This document summarizes a presentation on the differing conceptions of information literacy across academic disciplines. It discusses findings from a study that interviewed academics in marketing, English, chemistry, and civil engineering. Key findings included differences in the types of information considered important, how information is accessed and used, and the focus of information literacy. For example, marketing focused on using data and problem-solving while English emphasized accessing texts and developing critical thinking skills. The presentation concludes by discussing implications for creating relationships between librarians and academics around information literacy.
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What does Information Literacy mean? Some examples from different disciplines
1. What does Information
Literacy mean? Some
examples from different
disciplines
Sheila Webber
University of Sheffield
Department of Information Studies
May 2008
Sheila Webber, May 2008
2. Outline
ā¢ What is IL?
ā¢ Findings about disciplinary differences
ā¢ Implications of findings
Sheila Webber, May 2008
4. It means to me:
āInformation literacy is the
adoption of appropriate
information behaviour to
Definition by: identify, through whatever
Johnston & channel or medium, information
Webber well fitted to information needs,
leading to wise and ethical use
of information in society.ā
Sheila Webber, May 2008
6. It means in different languages?
ā¢ Informationskompetenz Competency?
ā¢ la maĆ®trise de lāinformation
ā¢ Informaatiolukutaito Literacy?
ā¢ Informationskompetens Fluency?
ā¢ Las competencias en informaciĆ³n
ā¢ La alfabetizaciĆ³n informacional
(with apologies for any linguistic errors!)
Sheila Webber, May 2008
7. It means: http://www.sconul.ac.uk
Information
Literacy
models and
standards
(this is the British
model for
universities)
See http://www.sconul.ac.uk/groups/information_literacy/headline_skills.html
for an explanation Sheila Webber, May 2008
8. It means: a graduate attribute
Sheila Webber, May 2008
9. ā4. Demonstrate the core
capabilities and skills of
Characteristics of a information literacy, interacting
Sheffield Graduate confidently with the nature and
(University of Sheffield structure of information in their
Learning, Teaching and subject and handling
Assessment Strategy) information in a professional
and ethical manner;
See http://www.shef.ac.uk/content/1/c6/04/83/65/lta-strategy2.pdf
Sheila Webber, May 2008
10. It means: behaving with
information in an information
literate mannerā¦.
But what is information?
Sheila Webber, May 2008
11. For someone who teaches marketing
ā¢ News Stories ā¢ Statistical data
ā¢ Journal & magazine articles ā¢ Market research data
ā¢ Books ā¢ Google
ā¢ Observation (e.g. observing ā¢ Article databases e.g.
how shoppers behave in a ABI/Inform
supermarket) ā¢ Company websites
ā¢ Colleagues ā¢ Company accounts
ā¢ Business organisations ā¢ Librarians
Sheila Webber, May 2008
12. For someone who teaches English
ā¢ Manuscripts ā¢ Libraries, archives & museums
ā¢ Journal articles ā¢ Colleagues
ā¢ Books ā¢ Websites (e.g. about a writer)
ā¢ Video & sound recordings ā¢ Artefacts (e.g. rune stones)
ā¢ Performances
ā¢ Newspapers (including
archives)
Sheila Webber, May 2008
13. For someone who teaches Civil Engineering
ā¢ Engineering journals ā¢ Codes of practice
ā¢ Books ā¢ Colleagues
ā¢ Web of Science database ā¢ Land surveys
ā¢ Google ā¢ Geographic Information
ā¢ Product information ā¢ Librarians
ā¢ Manufacturersā websites ā¢ Standards and Regulations
ā¢ Photographs ā¢ Log books
ā¢ Data sheets
ā¢ Design manuals
Sheila Webber, May 2008
14. Even when sources are the sameā¦
ā¢ The Marketing professor needs todayās news and
articles to keep-up-to date with the business world:
monitoring and searching are important
ā¢ The Chemistry professor needs detailed, regular,
up-to-date searches on specialist subjects
ā¢ The English professor wants to connect her
research to new developments: browsing and
linking are important
Sheila Webber, May 2008
15. Differences
ā¢ The information sources differ
ā¢ Information behaviour differs
ā¢ Information literacy differs
ā¢ ā¦so what people want their students to do with
information differs
ā¢ and then ā¦ also people are different
ā¢ so what motivates them to work with librarians
differs
Sheila Webber, May 2008
16. Results from our project:
revealing some differences
Sheila Webber, May 2008
17. ā¢ Three-year Arts & Humanities Research Council
(AHRC) - funded project (Nov 2002- Nov 2005)
To explore UK academicsā conceptions of,
and pedagogy for, information literacy
ā¢ Sheila Webber; Bill Johnston; Stuart Boon
(Research Assistant: now lecturing at
Strathclyde University)
Sheila Webber, May 2008
18. Key research questions
1. What conceptions of information literacy
are held by UK academics?
