Information literacy is the ability to recognize an information need and resolve the need by applying critical thinking skills and by executing inquiry and research processes using competencies in other forms of literacy such as reading, visual literacy or data literacy. Simply put, to be information literate means that a student is competent at locating, evaluating, analyzing, using, creating and sharing information across content areas and platforms.

In a world that is overrun by information and where their attention is bought and sold, our students’ academic and personal success is irrevocably tied to their level of information literacy proficiency.

Research by the Stanford Historical Education Group (SHEG) tells us that students get most of their news and information from platforms via their cell phones and that students are almost universally unable to discern between accurate information and mis- or dis- information. Low-quality information such as mis- and dis- information is the foundation of poor decisions which can lead to negative personal and civic repercussions. Being able to locate and use high-quality information supports sound decision making and can lead to positive personal and civic outcomes. Every content area and discipline is subject to a preponderance of mis- and dis- information spread by uninformed influencers or bad actors through biased or unregulated communication channels.

Our goal is to teach students to be information literate; these skills promote a democratic society and can potentially be life-saving.