Developmentalism: Learning as the Basis for Evaluating Information

Introduction

Developmentalism as presented here advocates for a new way of thinking about the evaluation of information. This new approach is based on the developmentalist conception of value described by philosopher Richard Kraut in his book What Is Good and Why.¹ Applied to judgments of information's value, developmentalism makes learning the central consideration for making such evaluations. In other words, information source A is more valuable than information source B because A gives a better opportunity to learn something that significantly develops my perspective on the question at hand. Other prevalent approaches to evaluating information frequently taught in higher education include (a) looking for criteria that indicate a source's trustworthiness and (b) considering the ways that a source might be useful in an argument. Neither approach has much to say about how information contributes to a researcher's learning. The developmentalist perspective serves as an important complement to teaching students trust-based and use-based methods of evaluating information. Emphasizing learning is especially important in the contemporary information environment, given the ease with which one can miss opportunities for learning by relying on information sources that merely confirm one's existing views. Using learning as a standard for evaluation requires both a discerning eye for the information itself and a sophisticated awareness of the information's impact on one's thoughts and feelings. Following Elliot Eisner, this article frames such bidirectional sensibility in terms of what he calls "connoisseurship."²

The pages that follow will sketch the theoretical basis for a developmentalist approach to evaluating information. They will also make general suggestions for how the developmentalist perspective can be used to refine information literacy instruction for first-year English classes (it remains up to individual practitioners to develop specific lesson plans for their institutions). But first, let us look at the ways that trust-based and use-based methods give an incomplete picture of information's value.

Limitations of Trust-Based Methods

Classic examples of trust-based evaluation methods include the CRAAP (currency, relevance, authority, accuracy, and purpose) Test and the CARS (credibility, accuracy, reasonableness, and support) checklist.³ The underlying goal for these instruments is to acquaint users with criteria that will help them distinguish trustworthy information from information that warrants suspicion. Given current concerns about media bias, "alternative facts," and fake news,...