Information Literacy&Life Long Learning:Concept and Importance
Albert K. BoekhorstUniversiteit van AmsterdamUniversity of PretoriaTallinn University
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To survive and develop …themselves people and
organisations need knowledge on:
Themselves Their physical
environment Their social
environment
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‘Survival of the Fittest’Those who are better than others capable to
satisfy their information needs in an effective and efficient way, are more capable to survive and develop themselves than … those with less advantageous traits ...
After Charles Darwin
"...it is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change...“
Therefore a need to be ‘Information Literate’
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Information explotion
CONSTANT CHANGE
Technologicaldevelopments
Scientific developments
Globalization
Information dependency
21st century…
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technology
life styles
educationaltheories
needs & requirements
workenvironments
job descriptions
definition of literacy
information
CHANGE
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Need for updating
the existing knowledge
Need for new skills
Need for
life long learning
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Lifelong learning
All learning activities undertaken throughout life on an ongoing basis in a variety of formal and informal settings, with the aim of improving knowledge, skills, understanding and competence, within a personal, civic, social and/or employment-related perspective
(NIACE, 2003)
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Informatisation:Effects for people Exponential growth of information,
information media, information channels and information services
Growth of technology, tools and applications to retrieve, process and disseminate information
Changes in communication patterns and behaviour
24/7
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Information NeedsEnvironment
Social role Personal
characteristics
Informationneeds
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Degree of information needsuncertainty
importance
low high
low 1Low need ofinformation
2Moderate need of
information
high 3Moderate need of
information
4High need of information
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Information Space Observation: objects & processes Conversation: persons Consultation: recorded information
‘memory institutions’
Both real and virtual objectsprocesses
peoplerecordedinformation
real
virtual
EGO
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Information literacy Increasing complexity of
environment leads to need for more skills to select, retrieve and process information
External factors create backlog
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Information inequality
Participating majority Information elite
Excluded
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American Library Association (1989) Information literacy is a set of abilities
requiring individuals to recognize when information is needed and have the ability to locate, evaluate, and use effectively the needed information
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2003 Prague Declaration "Towards an Information Literate
Society" and Information Society 2005 Alexandria Declaration
Beacons of the Information Society 2009? India
First World Conference on Information Literacy and Life Long Learning
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Aspects1. Recognition information need2. Translation information need into query3. Identification suitable information source4. Application knowledge of relevant ICT5. Selection, integration, dissemination of
found information. 6. Continuous evaluation
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recognize information need
formulate information query
knowledge information sources
knowledge of ICT appliations
selection intergration dissemination
K K’
E1 E2 E3 E4
E51 2 3 4 5
1 E1 = evaluation moment= knowledge product
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Iterating process
2. formulateinformation
query
3. knowledgeinformation
sources
4. knowledge of ICT applications
5. selectionintergration
dissemination
evaluation moment
1. recognizeinformation
need
1’. recognizeinformation
need
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SCONUL 7 pillars of information literacy
Recognise information need
Distinguish ways of addressing gap
Construct strategies for locating
Synthesise and createOrganise, apply and communicate
Compare and evaluate
Locate and access
Information Literacy
Basic Library Skills
&
IT Skills
http://www.sconul.ac.uk/
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Related termsInformation
competencies
User training
Library orientation
Information skills
Information fluency
Bibliographic instruction
User education
Information literacy
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Harris & Hodges (1995) Adult literacy Advanced literacy Basic literacy Biliteracy Community literacy Computer literacy Critical literacy Cultural literacy Emergent literacy Family literacy
Functional literacy Informational literacy Marginal literacy Media literacy Minimal literacy Restricted literacy Survival literacy Visual literacy Workplace literacy
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IL and Media Literacy Expert meeting UNESCO
Paris 16-18 June 2008
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3 concepts The ICT concept:
Information literacy refers to the competence to use ICT to retrieve and disseminate information.
The information (re)sources concept: Information literacy refers to the competence to
find and use information independently or with the aid of intermediaries.
The information process concept: Information literacy refers to the process of
recognizing information need, the retrieving, evaluating, use and dissemination of information to acquire or extend knowledge.
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Information Rich - Poorperson
rich
poor
environment
richpoor
A = Information Rich person in Information Rich environment
A
C = Information Rich person in Information Poor environment
C
D = Information Poor person in Information Rich environment
D
B = Information Poor person in Information Poor environment
B
C’ A’
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How: by learning In the socialisation process:
‘By doing’ Formal education Informal education
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Governments National governments have a specific
responsibility: They determine the form and content of
the educational system in which pupils are prepared for their future lives as responsible and participative citizens
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Becoming information literate Cannot be learned in a distinct
subject Integrated in any subject Coordination between ‘teachers’ &
‘librarians’
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Information Literacy ContinumCatts&Lau 2008
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Catts&Lau 2008
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Learning Line & Moments
Educational level A
Educational level B
Educational level C
Life Long Learning
curr
icul
um
time
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Aim From
Unconscious Incompetent Via
Conscious Incompetent To
Conscious Competent
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Stakeholders Management institute/school Teachers ‘Librarians’
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So far ‘Information literacy’ Is a container concept It’s a dynamic concept Being ‘Information Literate’ is a competence:
a critical Attitude about: What am I doing? What for am I doing this? With what am I doing this?
Knowledge about: the organization and quality of information resources
and -channels acquiring access to information
Skills: being able to use required skills and technology
Part of Life Long Learning
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IFLA Information Literacy Section
http://www.ifla.org/VII/s42/index.htm InfoLit: IFLA Information Literacy
Section Discussion List Infolitglobal
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