2. What are academicsā conceptions and
reported practice in educating students for
information literacy?
3. Do differences in conception correspond
to differences in discipline?
Sheila Webber, May 2008
19. ā¢ 20 academics from each of 4 disciplines (varied
sample, 26 different universities)
ā¢ Phenomenographic research approach,
identifying variation in conception
ā¢ Phenomenography has been used to investigate
approaches to teaching, approaches to study,
conceptions of a subject etc.
Sheila Webber, May 2008
20. Pure Applied
Contextual imperatives: Draws on hard knowledge
each new piece of domain, applied to practical
knowledge has its place in problems
Hard the picture
Outcomes which are often
quot;Discoveryquot; products, techniques
Chemistry Civil Engineering
Contextual associations: Draws on soft pure knowledge
loosely knit clusters of ideas domain to interpret and
understand situations
quot;Interpretationsquot;
Soft Outcomes are often
protocols or procedures
English Marketing
Sheila Webber, May 2008
21. quot;Phenomenography is the empirical
study of the differing ways in
which people experience,
perceive, apprehend, understand,
Marton (1994) conceptualise various
phenomena in and aspects of the
world around us.ā
Qualitative research aiming for insights
Sheila Webber, May 2008
22. Insights
Us Interviewee
What is key focus of
Intervieweeās conception
? of IL?
Information Literacy
Sheila Webber, May 2008
23. Marketing: Information literacy asā¦
1. Accessing information quickly and easily to be aware of
whatās going on (focus on providing links, reading lists,
demonstrations ā but perhaps not guidance on evaluation)
2. Using IT to work with information efficiently and effectively
(e.g. using data mining software to create information out of
data)
3. Possessing a set of information skills (e.g. āfind, sift, sort,
analyse and disseminateā (MKTG05)* and applying them to the
task in hand (e.g. an assignment or article) but not
concentrating on how the skills might be more broadly useful
*interviewee number
Sheila Webber, May 2008
24. Marketing: Information literacy asā¦
4. Using information literacy to solve real-world problems (so
needing information literacy skills, but focusing them on
problem solving)
5. Becoming critical thinkers āAlways thinking, always
questioning.ā (MKTG11)
6. Becoming a confident, independent practitioner e.g. āIt
[information literacy] means I can do my job. Do it effectively.
I can find the information I am looking for and I know what to
do with it as well.ā (MKTG15)
Sheila Webber, May 2008
25. Example of conception1:
āSo information is vital. And being up to
date with the information you are gathering
is vitalābeing on top of events. In
business, nothing remains the same. One
day the sky is blue, the next day itās green
or red. Youāve always got to be on top of
the news and pulling in information from
every angle.ā (Marketing 09)
Sheila Webber, May 2008
26. English: Information literacy asā¦
1. Accessing and retrieving textual information
2. Using IT to access and retrieve information
3. Possessing basic research skills and knowing how
and when to use them
4. Becoming confident, autonomous learners and
critical thinkers
Sheila Webber, May 2008
27. English and Marketing
ā¢ Marketing: using IT to manipulate data
(geographic, statistical etc.)
