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Teaching, Vol 8, No. 2 x THE IMPORTANCE OF INFORMATION STUDIES Our students live in a new era known as the Information Age. The focus on infor- mation and technology has profoundly affected the nature of society and the world of work. More information is accessible to all people in our society, and more busi- nesses are seeking employees who are proficient in information retrieval, analysis, and communication, in conjunction with highly developed technological skills. It is therefore vital for education in Ontario to develop comprehensive information literacy skills. Futurists predict that within ten years almost half of the work force will be employed in infor- mation-based occupations - gathering, processing, retriev- ing and analyzing information. To be successful in this infor- mation economy, students must prepare themselves with the knowledge and skills they will need in tomorrow's world of work. The illiterate of the year 2000, according to Alvin Toffler, will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn. Our students need to be information literate, life- long learners (Koechlin and Zwaan, Teaching Tools for the Information Age). Since 1929, the Ontario School Library Association has taken an active role in encour- aging a love of reading and in implementing a program of informa- tion skills for all students in Ontario. In 1982, OSLA worked closely with the Ministry of Education to create the curricu- lum document, Partners in Action: the School Library Resource Centre in the School Curriculum. When it became apparent that information technology was transform- ing the learning environment, OSLA advocated for and participated in the writing of Information Literacy and Equitable Access, a Ministry of Education and Training docu- ment, released in draft form in 1995. In 1996, OSLA recognized the need for a comprehensive curriculum to ensure that all students have a solid foundation in Information Studies in Ontario. The Information Literacy Task Force was created to research the information knowledge and skills needed by today's students. The first edition of Information Studies. Kindergarten to Grade 12, 1998, though not commissioned by the Ministry of Education and Training, aligns with the Ontario Curriculum documents released to date. CO-CHAIRS Tim Gauntley (Editor-in-Chief), Toronto District School Board Liz Kerr, Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board Rose Dotten, University of Toronto Schools ______ Ont ario School Li brary Associa tion Information Studies Kindergart en to Grade 12 1999 Curriculum for Sch ools and Scho ol Library Infor mation Centr es ORDER FORM ________________________________________ Name ________________________________________ Mailing Address (No P.O.'s or RR's) ________________________________________ City/Town Postal Code ________________________________________ Telephone QTY ITEM TOTAL A: License to print copies $2 per copy (min. $30) B: Unlimited internal Board license - $4 per school C: Unlimited internal Board license and right to publish on your Board's Intranet $5 per school in Board PRINTED COPY OPTION 1 - 25 copies - $10 ea. 26 - 50 copies - $9 ea. 51 - 75 copies - $8 ea. 76 plus - $7 ea. Non-members - Add $4 ea. SUBTOTAL Shipping & Handling License - $4 1 - 4 copies - $4 5 + - add 25¢ a copy SUBTOTAL GST TOTAL PAYMENT INFORMATION nn Visa nn MasterCard nn Cheque ________________________________________ Card Number ________________________________________ Expiry Date ________________________________________ Signature TO ORDER PHONE: (416) 363-3388 1-866-873-9867 toll free FAX: (416) 941-9581 1-800-387-1181 toll free MAIL: Ontario Library Association 100 Lombard Street, Suite 303 Toronto, ON M5C 1M3 E-MAIL: <info@accessola.com>