What do you think?

• Can you say that you are information literate?

• Why do educators today address the issue of information literacy?

• Why do you think the 21^st century is called the Information age?

• What other types of literacy do you think a literate person should possess in the modern world?

Focus on language

Read the sentences below and explain how simple instructions are given.

• Think carefully about which keywords could be used to define the concept you are interested in.

• To search using a search engine, type words into a search box.

Simple and complex instructions To make simple instructions we use imperative e.g.: If you're looking for the Moscow University homepage, just enter Moscow University and click "I'm Feeling Lucky". Don’t rely on a date given on the search engine’s View Page. To add explanation use to-infinitive or by + -ing e.g.: To search using a search engine, type words into a search box. e.g.: Use keywords to form search phrases by putting quotation mark around the key words. To link instructions and stress their order use until + Present Simple, having + Participle II, after + Present Perfect, once + Present Perfect e.g.: After you've entered your search terms, try the "I'm Feeling Lucky" button. Continue this process until you reach the first single slash (/). To put instruction in order use sequence words: first, then, …, finally.

Practice

1. Complete the instructions with the correct form of the word in brackets.

1. ……………. (put) a quotation mark around the phrase if you are not sure in its exact wording.

2. ………….. (focus) on a particular meaning of a keyword, put a minus sign "-" in front of words related to the meaning you want to avoid, e.g.: intelligence –computing.

3. You can restrict your search to only one specific website by ………. (do) site: search. …………, type the word “site” and a colon. ……….., add the domain name and ………….., press the search button. (sequence words)

4. …………… (set, having + participle II) ranges for everything from dates (von Neumann 1933…1945) to weights (5000...10000 kg truck), you can easily search for specific information within the range of numbers.

5. Attach a “+” sign to a word or digit ……………. (narrow) your search, e.g.: World War +П.

6. After ……………….. (define) the search request as precisely as possible and ……………….. (choose) relevant keywords, start searching.

7. Keep truncating back the URL until ……………………… (find) the page’s publisher.

8. Once………………………… (link) to a retrieved site, check to see if

any information about the page’s creator is provided.

Speaking

1. Refer back to the definition of information literacy and in groups of 3-4

match the steps in solving an information problem with the stages:

stages

steps

before accessing information when accessing information after information is extracted

determine what is known and what is needed for problem solving identify and retrieve relevant information from sources use retrieved information to complete the task use technology to help searching organize information from multiple sources identify different sources of information, including text, video, audio and databases present information clearly and persuasively using various technology tools understand how the retrieved information does or does not address original problem evaluate and prioritize the sources of information to select the most relevant and reliable ones evaluate the process and products of these activities evaluate the reliability of the information you have found use technology to facilitate evaluation

2. Report on the algorithm for solving an information problem. Make use of the sequence words in the box. Make sure you use various instruction models.

Tool box: Listing 2 First, … Second, … Third, … Another/Next, … Then, … Last, …/Finally, … The next step is … As soon as you …, move on to … .

3. Choose one of the tasks below and describe how you apply the algorithm for solving an information to complete the task.

• Advise a secondary school student on the best computer program to create presentations

• Present the faculty courses at the University Open Days

• Speak about the latest IT technologies at a seminar

• Make a presentation on negative effects of computer technologies to environment at a conference

• Write an essay on “The Internet and Game Addiction” in sociology

Listening

Recording 3.1

1. You are going to hear a radio programme about some of the computer terms and their origin. Work with a partner and check you can give definitions to the following words:

hacker blogger spam software search engine

2. Listen to the talk and complete the sentences.

Computer technology has become ……………………………………………. . It has its own special words. Example: ………………… is a device that ………………………….. . it moves .………… ……………………… or the cursor on the computer ………. . The idea was developed in …………………………by Douglas Engelbart. First devices – a carved block of wood with …………………………………….. Its name is due to ……………………………………… which was …………… ………………….. to the computer. Experts are called …………………… . They write …………………….. . in a special computer language. The other meaning of the word is a person who tries ………………………………………………………………………………. . ……………….. – a popular ………………………………. for the Internet. People use it to …………………………………………………………………… . The name is connected to extremely large number in math – 1+100 zeroes. When you google a – you get ………………… of information about it. ……………….. (a Web log) is a personal Web page. It contains …………., comments, …………….., and ……………… to other Web sites. Their owners are ……………………………………………….. . …………………….. is unwanted ………………………………… sent to your mailbox. The name is due to a …………….. on a British …………………. .

Reading

1. Before you read the text answer the following questions:

• What does WWW stand for?

• What do abbreviations http, www, html, URL, .ru mean?

• Is WWW a good source of information?

• Who owns WWW?

• Is the information posted in the Web regulated or monitored?

• Have you ever used WWW as a research tool?

2. Comment on the cartoon by Peter Steiner.

(The New Yorker, July 5, 1993)

3. Discuss with a partner if it is necessary to evaluate the information you have

found? Give your reasons.

4. Read the text to check your guesses.