Transcript Slide 1

Critical Thinking in Information
Literacy Program
Gabrielle Wong
May 2010
Introduction
This set of slides illustrates the connection between information literacy and critical
thinking. It conveys the message that:

Information literacy program can facilitate students’ intellectual development

The understanding of students' intellectual development is important for librarians
to design effective program

To help students become life-long learners, and to highlight the value of library
program in the context of university curriculum, it is important to make explicit the
cognitive components in library teaching

Active learning is a popular strategies in facilitating deep learning
2
Gabrielle Wong © 2010
Table of Contents
Introduction
Critical Thinking





No single definition
Bloom’s Taxonomy of Thinking Skills
General Concept
Critical Thinking in Information Literacy
Critical Thinking and Information Literacy
Student Development




Four Cognitive Stages: Perry’s Model
Relation to Critical Thinking
Freshmen
Implications to BI
Active Learning


What
Why
Information Literacy


3
Teaching
Promotion
Gabrielle Wong © 2010
Critical Thinking: No single definition
Philosophers
Logical reasoning in
analyzing and constructing
arguments

4
Psychologists


Problem solving process
Reflective thinking that is
focused on deciding what
to believe or do
Gabrielle Wong © 2010
Bloom’s Taxonomy of Thinking Skills
Evaluation
Synthesis
Analysis
Application
Comprehension
Recall/Knowledge
5
Gabrielle Wong © 2010
Critical Thinking: General Concept
A critical thinker
 uses “higher-order thinking skills”, such as analysis,
synthesis and evaluation
 reasons well in evaluating and constructing arguments
 has high level of self-awareness
 is open-minded
 is well-informed
 consciously controls her strategy in problem solving
 possesses both skills and attitude to rational thinking
6
Gabrielle Wong © 2010
Critical Thinking in Information Literacy
In the context of information literacy, critical thinking can
be viewed as the ability to:
 be consciously aware of one’s information needs and
options
 intentionally assess one’s effectiveness and
appropriateness of search strategies, information
selection and use
7
Gabrielle Wong © 2010
Critical Thinking and Information Literacy
Critical thinking skills
and attitudes are
necessary for being
information literate
Critical
Thinking
8
Being information
literate is essential
for critical thinkers
Information
Literacy
Gabrielle Wong © 2010
Student Development
University students are not mature adults as we expect
Understanding their intellectual growth helps us look at
our teaching from their perspectives


9
Gabrielle Wong © 2010
Four Cognitive Stages: Perry’s Model
1. Dualism – see the world as right or wrong, black or white;
have little awareness of the complexity of knowledge
2. Multiplicity – realize differences in points of view
3. Relativity – understand the complexity of knowledge;
recognize the needs to reason
4. Commitment – confident life-long learner
10
Gabrielle Wong © 2010
Relation to Critical Thinking


students at higher stages naturally use higher-order
thinking skills more often
learning critical thinking helps them to move on to higher
stages
11
Gabrielle Wong © 2010
Freshmen
Studies found that 1st-yr students are mostly dualistic:
 right/wrong; model answer
 textbook is facts
 instructors have the authoritative answers
 hard to understand different points of view
They cannot understand why
 one needs to consult different sources (“Google already
gives me THE answer”)
 the importance of evaluating information (“aren’t they all
the same?”)
12
Gabrielle Wong © 2010
Implications to BI
Much of ACRL standards require/assume students to be at
Stage 3 or 4 that our students do not get to even when
they graduate.
Our teaching should
 target at students’ developmental stages
 help them move on to higher stages
13
Gabrielle Wong © 2010
What is Active Learning
Based on the constructivist idea:
 Knowledge is a personal construction, created by
individuals as they question, experiment and experience
 New knowledge is constructed and built on previous
knowledge
 Learners take an active role in learning while the
instructor serves as a facilitator or guide
 Concepts follow action, not precede it; activity leads to
concepts
14
Gabrielle Wong © 2010
Why Adopt Active Learning




Active pedagogy is more effective than lecture, especially
for teaching information literacy using a conceptual
approach
Many studies indicate that active learning increases
student achievement and interest
It impacts the affective domain, provides opportunities for
teachers to attend to student attitudes
It lets students practice, test and refine their thinking
skills as they prepare for further challenges
15
Gabrielle Wong © 2010
Information Literacy Teaching
Direction to explore
 more concept-based than skill-based
 move from lecture type to active learning
 plan the thinking skills involved in class activities; guide
students to move from lower- to higher-order
 tier teaching themes according to students’ year of study
 consider the development in “affective domain” (feelings
and attitudes)
16
Gabrielle Wong © 2010
Information Literacy Promotion



No one in university campus understands information
literacy better than librarians
Critical thinking is a highly sought-after graduate attribute
Emphasizing the thinking element in an IL program can
help the university community see the library’s role in
facilitating students development
17
Gabrielle Wong © 2010
Your Comments, Questions and
Suggestions are most Welcomed
Gabi Wong ([email protected])
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Library