Naomi J. Munthali

In todays information rich and technology driven society, information literacy has become a critical life skill. It goes beyond the ability to read and write; it involves recognising when information is needed, knowing where and how to find it, evaluating its quality, and using it ethically and effectively. For students, professionals, and lifelong learners, information literacy is essential for academic success, informed decision making, and problem solving in everyday life. One of the most influential and widely adopted frameworks for understanding and teaching information literacy is the Big6 Information Skills Model , developed by Mike Eisenberg and Bob Berkowitz in 1990. The Big6 model views information literacy as a problem solving process and breaks it down into six clear, logical stages. Its strength lies in its simplicity, flexibility, and applicability across different disciplines, educational levels, and real-world contexts. The first stage is Task Definition . At this...

In todays fast moving world, information literacy is a must have skill set. It’s all about spotting the information you need, judging it’s worth and using it effectively. Information literacy can be defined as a set of abilities requiring individuals to recognize when information is needed and have the ability to locate, evaluate and use effectively the needed information. With technology changing everyday and the web flooding us with social media , chatbots and endless resources, being information literate help you to cut through the noise of the massive information avalanche we face in all academic work and personal settings.  Some of the characteristics of  an information literate individual include ability to identify what information they need, access the required information quickly and efficiently. Evaluate the information and its sources critically, incorporating the chosen information into their own knowledge base, turning data into useful insight. They can also ide...