Debate topics: August 2002

Dear all

A clarification is offered in response to the comment by Brad Jones. He raised a concern with the idea that people with higher IL skills were likely to perform better academically.

MY Responses to what he wrote:

We are discussing information literacy, not library use.
My aim is to pursuade students that improving their IL skills can help them pass. This is especially targetted at the lesser achievers and especially those who see learning as a chore to get through with minimum effort.
My goal is to encourage improved long term outcomes through IL (ie developing lifelong learners), but I recognise that some people need a more immediate benefit. Hence the appeal to the "immediate" benefit of passing.
Nowhere have I suggested 'eliminating' people.
I find it hard to see how a person could be an 'excellent' professional if they are not a lifelong learner - and hence information literate.

Ralph Catts

Ralph Catts PhD
Faculty of Education, Health, and Professional Studies

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