Knowledge, thinking, and participation

The terms for this model have been chosen carefully – it’s information fluency, not digital fluency. Many parts of the information fluency model are analog, or comprised of characteristics for which the digital/analog terminology isn’t germane. It is fluency, not literacy. Anyone who has learned– or attempted to learn– a foreign language should intuitively understand the distinction between literacy and fluency: with the former, one can get around; with the latter one can express themselves creatively.

Information Fluency is a model that builds on the skills of traditional digital literacy, integrating technology with domain (discipline) specific knowledge, critical thinking, presentation, participation and communication skills.

DOMAIN KNOWLEDGE

Domain knowledge is the “stuff” we teach. However, this is not limited to discipline-specific information and facts, but also:– knowledge of information resources such as publications, databases, search tools, web resources, etc.– understanding of enthusiasts and professionals– tools needed to browse and explore information and for storing, retrieving and sharing such information

CRITICAL THINKING

Critical thinking is something every educator thinks about and probably has a pet definition for. The intent with the Information Fluency model is that critical thinking is represented by the ability to:– analyze and evaluate information; create parallels– conceptualize and integrate new learning– formulate and answer questions to use knowledge for problem-solving– paying attention to oneself– modifying one’s own behavior to improve understanding and ability

PRESENTATION AND PARTICIPATION

Presentation and participation represent a trend toward increased emphasis on learning community, both inside and outside the classroom.

Presentation and participation include traditional activities, such as in-class presentations and readings, but also new activities and forums possible due to the affordances of technology, including participation in discussion boards, collaborative activities using tools like wikis and VoiceThreads, blogging and participation in social networks. Including:

the ability to create effective presentations designed for a specific audience using the appropriate media

comprehension of context, tone and basic rhetoric– knowledge to re-purpose information successfully for use in new contexts

a developed capacity for handling, evaluating, and integrating commentary and criticism from others

an understanding of the value of self-reflection

The three areas of the triad work together to create Information Fluency. But what happens when the triad isn’t complete? Any combination of just two of them reaches a different, possibly incomplete result– the proverbial two-legged stool! To find out more, see the Information Fluency discussion at http://ecampus.uaf.edu/go/if.