In one or two sentences, state the nature of the social problem that your group plans to study.

What is the specific community location of the social problem? Your answer should include both the governmental authority (e.g. school board, city council) and the particular geographic location (review Internet examples).

List at least three undesirable social conditions that result from this problem:

1.
2.
3.

Write a short phrase that summarizes the social problem and its geopolitical location (examples: Hate crimes in Urban, NY; vandalism at Jones Middle School, Anytown, CA; DWI traffic deaths in Texas; the high U.S. budget deficit)

Gather evidence to support the existence of the problem

http://www.efmoody.com/miscellaneous/illiteracy.html

Worksheet2: Gathering evidence of the problem

Date: Group Members:

Your problem (phrase):

Present evidence that a problem exists. Be as specific as possible and cite at least one source of data:

Determine the causes and factors contributing to the problem

http://library.thinkquest.org/J0112734/page1.htm

Worksheet3: Identifying the causes of the problem

Date: Group Members:

Briefly list several underlying factors that contribute to the problem that you have identified (support these factors with evidence):

Evaluate the existing policy

http://www.leeds.ac.uk/educol/documents/00002094.htm

Worksheet4: Evaluating existing public policies

Date: Group Members:

Your problem (phrase):

1. State one of the major existing policies that attempts to deal with the social problem:

2. What are the advantages of this policy (consider effectiveness, costs, enforcement, public acceptance):

3. What are the disadvantages of this policy? Consider effectiveness, costs, enforcement, public acceptance):

4. Based on your evaluation of the advantages and disadvantages, should the current policy be totally replaced, strengthened, or improved? What advantages, if any, from the current policy should be retained? What disadvantages, if any, should be eliminated?

Develop public policy alternatives

http://www.ncte.org/edpolicy/literacy

Worksheet5: Developing public policy solutions

Date: Group Members:

Your problem (phrase):

1. Propose at least three new/original public policy alternatives. Be sure that all of your public policy alternatives are at the same geopolitical level as your social problem. Each alternative must specify the actual government or government agency that will carry out the proposed action. List the proposal that your group considers the most promising first.

Determine the best public policy solution to the problem

http://www.heritage.org/Research/Religion/bg690.cfm

Worksheet6: Selecting the best public policy solution

Date: Group Members:

Your problem (phrase):

1. List the three public policy alternatives from Worksheet 5. Create a short word or abbreviation to summarize each policy and write it at the end of each policy (see example).

2. Use the format in the example to complete the matrix below:

EFFECTIVENESS	FEASIBILITY
		HIGH	MEDIUM	LOW
	HIGH
	MEDIUM
	LOW

3. Discuss the reasons for your decisions in the matrix.

4. Discuss why your group prefers one alternative over the other two alternatives.

Resources: Use these additional resources to complete your task

http://www.sdst.org/shs/library/infolitles.html

http://www.sdst.org/shs/library/stulinks.html

http://www.sdst.org/shs/liebrary/pathmenu.html

http://www.niace.org.uk/projects/successfactors/

Evaluation:

Information Literacy Rubric*

The information literate student determines the nature and extent of the information needed. Criteria:
Levels of student mastery
1 – Unacceptable	2 – Developing	3 – Acceptable	4 – Proficient
· Unable to define or articulate the need for information · Unable to identify types of formats of potential sources · Unable to reevaluate the nature and extent of information needed	· Shows little ability to define and articulate the need for information · Identifies only a few types of formats of potential sources · Shows little ability to reevaluate the nature and extent of information needed	· Defines and articulates the need for information · Identifies some formats of potential sources · Reevaluates the nature and extent of some of the information needed	· Clearly defines and articulates the need for information · Identifies types of formats of potential sources · Reevaluates the nature and extent of most of the information needed

The information literate student accesses needed information effectively and efficiently. Criteria:
Levels of student mastery
1 – Unacceptable	2 – Developing	3 – Acceptable	4 – Proficient
· Fails to select appropriate investigative methods or information retrieval systems · Student fails to construct or implement effectively-designed search strategies appropriate to the discipline · Uses only one discipline appropriate method to retrieve information · No understanding of how to record and manage information and its sources	· Selects inappropriate investigative methods or information retrieval systems · Student demonstrates an understanding , but unable to construct and implement search strategies appropriate to the discipline · Uses some methods to retrieve information that are inappropriate to the discipline · Demonstrates little understanding of records and minimal ability to manage information and its sources	· Selects some appropriate investigative methods or information retrieval systems · Student can to some degree construct and implement limited search strategies appropriate to the discipline · Uses some of the discipline appropriate methods to retrieve information · Demonstrates some understanding of records and some ability to manage information and its sources	· Selects the most appropriate investigative methods or information retrieval systems · Student effectively constructs and implements search strategies appropriate to the discipline · Uses a wide variety of discipline appropriate methods to retrieve information · Records and manages information and its sources

