Information Literacy: Benefits, Challenges and Practical Strategies

Information literacy encapsulates the varied skills or behaviours required to make effective use of information resources. There is a growing recognition of the need for learners to develop these skills in an information age characterised by a proliferation of information of uncertain quality and reliability. From the perspective of learning and teaching in Geography, information literacy skills allow students to work more independently, to engage with the research “cutting edge”, to appreciate the plural and contested nature of the subject and to place their own work within its broader academic context.

Whilst recent technological developments have been beneficial, the limited development of information literacy skills within secondary education can pose significant problems for learners making the transition into Higher Education. This chapter considers the key conceptual frameworks, the challenges faced by students and the practical strategies than can help students to engage effectively within academic research literature.