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Journalism students and information competencies.

Article Excerpt
Abstract

Higher education's commitment to developing information literacy competencies in all students raises particular opportunities and responsibilities for instructional librarians to partner with journalism programs. This paper presents the information needs of professional journalists within the framework of the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) Standards for Information Literacy Competencies, the need for librarians to advocate information literacy education for journalism students, and the importance of this instruction in preparing students for employment in journalism, and in contributing to an improvement in news media quality, and thereby the development of a better informed citizenry.

Background

The Information Literacy Competencies Standards for Higher Education adopted in 2000 by the Association of College and Research (ACRL) identifies the development of information literacy in students as a central component in higher education's responsibility to prepare students for lifelong learning. The ACRL document notes that information literacy augments students' competencies in evaluating, managing, and using information, and hence is now considered by several regional and discipline-based accreditation associations as a key outcome for college students. (1)

If education for information competencies is necessary for all students in higher education, it is particularly crucial for students preparing for careers in journalism. Journalism itself is an important component of the information industry, drawing heavily on previously published information, as well as the gathering of new data to provide the public with the production of new information (news).The proliferation of electronic resources for researchers, especially the World Wide Web, signals new challenges and responsibilities for instructional librarians in partnering with journalism programs at both undergraduate and graduate levels. While there is a tendency to view information literacy for journalism students within a training framework, and while this view certainly has merit, there are larger issues that accentuate the social responsibility for such instruction to journalism students. The development of advanced information competencies for journalism students offers an opportunity not only to provide students with a competitive edge in the job market, but also an opportunity to enhance the quality of journalistic reporting, and thereby contribute to qualitative improvement in the level of public discourse in society.

Information Literacy Defined

Information literacy may be defined as "a set of abilities requiring individuals to 'recognize when information is needed and have the ability to locate, evaluate and use effectively the needed information.'"(2) The new electronic information environment, characterized by a proliferation of information resources available on the Internet, the dramatic increase in public access to "unfiltered" information, and the widespread availability of new formats of information (video, audio, as well as written), accentuates the importance of evaluative skills. Information literacy competencies are differentiated from simple computer or technology literacy. While fluency in...

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