The latest issue of Communications in Information Literacy (CIL) features two new articles that focus on metaliteracy.

In the Perspectives section, Trudi E. Jacobson contributes her essay entitled Analyzing Information Sources Through the Lens of the ACRL Framework: A Case Study of Wikipedia. Trudi’s article starts a conversation about the six frames of the ACRL Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education as explored in relation to Wikipedia and through the lens of metaliteracy. As Jacobson (2020) argues:

There are a number of components in Wikipedia that align with the Framework, suggesting that an analysis of Wikipedia might serve as a contained but rich case study of how the Framework can serve as a construct whose utility extends beyond individuals’ information literacy understanding and progress. Individual frames shed light on this resource, and metaliteracy, which influenced the Framework, highlights additional elements of Wikipedia, particularly as an immersive teaching tool.

(Jacobson, p. 374).

The Innovative Practices section of CIL features a new article by Tom Mackey entitled Embedding Metaliteracy in the Design of a Post-Truth MOOC: Building Communities of Trust. Tom’s contribution provides a descriptive analysis of the grant-funded Coursera MOOC Empowering Yourself in a Post-Truth World based on the metaliteracy framework and one of the key themes to emerge from the project related to building communities of trust. As Mackey (2020) argues:

This descriptive analysis of the Empowering Yourself in a Post-Truth World MOOC shows how metaliteracy is embedded in the course to prepare learners as informed consumers and ethical producers of information. Participants gain insights about their affective responses to information by reflecting on their preconceptions and conducting research to create a digital artifact. The course-specific learning outcomes in each module are based on the metaliteracy goals and learning objectives and associated components such as the learner roles, learning domains, and characteristics.

(Mackey, p. 357)

We welcome your feedback about these new metaliteracy articles and look forward to being in dialogue with you in 2021!

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!

Tom and Trudi