Information Literacy @ UNH

NECHE Standards Citing Information Literacy

NECHE (formerly NEASC) revised their Standards for Accreditation in 2016, in which they eliminated the entire Standard 7: Library & Other Information Resources; but highlights information literacy in Standard Four: The Academic Program:

Assuring Academic Quality
4.12 Expectations for student achievement, independent learning, information literacy, skills in inquiry, and critical judgment are appropriate to the subject matter and degree level and in keeping with generally accepted practice.

Undergraduate Degree Programs
4.15 Graduates successfully completing an undergraduate program demonstrate competence in written and oral communication in English; the ability for scientific and quantitative reasoning, for critical analysis and logical thinking; and the capability for continuing learning, including the skills of information literacy.  They also demonstrate knowledge and understanding of scientific, historical, and social phenomena, and a knowledge and appreciation of the aesthetic and ethical dimensions of humankind.

Frames

Authority Is Constructed and Contextual
Information Creation as a Process
Information Has Value
Research as Inquiry
Scholarship as Conversation
Searching as Strategic Exploration

The Association of College and Research Libraries' Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education had been endorsed by the American Association for Higher Education and the Council of Independent Colleges before being superseded by the Framework. They were and continue to be recognized and used by libraries and educational institutions worldwide. They can be found, along with more detailed outcomes, at ACRL's website. Librarians have used these standards when planning research instruction sessions; you may consider building some into your course outcomes as well.

Standard One: The information literate student determines the nature and extent of the information needed.

Performance Indicators:

1. The information literate student defines and articulates the need for information.
2. The information literate student identifies a variety of types and formats of potential sources for information.
3. The information literate student considers the costs and benefits of acquiring the needed information.
4. The information literate student reevaluates the nature and extent of the information need.

Standard Two: The information literate student accesses needed information effectively and efficiently.

Performance Indicators:

1. The information literate student selects the most appropriate investigative methods or information retrieval systems for accessing the needed information.
2. The information literate student constructs and implements effectively-designed search strategies.
3. The information literate student retrieves information online or in person using a variety of methods.
4. The information literate student refines the search strategy if necessary.
5. The information literate student extracts, records, and manages the information and its sources.

Standard Three: The information literate student evaluates information and its sources critically and incorporates selected information into his or her knowledge base and value system.

Performance Indicators:

1. The information literate student summarizes the main ideas to be extracted from the information gathered.
2. The information literate student articulates and applies initial criteria for evaluating both the information and its sources.
3. The information literate student synthesizes main ideas to construct new concepts.
4. The information literate student compares new knowledge with prior knowledge to determine the value added, contradictions, or other unique characteristics of the information.
5. The information literate student determines whether the new knowledge has an impact on the individual’s value system and takes steps to reconcile differences.
6. The information literate student validates understanding and interpretation of the information through discourse with other individuals, subject-area experts, and/or practitioners.
7. The information literate student determines whether the initial query should be revised.

Standard Four: The information literate student, individually or as a member of a group, uses information effectively to accomplish a specific purpose.

Performance Indicators:

1. The information literate student applies new and prior information to the planning and creation of a particular product or performance.
2. The information literate student revises the development process for the product or performance.
3. The information literate student communicates the product or performance effectively to others.

Standard Five: The information literate student understands many of the economic, legal, and social issues surrounding the use of information and accesses and uses information ethically and legally.

Performance Indicators:

1. The information literate student understands many of the ethical, legal and socio-economic issues surrounding information and information technology.
2. The information literate student follows laws, regulations, institutional policies, and etiquette related to the access and use of information resources.
3. The information literate student acknowledges the use of information sources in communicating the product or performance.