ITLS: Overview of Information and Technology Literacy

Today's society is witnessing an unprecedented explosion of information and knowledge. In an environment where information is doubling every three to five years and technology is providing increased access to previously restricted or unknown information sources, students face both difficult challenges and unlimited opportunities. The successful students, workers, and citizens of tomorrow will be self-directed, lifelong learners who use information and technology competencies to access and evaluate information effectively, communicate clearly, solve problems, make informed decisions, and construct new knowledge, products, or systems. 

The Information and Technology Literacy Standards identify and define the knowledge and skills essential for all Wisconsin students to access, evaluate, and use information and technology. These standards connect and interrelate current perspectives in information literacy, media literacy, and technology literacy into a unified conceptual framework. This framework demonstrates a progression of competencies from the physical access skills for the use of media and technology, to the intellectual access skills of information use, to skills and attitudes for learning independently, and finally to the skills needed for working responsibly and productively within groups.

The purpose of these standards is to identify information and technology competencies for all students throughout the pre-kindergarten to grade twelve (PK-12) curriculum. The competencies are designed to be integrated into the various content and skill areas of the school curriculum. The focus is on learning with information and technology rather than learning about information and technology. This integration will be varied and diverse based on the curricula of individual schools and school systems. The task force hopes that much reflective dialogue will occur in school districts among administrators, curriculum directors, library media specialists, technology coordinators, teachers, parents, and community members as each district adopts or modifies and integrates these competencies into the local instructional program for students. 

The focus of this set of standards is on a sequential and broad set of information and technology competencies which are necessary to full development of skills for . learning how to learn. addressed in the core areas of the PK-12 curriculum. The task force recognizes that some competencies in these standards are included in other academic standards and believes this inclusion underscores the importance of information and technology literacy competencies by providing entry points for integrating those competencies into a variety of curricular areas. The task force also recognizes that elective programs or advanced courses, which are not a part of the curriculum required for all students, may require additional or very specific technology competencies beyond those listed in these standards.

Finally, it is important to recognize that many of the competencies listed in these standards will require significant access to technology by individual students or student workgroups. However, the task force believes these standards can be achieved with a strong district commitment to a technological infrastructure including sufficient equipment, materials and staffing; appropriate technical support, and a comprehensive, ongoing program of teacher training and staff development.

The information and technology literacy standards are grouped into four categories or content standards specifying what a student should know and be able to do. The first two content standards focus on technology use and information processing skills. The latter two build upon the initial categories by adding competencies that deal with attitudes, appreciation, independent learning, teamwork skills, and personal and social responsibility. 

The four content standards are:

A. MEDIA AND TECHNOLOGY - Students in Wisconsin will select and use media and technology to access, organize, create, and communicate information for solving problems and constructing new knowledge, products, and systems. 

B. INFORMATION AND INQUIRY - Students in Wisconsin will access, evaluate, and apply information efficiently and effectively from a variety of sources in print, non-print, and electronic formats to meet personal and academic needs.

C. INDEPENDENT LEARNING - Students in Wisconsin will apply technological and information skills to issues of personal and academic interest by actively and independently seeking information, demonstrating critical and discriminating reading, listening, and viewing habits, and striving for personal excellence in learning and career pursuits.

D. LEARNING COMMUNITY - Students in Wisconsin will demonstrate the ability to work collaboratively in teams or groups, use information and technology in a responsible manner, respect intellectual property rights, and recognize the importance of intellectual freedom and access to information in a democratic society.

Each content standard is divided into performance standards that tell how students will show that they are meeting a standard. Each performance standard includes a number of indicators that detail how students will demonstrate proficiency in a particular performance area. When students demonstrate proficiency in these performance standards and indicators, they will have mastered a literacy that is basic to success in the world of the 21st century.

In this document the term "media" refers to a wide range of formats including print, non-print, and electronic. The term "information" reflects narrative, factual, and creative expressions in any of these formats. "Technology" refers to the application of knowledge, tools, and skills to solve practical problems and extend human capabilities. Though technology is often described as process, it is more commonly known by its products and tools and their effects on society. An extensive glossary is included in this document so the reader can find definitions of other terminology used in these standards.