Information, Methodological and Cognitive Skills

1. 1

   Search for Information

   The mastering of informational skills is a must. Students have access, anywhere and at all times, to a vast quantity of information. And in a near future, there will be even more information, and without any doubt, more efficient ways to access it.

   Searching for information is a very pertinent, frequent and even essential activity in all programs of study. Even when search tools and requirements differ from one program to another, the process remains the same.

   This skill allows students to efficiently find, choose and collect relevant and quality information when it comes to processing and achieving a production. The proposed approach involves planning the research, choosing efficient strategies, evaluating the quality of information and methodically organizing of the documents found.

2. 2

   Process Information

   We complain when students copy information word for word into their work. We can see that they find it difficult to integrate their material and to understand complex or abstract concepts. In the researching-processing-presenting process, the way the information is processed is often biased or neglected. This is the difference between a surface and an in-depth analysis. The act of processing the information permits the search to be refined. In addition, the result of processing information this way is what forms the first step in preparing an adequate presentation of the results of the completed work.

   This skill is essential for students as it allows them to deal with all of the information available to them and to learn intellectual rigour. Students who know how to process information can better identify relevant information, use in-depth analysis and visualize data, ideas and concepts important for the work to accomplish. It is therefore one way of exploring a subject more deeply, of understanding content and of supporting a rigorous intellectual process. Processing information is in fact the pivot of a problem-resolution process.

3. 3

   Present Information

   Many academic assignments require activities where students are asked to present information: they share their research results, their projects’ progress, their creations or results of their work, using a variety of tools that are both pertinent and stimulating.

   This task supports students in completing their assignment. This proposed approach is generic and is presented in four steps: planning the presentation, carrying out its production, highlighting and transmission of the information. This applies to all types of presentations, whether an assignment done with a word processor, a slide show, a video or audio clip, an online publication or image or any other type of presentation, the steps are the same for all.

4. 4

   Working in a Network

5. 5

   Use ICTs in an Efficient and Responsible Manner