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Science and Technology Section (STS): Information Literacy

Information Literacy Standards for Science and Engineering/Technology

Woman presenting

The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions. (2014, Aug. 20). IFLA WLIC 2014 Session 191: Education for Information Literacy Practice. Retrieved from https://www.flickr.com/photos/ifla/14802599589.

The Framework for Information Literacy and former standards can guide librarians on the ideas and perspectives that ground their instruction and support of students, faculty, and researchers. The frameworks below share information literacy concepts centered in science disciplines and can include examples of 'information literacy' in practice. After considering information literacy frames for your work, continue learning how other librarians effect these frames in their day-to-day practices in teaching and assessment.

Science-specific Framework resources

  • Bryan, J. E., & Karshmer, E. (2015). Using IL threshold concepts for biology: Bees, butterflies, and beetles. College & Research Libraries News, 76(5): 251-255. https://doi.org/10.5860/crln.76.5.9310
  • Cowden, C., & Santiago, M. (2016). Interdisciplinary Explorations: Promoting Critical Thinking via Problem-Based Learning in an Advanced Biochemistry Class. Journal of Chemical Education, 93(3), 464-69. 10.1021/acs.jchemed.5b00378 http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acs.jchemed.5b00378
  • Knapp, M., & Brower, S. (2014). The ACRL Framework for Information Literacy in Higher Education: Implications for health sciences librarianship. Medical Reference Services Quarterly, 33(4), 460-468. doi:10.1080/02763869.2014.957098 http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02763869.2014.957098
  • Kuglitsch, R. Z. (2015). Teaching for transfer: Reconciling the Framework with disciplinary information literacy. portal: Libraries and the Academy, 15(3): 457-470. doi:10.1353/pla.2015.0040 http://muse.jhu.edu/article/586067
  • Stuart, R. B., & McEwen, L. R. (2016). The safety "Use Case": Co-developing chemical information management and laboratory safety skills. Journal of Chemical Education, 93(3), 516-526. doi:10.1021/acs.jchemed.5b00511 http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acs.jchemed.5b00511
    • an example of practically applying the “Research as Inquiry” and “Authority is Constructed and Contextual” frames to learn laboratory safety
  • Phillips, M., & Lucchesi, S., & Sams, J., & van Susante, P. J. (2015, June). Using direct information literacy assessment to improve mechanical engineering student learning - a report on rubric analysis of student research assignments. Paper presented at 2015 ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition, Seattle, Washington. doi:10.18260/p.24999 https://peer.asee.org/24999
    • provides a practical example of how to incorporate the “Searching as Strategic Exploration” frame in a junior level mechanical engineering course
       
  • Meier, John J. (2015). Rapid prototyping active learning: Aligning your favorite teaching within the Framework. Retrieved from https://c.ymcdn.com/sites/www.palibraries.org/resource/collection/18956736-D7F3-48B9-949C-9C449533991C/Breakout_2.1_Rapid_Prototyping_presentation.pdf
    • presentation at PA Forward Information Literacy Summit 2015, University Park, PA about work with the MATH311W class – Discrete Mathematics – and incorporating these frames from the Framework: Authority is Constructed and Contextual, Scholarship as Conversation, & Information has Value