Digital Information Fluency Model

Common Core State Standards Mapped to Information Fluency

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DIF Circle

Digital Information Fluency (DIF) is the ability to find, evaluate and use digital information effectively, efficiently and ethically. DIF involves knowing how digital information is different from print information; having the skills to use specialized tools for finding digital information; and developing the dispositions needed in the digital information environment. As teachers and librarians develop these skills and teach them to students, students will become better equipped to achieve their information needs.


FAQDIF mapped to Common Core State Standards
Common Core State Standards mapped to DIF (pdf)

1. Locating Information Efficiently: What Information Am I Looking For--Where Will I Find the Information--How Will I Get There?

Rubrics

Competency Level

These levels are based on performance information from administrations of the 21CIF Assessment published by Information Fluency.

mastery

75% or higher accuracy

skilled

50% -74% accuracy

untaught

Less than 50% accuracy

1.A Learners identify key concepts in a research question

  • Translate a natural language question into a search query
  • Identify terms that are likely to be effective "as is"
  • Identify terms for which more effective vocabulary is likely to be required

1.B Learners create effective and efficient search queries

  • Develop and apply vocabulary building strategies effectively to conduct a digital information search - seek out more specific terms (hyponyms) to narrow a search or more general terms (hypernyms) to broaden a search
  • Effectively act on informed decisions to revise their search queries based on search results/feedback - interpret evidence that results are relevant and significant

1.C Learners effectively and efficiently select digital collections based on their characteristics

  • Learners understand the organization of digital information
  • Select visible Web collections (and sub-collections) based on their characteristics
  • Select Deep Web (invisible Web) collections (and sub-collections) based on their characteristics
  • Select other digital collections (and sub-collections) based on their characteristics

1.D Learners select digital search tools based on their effectiveness and efficiency

  • Select features of a variety of digital tools based on the probability of effectiveness and efficiency

1.E Learners select and apply appropriate search strategies to effectively and efficiently locate reliable digital information related to their academic learning goal(s)

  • Navigate hyperlink, i.e. browsing strategies
  • Use subject directory strategies
  • Use search engine strategies

2. Evaluating Information Effectively - How Good is the Information?

Rubrics

Competency Level

mastery

75% or higher accuracy

skilled

50% -74% accuracy

untaught

Less than 50%
accuracy

2.A Learners evaluate the quality of a search result to determine its usefulness in the search process

  • Determine whether or not the digital information addresses the natural language question
  • Decide whether or not the digital information suggests revisions to search queries (revision decision)

2.B Learners evaluate the quality of a search result to determine the reliability of its content

  • Investigate internal content reliability (accuracy)
  • Investigate external validation of information

2.C Learners evaluate the quality of a search result to determine the reliability of its source

  • Investigate author/publisher reliability (authority, bias)
  • Investigate external validation of author/publisher (references)

3. Using Information Ethically - How will I Ethically Use the Information?

Rubrics

Competency Level

mastery

95% of the time or higher

skilled

85% -94% of the time

untaught

Less than 84% of the time
accuracy

3.A Learners ethically use digital information

  • Learners decide whether or not to integrate digital information related to a specific information task
  • Learners cite the source and/or author for the selected digital information

It could be argued that Competency in Ethical Use should be demonstrated by "always citing the source" and that anything less demonstrates incompetency. The levels stated here may be considered "lenient" standards.

4. Universal dispositions affecting Information Fluency

Rubrics

Dispositions

Learners acquire the dispositions necessary for successful digital information fluency
Dispositions are not currently measured by any known assessment.

Mastery

Acceptable

Unacceptable

Consistently demonstrates confidence in finding a solution when engaged in the digital information fluency process

Often demonstrates confidence in finding a solution when engaged in the digital information fluency process

Seldom demonstrates confidence in finding a solution when engaged in the digital information fluency process

Consistently demonstrates persistence while engaged in the digital information fluency process

Often demonstrates persistence while engaged in the digital information fluency process without often giving up

Often gives up before information is located, evaluated or cited

Engages in the digital information fluency process despite distractions

Demonstrates focus to avoid most distractions when engaged in the digital information fluency process

Is often distracted while engaging in the digital information fluency process

Demonstrates open-mindedness to a variety of strategies and tools when engaged in the digital information fluency process

Considers more than one strategy or tool when engaged in the digital information fluency process if the first strategy or tool is ineffective

Rigidly holds to one strategy or tool when engaged in the digital information fluency process, even if the strategy or tool is ineffective

Consistently demonstrates curiosity for exploring ideas when engaged in the digital information fluency process

Often demonstrates curiosity for exploring ideas when engaged in the digital information fluency process

Seldom demonstrates curiosity for exploring ideas when engaged in the digital information fluency process

Often demonstrates meta-cognitive thinking to adjust the use of strategies and tools when engaged when confronted with a challenging search task

Occasionally demonstrates meta-cognitive thinking to adjust the use of strategies and tools when engaged when confronted with a challenging search task

Seldom demonstrates meta-cognitive thinking to adjust the use of strategies and tools when engaged when confronted with a challenging search task

Insists upon looking beyond the first answer retrieved.

Often demonstrates drive to look beyond the first answer retrieved.

Seldom demonstrates drive to look beyond the first answer retrieved.

Consistently demonstrates an attitude of adaptability to respond to inconclusive or ineffective search results

Occasionally demonstrates an attitude of adaptability to respond to inconclusive or ineffective search results

Rarely demonstrates an attitude of adaptability to respond to inconclusive or ineffective search results