Information In the Information Age

Today we live in a world that knowledge-based. How do we obtain knowledge? We obtain knowledge through information and there is a ton of it out there. Everyday more and more information is created. Information floods our lives through radio, television, newspapers, periodicals, conversations, and of course, the Internet. People have to go out of their way to avoid information. Those that seek it have to create strategies to avoid information overload. Sometimes, there is so much information that people just want to get the what it is that they are looking for. Sounds simple enough, but if a person doesn't have the tools to do this, that person can become overwhelmed very quickly as Jeffrey Shaffer describes below:

"The old saying that knowledge is power still holds true, but how does anyone with a thirst for knowledge avoid being drowned by the tsunami of information that crashes over us each day? My fear is that many Americans are sliding into a groove that includes a few topics of personal interest, and everything outside the groove is simply ignored. A recent Nielsen survey of Internet users found that 12 percent of American respondents had never heard of global warming. I'd like to question those people more closely and learn how they decide what information is useful in their lives and what they don't care about." (2007, Jeffrey Shaffer, Christian Science Monitor).

This is where Information Literacy becomes important. Some people want to achieve this skill, others would prefer to go to others that have this skill, but some people need to have this skill. Without this skill they will be unable to compete in a knowledge-based world. In order to succeed, many people need to be information literate.

The Difference Between Information and Knowledge

Simply put, information is raw data. Whether it is numbers, words, or graphs, until it is used for some purpose, it has no meaning. Once information is given a purpose it then becomes knowledge. An example would be the statistics that companies keep. If the data that they gather just sits on the paper then it serves no purpose. However, once the company takes the information and puts it to use for that company, it then becomes knowledge. Another example would be students. Through instruction and study students gather data. The data they have gathered is only data and does not become knowledge until that student puts it to use for an assignment, test, or even everyday life. Information with a purpose becomes knowledge and knowledge is essential in today's world.

" 'All of us are now going to the Internet because it's convenient,' said Diana G. Oblinger, a vice president of Educause. 'Whether this is the world we wanted or not, this is the world that we live in, and it's important to help people develop research skills to be effective.' " (2007, Diana Foster, Chronicle of Higher Education)