Learner: Stay current with research that supports improved student learning outcomes, including findings from the learning sciences. 2.2.a. Leader: Shape, advance and accelerate a shared vision for empowered learning with technology by engaging with education stakeholders. 2.2.c. Leader: Model for colleagues the identification, exploration, evaluation, curation and adoption of new digital resources and tools for learning. 2.3.b. Citizen: Establish a learning culture that promotes curiosity and critical examination of online resources and fosters digital literacy and media fluency. 2.4.d. Collaborator: Demonstrate cultural competency when communicating with students, parents and colleagues and interact with them as co-collaborators in student learning. |
Mapping the ACRL Framework to the AAC&U VALUE Rubric |
Relevant Articles |
For a curated annotated bibliography of recent scholarship that may be helpful to librarians, teacher education faculty, and teachers who are working with the concept of Authority in the classroom, click here.