Information and digital literacy in education via the digital path

Today there are opportunities to integrate information literacy into interdisciplinary fields such as Ethnic Studies including African American Studies. According to the Encyclopedia of the World of Sociology, “African American Studies is an academic discipline that focuses on the cultural, political, economic, religious, and social development of black Americans. First established in American universities in the late 1960s, African American Studies Departments were, in part, the product of student protests and the social climate created by the Civil Rights movement and the Black Power movement.” In this interview, Librarian A.J. Muhammad shares his experiences incorporating research and information literacy skills into his work at The New York Public Library’s Schomburg Center For Research Black Culture.

Introduction. Grounded in Alexander’s model of domain learning, this study presents an integrated micro-model of information literacy. It is predicated upon the central importance of domain learning for the development of the requisite research skills by students.
Method. The authors reviewed previous models of information literacy and inquiry-based learning to create a new model. A systematic review of research studies from cognitive development, learning theory and information science literature was conducted to demonstrate how domain learning provides the requisite knowledge and interest for students to apply the concepts and skills of information literacy.
Results. Novices and experts exhibit marked differences in their information gathering and online searching capabilities and strategies based on their levels of domain knowledge and interest.
Conclusions. The integrated information literacy model and research findings show how librarians and college faculty can collaborate in new partnerships to strengthen disciplinary information literacy in undergraduate curricula. Specific recommendations are given for how teaching techniques can be improved to enhance the development of information literacy skills for online searching and information evaluation and to foster greater domain learning.

This bibliography contains a collection of web sites and online resources that pertain to information literacy sources for scientific disciplines. This web bibliography, or "webliography", contains links and descriptions of web sites that cover general and background information on information literacy and general science as well as specific sciences. It includes instruction tools such as tutorials and assessment information, image collections and networking tools for science librarians. This webliography is useful for science librarians who are charged with providing instruction to science students and faculty in various disciplines.