1. Power Searching the Internet Illinois Computing Educators Conference
March 2, 2006

2. What was the last thing you searched for on the Internet?
Did you find it?
How long did it take?
Were you totally happy with the answer?
When your students ask you a question about their Internet searches are you comfortable with your answers?

3. 21st Century Information Fluency
The goal of this program is to build the capacity of librarians, educators and students in Illinois to
Locate
Evaluate
Ethically use digital information resources
Funded by a Grant from the US Department of Education, Funds for the Improvement of Education
Envisioned as a 3-5 year project to work with 1200 Middle and High Schools in Illinois. We are now in our 4th year
Create a National Model

4. 21st Century Information Fluency
Information Literacy can be defined as “the ability to locate, evaluate and use information”
21st Century Information Fluency is a sub-set of Information Literacy that is the combination of aspects of Information Literacy and Technology Literacy that people need to locate, evaluate and use digital information resources - efficiently, effectively and ethically
We call it “fluency” rather than “literacy” to emphasize that the abilities involved are more than basic abilities
Traditional Library Skills
Technology Skills

5. Challenges to K-12 educators in a digital age
Vastness of Digital Resources
Quantity over Quality
Digital Immigrants teaching Digital Natives
Both groups struggle to find information they need and to evaluate its worth
Ability to Evaluate a Credible Website
Information Source Stored
.03%
7.75%
92.22%
"How Much Information? 2003”, ([cited 30 July 2004]);
available from World Wide

6. Does This Look Like Help?
Research
Tools, Examples, and Challenges for Students
Learning Events for Educators
Sharing Information and Facilitating Discussions Between and Among Educators on How to Teach and Integrate into Curriculum

7. -Featured Items
-Digital Information Fluency Model
-Left Side Drop Down Menu always in view
-Login ONLY required to update
-Everything (that is ready) is available to you to read, download etc.

8. Handout

9. -Expanding Hierarchical Menu always in view

18. Learning Experiences for Educators
Online Courses
Workshops
Online Webinars

19. Funding Status Our grant has not been renewed for the FY07 Year
We are funded through 6/30/06
It is IMSA’s intent to keep the project and the website running
We must focus on finding new funds to keep the project alive
Since 2002, We have received 4 grants, each of which spans 2 calendar years such that they overlap
The current grant expires 6/30/2007
The money is not spent equally over the 2 years– the major portion is spent in the first year

20. Funding Status (Continued)
We are looking at alternative Government and Corporate grants, but the lead time frames are long
Therefore we are looking for ways to be self-sustaining
We are looking at a subscription model
Monthly or Bi-weekly newsletter, and access to website materials
National/International Audience
Target ~$50 per person per year

21. Contact Us!