CIE to host workshop on information literacy

Faculty members and teaching assistants interested in exploring information literacy as it applies to their courses are invited to a workshop on April 21 hosted by Purdue's Center for Instructional Excellence.

The workshop, "What is Information Literacy?" will be held from 10:30 to 11:45 a.m. in Hicks Undergraduate Library, Room B853. April Grotberg, a PhD student in linguistics who holds master's degrees in library and information science and linguistics, will lead the session. 

As part of Purdue's Undergraduate Outcomes-based Core Curriculum, students are required to achieve a certain level of proficiency in five areas, including information literacy (IL).

Along with written and oral communication, information literacy is a set of skills that students will apply throughout their lives, regardless of what type of career they choose. Even personal research into health-related topics or buying a house requires a certain level of information literacy. Although often associated with the Libraries, ensuring that students actually meet information literacy goals is everyone's responsibility.

This workshop will help develop a better understanding of:

* What information literacy is (and is not).

* The typical IL backgrounds of domestic and international students.

* The specific set of IL skills in the Purdue core.

* How instructors can help students attain those skills outside of IL-focused courses.

For graduate students, participation in the workshop counts toward the Graduate Teacher Certificate program sponsored by the Purdue Teaching Academy.

Registration for the session can be found at www.purdue.edu/cie/workshops/workshops4.html.