Developing and Implementing New Jersey's K-12 Information Literacy Framework

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Information literacy helps students recognize when information is needed and locate, evaluate, and use information effectively. It includes digital, visual, media, textual, and technological literacy and supports students in navigating an evolving information landscape. Information literacy also contributes to broader skills, including critical thinking, media literacy, collaborative problem-solving, civic competencies, and scientific reading.

In 2022, New Jersey became the first state in the country to require school districts to incorporate information literacy into K-12 curricula. The legislation directed the state to adopt standards focused on research, critical thinking, source evaluation, library resources, and the ethical use of information, with input from school library media specialists whenever possible.
 

From State Policy to Classroom Practice

The New Jersey State Library (NJSL) sought to increase engagement with information literacy education in state policy and support information literacy learning in K-12 and informal learning environments.

AIR partnered with NJSL and community partners to:

• Develop an instructional framework that provides a roadmap for effective implementation of instructional activities. AIR collaborated with NJSL to assess current needs and identify key stakeholders to support implementation. Together, we created a resource that highlights key resources that support information literacy instruction across learning contexts.
   
• Design engaging instructional activities aligned to the framework. We designed four activities for grades K-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12 focused on the New Jersey information literacy concepts of Information Need, Information Identification and Evaluation, Information Use, and Information Creation and Distribution. Additionally, our experts led webinar sessions to introduce the information literacy instructional framework and activities to educators, media specialists, and librarians.
   
• Adapt the instructional framework and activities into engaging formats based on stakeholder feedback. AIR facilitated a pilot of the instructional activities with New Jersey educators, media specialists, and librarians. Feedback from the pilot informed the final instructional activities, which can be customized and adapted for flexible, accessible use across learning contexts.
   
• Develop practical professional learning to support consistent use of the framework. AIR created an asynchronous learning series to help librarians, media specialists, educators, and other facilitators confidently select, facilitate, and adapt New Jersey Information Literacy Framework activities. The series provides guidance on maintaining intended information literacy competencies while supporting local adaptation, accessibility and differentiation, effective facilitation, and the use of formative checks and reflection to strengthen implementation.

Together, these approaches help equip learners with the knowledge and skills needed to evaluate information and sources critically, communicate effectively, and engage in the ethical use of information across learning contexts.