Information literacy is a set of crucial skills that enables an individual to recognize when information is needed and to locate, evaluate, and effectively use information. Information literacy cultivates critical thinking, independent learning, and discernment, and enables students to succeed academically, professionally, and as informed, engaged citizens in a world inundated with diverse information sources. These essential life skills require explicit instruction, consistent reinforcement and cross content application. This practice brief focuses on the vital role played by information literacy in all content areas and presents ways administrators can support effective information literacy instruction.

Information literacy is embedded in the practices and performance expectations of the New Jersey Student Learning Standards in all content areas. Information literacy skills, while crucial to K-12 academic success, are also necessary for successful post-high school engagement. When administrators develop plans, resources, and professional learning opportunities to support the implementation of consistent information literacy instruction throughout students’ K-12 classrooms, they should engage their school library media specialist to help inform quality supports for information literacy application in all classrooms.

 Comprehensive Health & Physical Education: Schools play a critical role in helping students acquire healthy habits that stick with them for life. Students need information literacy skills to recognize and act on the most credible research in health and wellness, which are vital for students to engage in informed lifelong decision-making. School leaders, CHPE staff, and school library media specialists can collaborate to create consistent understandings of information literacy skills in CHPE contexts.

 English Language Arts: Information literacy skills are embedded in the Reading, Writing, and Speaking and Listening strands of the 2016 and 2023 New Jersey Students Learning Standards for English Language Arts (NJSLS-ELA). Identifying perspective and purpose in informational text, analyzing arguments, assessing an author’s perspective and purpose, conducting research, evaluating and citing sources/speakers, and presenting information are skills that are developed from Kindergarten through Grade 12 to equip students for critical consumption and responsible production of information in ELA contexts and in all areas of their lives. Facilitating easy, equitable access to rich, varied, curated informational text resources strengthens students’ ability to not only evaluate the information they consume but also conscientiously create and publish credible information.

 Mathematics: Mathematics incorporates the development of a student’s analysis of verified data sets.  The 2023 New Jersey Student Learning Standards for Mathematics are designed so that students may develop mathematical skills without concern for the sourcing of the data. That being said, we acknowledge that when students begin to apply their mathematical knowledge to real-world problems, students will need to employ information literacy skills to determine the credibility of their data and conclusions.  Information literacy can support mathematics educators in fostering an interdisciplinary approach to sourcing and evaluating data across various contexts.

 Science: The goal of science is the production of reliable and trustworthy knowledge. The New Jersey Student Learning Standards for Science emphasize that science and engineering involve both knowing and doing, providing students the opportunity to obtain, evaluate, and communicate information. By facilitating collaboration between science teachers and school library media specialists, administrators can support instruction on research practices, protocols, and methods to elevate information literacy seamlessly in the science classroom.

 Social Studies: Information literacy in the context of the social studies classroom equips students with the skills needed to engage in civic activities, understand complex social issues, and contribute to a well-informed society. With the plethora of information available to students and educators, it is essential for them to learn the skills to efficiently navigate and utilize information to create an understanding of current and historical events and issues, independent of the opinions and perspectives of others.

 Visual and Performing Arts: In arts education, information literacy skills are crucial for enabling students to gain clarity, process information, critique the creative works of other artists, and self-reflect. Recognizing and elevating these skills in artistic disciplines will help deepen students’ knowledge and strengthen their creative problem-solving abilities. High-quality, discipline-specific information literacy resources and materials are essential tools for in-depth arts study and critical analysis in the arts.

 World Languages: Information literacy instruction in the world language classroom provides an opportunity to engage in reflective practice around world language education. In our efforts to create culturally competent students, it is important for students to have the skills to navigate and understand cultures and contexts. Providing professional learning opportunities for world language educators to engage with school library media specialists and other content area educators to discuss and develop consistent information literacy instruction is a key component for students’ skill development.

• There are seven components of information literacy identified in the New Jersey Statutes Annotated C.18A:7F-4.4:
  
  1. the research process and how information is created and produced;
  2. critical thinking and using information resources;
  3. research methods;
  4. the difference between facts, points of view, and opinions;
  5. accessing peer-reviewed print and digital library resources.
  6. the economic, legal, and social issues surrounding the use of information; and
  7. the ethical production of information.
• School library media specialists are knowledgeable collaborators when teaching effective research processes and techniques, including how to use library catalogs, databases, and search engines to find relevant and diverse sources.
• Effective information literacy instruction will assist students as they evaluate content generated by artificial intelligence (AI). Verifying factual information, understanding the sources of content, and recognizing the limitations of AI-generated text will inform students’ decision-making as AI becomes more prevalent in society. 

• Information literacy helps educators and students find and incorporate a variety of sources that present diverse perspectives, cultures, and histories, promoting inclusivity in the classroom.
• Access to resources is an essential component of equity. Educators and administrators can ensure their students have equitable access to high quality research tools through the NJ State Library.

• Facilitate engagement between classroom teachers and school library media specialists to integrate information literacy consistently in classroom instruction.
• Construct cross-content professional development to identify and develop common language and processes related to information literacy in each content area.
• Ensure educator and student awareness of and access to research tools at the school level and through the New Jersey State Library’s JerseyClicks program, which offers free access to many academic databases to New Jersey students and residents.

• How are educators in all content areas currently teaching and integrating information literacy?
• What role do library media specialists, school staff, and families play in supporting information literacy?
• How can an administrator support consistent information literacy instruction and application in all content areas?

• Information Literacy Skills from Purdue University Online and Blended Teaching Hub outlines the importance of information literacy for both teachers and students.
• School Librarians as Learning Leaders: An Administrator’s Guide from the American Library Association discusses how school leaders, teachers, and school library media specialists can work together to teach students.

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