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=Announcing "Big6 by the Month" by Mike Eisenberg (August 31, 2010) = = =

//It’s time for a sweeping, new approach to information literacy learning!//
The sad truth is that few, if any, information literacy efforts in schools have fulfilled the promise of a **//comprehensive//** information literacy program.
 * A comprehensive program should reach all students in the school.
 * A comprehensive program should be **//predictable//** in terms of what students are expected to learn and how they are to learn it.
 * A comprehensive program should be **//accountable//** in terms of setting measurable goals for the program and assessing performance by the students.
 * A comprehensive program should **//report//** the results—to the students, to their teachers, and parents or guardians, and to the overall school and district.

Almost all school library or technology programs offer some form of information literacy instruction. But if we are frank with ourselves, most programs can be characterized as irregular, partial, and arbitrary. Certainly, some students receive excellent information literacy instruction, but others receive little or none. The reasons for this situation are varied and understandable including insufficient staff or limited resources, space, and technology. However, one of the main reasons for incomplete programs is that the information literacy program is not viewed as a vital part of the school’s curriculum program; information literacy is not treated as essential for every student in the same way as reading, writing, science, math, or social studies.

This non-essential status must end! In the 21st Century, reading and writing are no longer sufficient. To succeed in our global, information society, students must be able to find and use information in all its forms as well as produce and present information in all forms. That’s information literacy, and any student who graduates without these skills is at a serious disadvantage.

A second reason for the partial, hit-and-miss nature of information literacy programs is the emphasis on implementing the program through the sacred cow of “collaboration” with classroom, subject area teachers and curriculum. Certainly, every information literacy lesson and learning activity must be tied to classroom assignments and curriculum, but that doesn’t mandate that it be done through time-intensive collaborative sessions between teacher-librarians (or technology teachers) and classroom teachers. A good information literacy teacher can **//connect//** with classroom assignments and subject curriculum, but it is unrealistic and misleading to think that collaboration can take place on a comprehensive level given today’s staffing levels in library or technology programs. Yes, I’ve seen excellent collaborative examples in many schools—but they are just that: examples, pilots, samples. Systematic, large-scale, comprehensive collaboration is just not possible given the numbers of library and technology professionals in most schools. So, it’s time to move this sacred cow aside (after all, it’s not an end-goal anyway; it’s a means to the end—which is student information literacy learning). The new means is “connecting” to assignments and curriculum and focusing on making sure that the information literacy learning program reaches every student.

Again, information literacy is too important to be arbitrary or irregular. We library and information professionals must step up and commit to developing and delivering information literacy programs that are comprehensive (reaching all users), predictable (consistent over time), and accountable (measured and reported). To do so, I propose a 4 part strategy:


 * (1) __Defined__:** Identify essential, “power” information literacy goals and learning objectives for all students in your school. This means developing grade level objectives for each Big6 skill at each grade level. These goals and objectives should be linked to relevant national or local learning standards. However, don’t over-reach. Define goals and objectives that are ambitious but attainable. Remember, these goals and objectives are to be comprehensive—intended for every student. I recommend identifying 4-8 “power learning objectives” for each Big6 stage for each grade level.


 * (2) __Predictable__:** Plan and implement a consistent, intentional program that reaches every student. Here too, the program should be ambitious but practical. How will you be able to reach all students? Are there certain key assessments or assignments?

Let’s also be predictable in terms of the schedule. Here’s where “Big6 by the Month” comes in. Each month, there is a school-wide information literacy learning and instructional focus (e.g., October is Task Definition month; November is Information Seeking Strategies and Location & Access; in December, we revisit and review; etc.). The emphasized skill (and specific grade level learning objectives) of the month are always presented in the context of the overall Big6 process, but we target specific lessons and activities (and assessments) to the skill and learning objectives of the month. This approach is not meant to constrict or constrain. You can still do a lesson or activity on a different Big6 skill in a given month. But it does mean that the monthly emphasis is on the main skill designated for that month (within the context of an assignment or curriculum topic).

The planned Big6 by the Month calendar is shown below. Obviously, this calendar will need to be adjusted for individual schools or districts, but I propose that all schools and professionals try to follow the same schedule. In this way, the program is predictable. And, if we all do this—across the globe!—we can share ideas, objectives, lessons, activities, and assessments. It also means that we can work together to publicize and promote the program.


 * (3) __Measured__:** Information literacy learning must be assessed so that students themselves know if they have achieved the desired goals and objectives. Assessment is also essential for the classroom teachers and the school in order to know whether the program is successful in meeting its goals and objectives and for adjustments and future planning.


 * (4) __Reported__:** Lastly, the information literacy program must develop and deliver two types of formal reporting mechanisms: (a) to the students themselves as well as parents, teachers, or appropriate others, and (b) to the faculty, administration, and school board about the nature, scope, and effectiveness of the information literacy program.

Certainly, each of these 4 steps will require considerable planning time and effort. However the end result will be a comprehensive, predictable information literacy program that is focused on meeting student needs.