The Framework, re-framed in "plain English" for students and faculty. The goal was to make the ACRL Framework easier to understand (many people don't use iterative in everyday conversation, for example) and to make the connection between information literacy and institutional mission/vision and learning outcomes clear.

Cover photo by geraldo stanislas on Unsplash

Deb Baker created this after consulting with faculty, librarians, and colleagues from around the country. The idea was to create a practical tool for assessing information literacy that anyone could use, was easy to norm, and focused on what students could do and where research instruction could be improved to increase students' information literacy. This rubric can help improve student success and information literacy learning outcomes in research assignments for any course. Used early in the semester it can serve as a diagnostic tool for supporting student researchers in developing the skills and habits of mind needed to successfully find and use information to answer a question, support a thesis, or solve a problem. Students could even use it to self-assess.

Cover photo by Glenn Carstens-Peters on Unsplash

What is information literacy? Simply put, it's the skills and habits that allow you to find and use information. At MCC it is a Core Learning Outcome -- one of the areas you will demonstrate competency in before you graduate. In the Academic Catalog, MCC states that Information Literacy is:

"The ability to know when there is a need for information, to be able to identify, locate, evaluate and effectively and responsibly use and share that information for the problem at hand."

The way information literacy is assessed at MCC is through research assignments. When you see instructions that ask you to find, use and cite sources, you're doing research.

This course will help you succeed in research assignments.

It is divided into five self-paced chapters that progress through the stages of a student research process. Each chapter should take roughly 30 minutes to complete, and covers two to three learning outcomes that align with the Framework for Information Literacy in Higher Education, adopted by the Association of College & Research Libraries (ACRL) in 2016.

This course is adapted by Deb Baker from "Information Literacy for College Students" by Amanda Burbage & Olivia Reinauer, licensed under CC BY 4.0. Many resources included in the course have been reused/remixed and may hold different versions of Creative Commons licenses. Please note that if you use or adapt any of the individual resources this course, you should abide by the licensing for that specific resource.

Created by a librarian and science communication professional for COVID Alliance Senior Support team of New Hampshire, an all volunteer effort supporting long term care and other senior residential facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. This tool provides communication tips and links to resources for understanding and responding to vaccine hesitancy. Useful for any courses dealing with this topic or with misinformation and trust, such as librarianship, information literacy, public health, and behavioral science.