Example of Practical Problem for Information Literacy Assessment

 

 

Problem or Issue:  You want to buy a computer for home use and light business use.  Your budget is $2000.00.

 

1)  Form criteria for computer based on print and internet sources.

2)  Locate vendors.

3)  Get information on vendors and their computer models.

4)   Narrow down choices based on preferred vendors and budget and criteria.

5)  Choose a computer.

 

You must provide a clear selections process and a bibliography of all sources used in your selection process.

Example of Practical Problem for Information Literacy Assessment

Teaching Note

 

Objectives:

• To select and access information from appropriate sources.
• To use a variety of information technologies to acquire information.
• To critically analyze and evaluate information gathered.
• To organize and process information in a form thati s useful in acquiring knowledge and making decisions.
• To apply information for effective and creative decision making.

 

1)  Form criteria for computer based on print and internet sources.

            a.  ABI/Inform natural language search (“How to buy a computer”)

            b.  Google Search (“How to buy a computer”)

 

2)  Locate vendors.

            a.  From above sources

            b.  Google search (home computer vendors)

 

3)  Get information on vendors and their computer models.

            a.  Vendor websites

            b.  Vists to retail locations

 

4)   Narrow down choices based on preferred vendors and budget and criteria.

            a.  Comparison table or matrix.

 

5)  Choose a computer.

 

 

 

Assessment issues or tools:

 

Evaluate list of web sources

Evaluate list of print sources

Require research log or annotate bibliography

 

 

Cynthia Frownfelter Lohrke, Ph.D., CPA

May 1, 2003

Samford University

Birmingham, Alabama