The development of an online information literacy tutorial for Greek high school students

Abstract

Information literacy can be defined as the set of skills required to identify information sources, access, evaluate and use information appropriately, effectively and ethically. Emerging technologies and information trends shape a new, complex and challenging information landscape, where information literacy, accompanied by other literacies, including textual, visual, digital and technological, is fundamental for learning, personal growth and success in school and in life. Developing information literacy competencies to a satisfactory level is one of the main goals of educational programs at all levels, from primary to tertiary education. This paper presents the development of “Hypatia”, an online information literacy tutorial for students attending upper secondary schools in Greece. The tutorial is based on the Big6 model, which is one of the most widely used approaches to teaching information and technology skills. It includes six modules, which can be used either in a linear or pick-and-mix style : (i) task definition, (ii) information seeking strategies, (iii) location and access, (iv) use of information, (v) synthesis, and (vi) evaluation. The tutorial encompasses some constructivist elements in the sense that is student-centered, it is flexible, it personalizes the problem-solving process, it encourages active learning and reflective evaluation. When designing the product the authors tried to use multimedia facilities as a vehicle for achieving pedagogical goals.