Technology isn't always the answer. In fact, sometimes it's the problem. Or, it can create more problems than it solves. These are my takeaways from two columns from the September/ October issue of Online Searcher. InfoLit Land columnist William Badke starts off his latest article, "COVID-19 and the Information Literacy Crisis," by reiterating a statement he believes sums up the most critical challenge that academia is facing: The information literacy gap is the biggest blind spot in higher education today." The pandemic has only made this more evident, as it has demonstrated how unprepared students really are to complete research projects with only remote assistance. He cites two email examples his library has received. One shows that an undergraduate student was unable to formulate search terminology for even a basic research project. Another was from a graduate student who wasn't aware that the university library has databases specifically designed to help users find needed resources, instead thinking his only option was to search the open web.
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