ā¢ English: using IT to access information ā mostly
text
ā¢ Marketing: problem solving, looking forward to using
information as a professional in the workplace
ā¢ English: focus on personal development
Sheila Webber, May 2008
28. Chemistry: Information literacy asā¦
1. Accessing and searching chemical
information
Traditional published sources: databases of articles and
chemical structures
2. Mastering a chemist's information skill set
Includes handling data they have created e.g. in the lab
3. Communicating scientific information
4. An essential part of the constitution/
construction/ creation of knowledge
the chemist in the information society!
Sheila Webber, May 2008
29. English & Chemistry
ā¢ Personal (English) vs Professional (Chemistry)
ā cf. Personal vs. group mode of researching
ā Social/civic role vs. role of chemist in society
ā¢ Nature of information
ā Unified view of what chemistry information is (building
blocks of knowledge) vs. in English focus on different
media
ā Way in which information accessed/ used including role
of IT
Sheila Webber, May 2008
30. Civil Engineering: Information literacy asā¦
1. Accessing and retrieving data and information e.g. āthe
ability of students to find relevant information to the tasks at
handā (CENG15)
2. Applying and using information e.g. āthe ability to
recognise, sort, manipulate, or make use of the informationā
(CENG09)
3. Analysis and sense making e.g. ābasically it is creative,
analytical problem-solvingā (CENG16)
4. Creating, and incorporating information into a professional
knowledge base e.g. āget them to the point that they can be
literate in their discipline and its wide, wider contextā¦.ā
(CENG19)
Sheila Webber, May 2008
31. Focus for (and concerns about)
information literacy also may depend on -
ā¢ Specialist field within a subject e.g. 18th century English
vs. English popular culture
ā¢ Teaching context (e.g. what kind of university? Are
academics encouraged to do more than ālectureā?)
ā¢ Level of student (progression in information literacy
each year!)
Sheila Webber, May 2008
32. Note that academicsā conceptions do not
all focus on ātraditionalā search/ find parts
of information literacy
ā¢ Reflective thinking, being a practitioner, being
creative ā¦.
ā¢ Keywords from a seminar with academics and
students at Sheffield earlier this year:
confidence, curiosity, positive attitude,
evaluation, synthesis
Sheila Webber, May 2008
33. Creating relationships
ā¢ Understanding and empathy with potential
partners ā listening and learning e.g.
ā Don't just be a quot;toolboxquot; person (relating a toolbox
of IL skills to specific context, assuming academics
are deficient in ILā¦)
ā¢ Using knowledge of potential partners for
Relationship Marketing approach (tailoring
product, promotion, place, process)
Sheila Webber, May 2008
34. Creating relationships
ā¢ Different strategies likely to appeal to different
categories e.g.
ā Toolbox and access approaches will not appeal to
academics with quot;Engaging with students to show
them the value of information and information
literacyquot; conception (would want critical thinking &
lifelong learning approach)
ā A critical thinking approach may not excite an
academic who wants students to āfind chemical
data and structures for their assignmentsā
Sheila Webber, May 2008
35. Opportunities
ā¢ Changing structure (e.g. Bologna Process)
ā¢ New head of university or department
ā¢ Teaching quality audits
ā¢ New or changed degree programmes
ā¢ New information systems, or educational
technology
ā¢ New library or learning spaces
ā¢ New academic staff
Sheila Webber, May 2008
36. Creating relationships
ā¢ Some academics like librariansā
models and frameworks
ā¢ Some will want to adapt the models
ā¢ Some academics will only be interested in
pursuing their conception of information
literacy: but perhaps they have good reasons!
Sheila Webber, May 2008
37. Questions to ask
ā¢ What kinds of āinformationā is it important for
students to be able to deal with?
ā¢ What information literacy skills will students need
after they graduate?
ā¢ What conception of information literacy do you
and colleagues have? If varied, they may be
complementary!
ā¢ What kinds of study and information practice are
valued e.g. problem solving; finding information;
critical evaluation
Sheila Webber, May 2008