The information literate student evaluates information and its sources critically and incorporates selected information into his or her knowledge base and value system Criteria:
Levels of student mastery
1 – Unacceptable	2 – Developing	3 – Acceptable	4 – Proficient
· Does not summarize the main ideas to be extracted from the information · Fails to articulate and/or apply evaluation criteria to both the information and the sources · Unable to construct new concepts and/or recognize interrelationships among ideas · Fails to compare new and prior knowledge and/or determine significance, contradictions, or other unique characteristics of the information · No discourse with other individuals, subject area experts, and/or practitioners · Does not revise initial inquiry even if it was necessary	· Incorrectly summarizes the main ideas to be extracted from the information · Inaccurately articulates and/or applies evaluation criteria to both the information and the sources · Identifies only some new concepts and recognizes few interrelationships among ideas · Does minimal comparison of new and prior knowledge and unable to determine significance, contradictions, or other unique characteristics of the information · Little discourse with other individuals, subject area experts, and/or practitioners · Unable to determine if the initial inquiry should be revised	· Summarizes most of the main ideas to be extracted from the information · Articulates and applies evaluation criteria to some information and sources · Identifies new concepts and recognizes some interrelationships among ideas · Does some comparison of new and prior knowledge and attempts to determine significance, contradictions, or other unique characteristics of the information · Some discourse with other individuals, subject area experts, and/or practitioners · Makes only minimal revisions to initial inquiry even if more are necessary	· Accurately summarizes the main ideas to be extracted from the information · Clearly articulates and applies evaluation criteria to both the information and the sources · Clearly constructs new concepts and recognizes interrelationships among ideas · Accurately compares new and prior knowledge and determines significance, contradictions, or other unique characteristics of the information · Demonstrates understanding and interpretation though discourse with other individuals, subject area experts, and/or practitioners · Revises the initial inquiry if necessary

The information literate student individually or as a member of a group, uses information effectively to accomplish a specific purpose Criteria:
Levels of student mastery
1 – Unacceptable	2 –Developing	3 – Acceptable	4 – Proficient
· Does not apply new or prior information to the planning and fails to create a product or performance · Fails to reflect on the process used to develop the product or performance · Does not communicate the product or performance to others	· Unable to apply both new and prior information to the planning and creation of a product or performance · Few reflections on the process are used to develop the product or performance and they are not clearly or thoughtfully articulated · Does not clearly communicate the product or performance to others, fails to use suitable technology and/or consider intended audience	· Applies some new and prior information to the planning and creation of a product or performance · Only articulates a few reflections on the process used to develop the product or performance · Communicates the product or performance to others, using some suitable technology and some consideration of intended audience	· Correctly applies new and prior information to the planning and creation of a product or performance · Reflections on the process used to develop the product or performance are clearly and thoughtfully articulated · Effectively communicates the product or performance to others, including. suitable use of technology and appropriateness to audience

The information literate student understands many of the economic, legal, and social issues surrounding the use of information and accesses and uses information ethically and legally. Criteria:
Levels of student mastery
1 – Unacceptable	2 – Developing	3 – Acceptable	4 – Proficient
· Does not demonstrate an understanding of any of the ethical, legal and socio-economic issues surrounding information and information technology · Does not follow laws, regulations, institutional policies, and etiquette related to the access and use of information resources · Does not acknowledge the use of information sources in communicating the product or performance	· Demonstrates a limited understanding of many of the ethical, legal and socio-economic issues surrounding information and information technology · Demonstrates little understanding of the laws, regulations, institutional policies, and etiquette related to the access and use of information resources · Acknowledges only a few of the information sources in communicating the product or performance	· Demonstrates some understanding of many of the ethical, legal and socio-economic issues surrounding information and information technology · Follows some laws, regulations, institutional policies, and etiquette related to the access and use of information resources · Acknowledges most of the information sources in communicating the product or performance	· Demonstrates a clear understanding of many of the ethical, legal and socio-economic issues surrounding information and information technology (i.e. copyright, censorship & privacy) · Follows laws, regulations, institutional policies, and etiquette related to the access and use of information resources (i.e. plagiarism, YVCC policies & procedures · Clearly acknowledges the use of all information sources in communicating the product or performance

Information Literacy Standards: http://www.ala.org/ala/acrl/acrlstandards/informationliteracycompetency.cfm

Conclusion: YOU ARE WINNING WITH INFORMATION LITERACY

Congratulations, you have completed your webquest on your journey to information literacy. This is a life long journey which will lead to future successes.

Worksheet1: Defining the Social Problem

Worksheet2: Gathering evidence of the problem

Worksheet3: Identifying the causes of the problem

Worksheet4: Evaluating existing public policies

Worksheet5: Developing public policy solutions