What impact has the Information Revolution had on you? It has had a profound impact on all aspects of society, affecting how we live, work, and learn. Are you a part of the revolution? Of course you are! There is no escaping it. As participants in the information revolution however, we may not be prepared to fully utilize existing or newly emerging technologies to our advantage.

The process of becoming an informed participant in the information revolution is called information competency. Information competency, also known as information literary, is defined as the "ability to recognize when information is needed and to locate, evaluate, effectively use, and communicate information in its various formats". That’s what this course is all about!

This one unit course, will guide you through the process of becoming information literate. You will learn how information is organized, how to search for and retrieve information, and how to evaluate information. You will learn to use traditional library reference sources as well as online tools. You will learn how to search, not just surf, the Internet. You will learn the steps required for doing a college-level research paper, including the search strategy, preparation of a bibliography, and how to properly cite the information resources (print and electronic) that you use. This course will help to develop life-long information literacy skills that can be applied in your other classes, as well as in your personal and professional life.

The course is organized into thirteen lessons, each with an assignment.  In addition, there are two quizzes and a final project.  See the Course Syllabus for more details.  A maximum of 36 hours, or about 2 hours per week, is required to complete this one unit course.  This includes all readings, assignments, the two quizzes, and the final project. 

Generally, this course is self-paced, but as part of a Learning Community you will be required to hand in lessons as outlined in your Course Syllabus.   After your first visit to the Library with your class, it's a good idea to start on Lesson 1 right away so you don't fall behind!  I will have weekly office hours to assist you as you work though the book.  In addition, your other Learning Community instructors will incorporate library and information skill lectures into their classes, so you will visit the library a few times throughout the semester.