Philosophical Shift: Teach the Faculty to Teach Information Literacy

Abstract

Integrating information literacy throughout the undergraduate curriculum is limited as long as librarians insist on doing the instruction themselves, because staffing is inadequate to support full-fledged, integrated instruction programs. Instead, librarians should train and assist the faculty to teach information literacy in their courses. Essential elements which will enable faculty to embrace and teach information literacy include: faculty recognition of information literacy as a core component of undergraduate instruction; adequate training for faculty in the use of information systems and services; adequate education of faculty in techniques and activities that can be used to develop student information literacy; librarian committment to a focus on faculty development and collaboration; and development of the library as a physical and virtual learning environment. A "teach the teacher" approach provides a realistic way of reaching more students in more courses.