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Would you like to add your name to a call for information literacy (IL) to be recognised as a key pillar of the school education system? If so, please consider signing the attached statement and help to influence the future shape of the curriculum.
IL is the ability to think critically and make balanced judgements about any information we find and use. It empowers us as citizens to develop informed views and to engage fully with society. It is closely aligned with similar and overlapping concepts, such as media literacy, digital literacy, news literacy and critical literacy.
While the need for IL has been widely recognised by stakeholders across the UK education sectors, as well as by employers and representatives of civil society, such recognition has not yet led to anything approaching a coherent strategy or programme of IL education. The statement therefore calls for the development of school education policies and practices that foster inquisitiveness, informed, inquiry-led learning and critical thinking. IL is an integral part of this desired outcome. It is recognised that the school curriculum is not about to change quickly. It is understood too that the huge disruptions brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic mean that educationalists and teachers have their hands more than full right now. But we are living through a time of disruption, and perhaps this is the moment to start reflecting anew on the fundamentals of what we expect from school education.
Please click here if you’d like to add your name as a signatory.