When it comes to information, we live in a world of instant gratification. At the touch of a button we can virtually find out anything we would like.  With millions of sites floating around the web, the sheer volume of information can become overwhelming for most people. I think that the reason students (myself included) stick to sites such as Google and Wikipedia, is because they are easy to access and quick to provide answers.  

As teachers we must try and alleviate the overwhelming feeling which limits the student's research.  Students need to grasp what kind of information they are looking for, how to determine if it is reputable, how to search for bias, how to analyze it, and how to effectively communicate it.  All of the above mentioned “how to’s” are components of ITSE, CCSS, and 21st Century Skills.

 

As a student I didn’t go to Wikipedia for fun or to make my teacher angry, I did it because I felt like there was no other option. With hundreds of other resources to choose from, I resorted to the only one I knew was somewhat accurate.  It wasn’t until College that I received advice and guidance on how to perform research.  For the classes that I had to write 10-20 page papers, our teachers collaborated with Library personnel and actually had 2-3 “how to” research classes.  I think that utilizing available resources such as the knowledge and expertise of others, is a great idea to promote information literacy.  The librarians were experts on the school website, on how to search for scholarly articles, and why to search for them.  We weren't just told not to use Wikipedia, rather we were shown why and what alternative options were available.  

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