Bilgi Toplumunda Yaşam Boyu Öğrenmenin Anahtarı: Bilgi Okuryazarlığı

The rapid change occurred in information and communication technologies have brought information explosion together with itself. Therefore, it is envisaged that this age, in which we live, is called information age and the societies, which fulfill its necessities, are called information societies. While the created information causes new technologies to arise, these technologies give opportunity for faster and easier information access from day to day. This circle envisages a development level where there is information in its center for both individuals and also for societies. In the information society where continuous changes happen in every field of life, the profile of man who is needed has also changed. These economical and technological centered change and development phenomenon make the high level qualified man power obligatory in almost every sector. The successful individuals of our age, when the information flows so rapidly and densely, will be the individuals who can use information densely in solving a problem they face and making decisions in any matter. In the past when information was only produced and shared in printed environments, it was necessary for individuals to have basic skills (reading-writing, speaking, listening, etc.) in order to be information consumers. However, the developments occurred in technology have made gaining unordinary skills in producing, gaining, using and sharing information inevitable. The successful individuals of the information society must be the individuals who can learn by applying to information in every subject on their own in lifelong period. Lifelong learning necessitates active and continuous information usage. The persons, who can reach the information they need in solution of any problem, can adapt that information to their structures, and can add new ones to them, are the ones who learn in lifelong period. For this reason, information literacy, which is described as reaching and using information skill, is the corner stone of lifelong learning. The most important role in gaining information literacy for individuals is undoubtedly the responsibility of educational institutions. Educated person is the one who has abilities which he will need in solving problems he will face both in daily life and also in business life. Therefore, today, the educational institutions are responsible for causing the students to gain the skills making the learning process continuous, in other words skills of information literacy, rather than transferring the available information directly. The greatest responsibility in gaining of information literate individuals, is undoubtedly belongs to universities which are the last rings of education chain and determining in the social role of the person. In the developed countries’ universities, which are aware of this responsibility, information literacy programmes, formed by common works of librarians, educators and computer programmers are given to all students. In this study, the description, development and scope of information literacy will be discussed in the context of necessary skills for the life time learners in information society, and the responsibilities of universities on this matter and how they will fulfill their responsibilities will be deliberated