Information Overload

According to the National Forum on Information Literacy, information literacy is defined as "the ability to know when there is a need for information, to be able to identify, locate, evaluate, and effectively use that information for the issue or problem at hand".

Students and teachers who use technology can be overwhelmed at the shear volume of information that is available via the Internet. Information literacy, as it speaks to technology, is a new skill that must be taught so that students can "identify, locate, evaluate, and effectively use" the information they find on web sites, in chat rooms, and other online resources.

One information literacy strategy that has become popular is The Big6. The Big6 outlines six steps that students, or anyone, complete as they find and use information in their learning. The six steps are:

1. Task Definition
2. Information Seeking Strategies
3. Location and Access
4. Use of Information
5. Synthesis
6. Evaluation

The Big6 site also includes lessons, links, and research on the effectiveness of using the Big6 strategy. Even though these steps can sometimes be completed automatically or without thinking, it is becoming increasingly necessary to actually teach these skills to students. The Big6 site has created Big6 for Kids to help students in all grades master these skills.

Information Accuracy

As students rely more heavily on the Internet for research, it has become increasingly necessary to teach them how to discern the "good" information from the "bad". Anyone can post information on their web site and call it true, no matter whether it is or not.

Grammar of the Internet is a site created by Alan November, a leader in educational technology. On this page are many resources and activities that can aid both students and teachers in determining web site validity.