"Preparing Students for College: Information Literacy for K-12 and Beyond" Presented by Sabrina Riley *

I N T R O D U C T I O N College and university teachers are concerned about students' readiness for college. Higher education assumes that students know how to acquire, comprehend, and apply knowledge. College teachers want to develop the more abstract skills of analysis, synthesis, and evaluation (also referred to as higher order thinking). This task is impossible when the basic skills are undeveloped. Lower expectations for college students is not the answer. Higher order thinking is essential to the successful, mature student. These skills enrich life and are critical in one's professional life beyond school. Information literacy addresses several areas in which elementary and secondary level students should be developing skills in order to prepare for successful college, career, and life experiences. This presentation will discuss what elementary and secondary students should know about the organization and evaluation of information, Internet privacy, copyright, and ethical issues related to information.

* Sabrina Riley - Director, Ella Johnson Crandall Library, - Union College - sariley@UCollege.edu