7232019 Promoting Literacy in DA

httpslidepdfcomreaderfullpromoting-literacy-in-da 15

The meaning and scope of information literacy

The term lsquoinformation literacyrsquohas been widely and sometimes

confusingly used in the literature Anumber of other related terms have alsobeen used for the same or similar conceptsthese include

d computer literacy (or IT literacy infor-mation technology literacy electronicliteracy or electronic information literacy)

d library literacyd media literacy (or lsquomediacyrsquo)d network literacy (or Internet literacy or

hyper-literacy)d digital literacy (digital information literacy)d informacy

Bawden1 gives an analysis and comparison

of these concepts (see also Behrens2

foran earlier critical review) It is helpful todistinguish between lsquoskills-based literaciesrsquosuch as computer or library literacy whichessentially indicate a competence in hand-ling information in a particular setting orcontext or format and more general capabil-ities

These wider conceptions of informationliteracy for which the term lsquoinformacyrsquo hassometime been used stress capabilitiesbeyond a simple competence in retrieving or

communicating information As Kulthau3

puts it lsquoWhat does it mean to be literate inan information society Information liter-acy is closely tied to functional literacyIt involves the ability to read and useinformation essential for everyday lifersquoWhile characteristics and capabilities maybe defined for this broader context theyare likely to be much less specific than forcompetence-based literacies

For example Bruce4 gives seven lsquokeycharacteristicsrsquo of an information-literate

person one who

Promoting literacy in a

digital age

approaches totraining for

information

literacy

David Bawden and Lyn RobinsonDepartment of Information Science CityUniversity London

copy David Bawden and Lyn Robinson 2002

ABSTRACT Information literacy and othersimilar lsquoliteraciesrsquo such as digital literacy mediacy

and informacy are concepts relating to knowledge

skills and attitudes at various levels in dealing with information in varied formats and diverse

situations The breadth of scope of these conceptsimplies that training must be equally broad varied

and context-sensitiveThis is exemplified by two

case studies of information and digital literacy

training The first is a training programme in

information literacy for the scientific staff of a

multinational pharmaceutical researchorganization The second is a summer school

dealing with digital literacy primarily for

information professionals from countries of Central

and Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union

Learned Publishing (2002)15 297ndash301

Promoting literacy in a digital age 297

LE A R N ED PU BL IS H IN G VO L 1 5 N O 4 O CT O BE R 2 00 2

7232019 Promoting Literacy in DA

httpslidepdfcomreaderfullpromoting-literacy-in-da 25

d engages in independent self-directedlearning

d uses information processesd uses a variety of information technologies

and systemsd has internalized values that p romote

information used has a sound knowledge of the world of

informationd approaches information criticallyd has a personal information style that facil-

itates his or her interaction with the worldof information

Similarly Rader56 argues that the infor-mation-literate citizen will be characterizedby an ability to acquire and use information

appropriate for any situation within orbeyond a library both locally and globallyso that information-literate people will beable to

d survive and be successful in an infor-mationtechnology environment

d lead productive healthy and satisfyinglives in a democratic society

d deal effectively with rapidly changingenvironments

d ensure a better future for the next gener-

ationd find appropriate information for personal

and professional problem solvingd have writing and computer proficiencies

Other terms that have been used todescribe these broad capabilities includelsquodigital literacyrsquo7 which emphasizes the useof digital information but also the endur-ing value of print and lsquomediacyrsquo8ndash10 whichemphasizes an ability to deal with infor-mation in different media according to

individual traits and learning stylesOverall it is best to understand infor-mation literacy as something much broaderthan an enhanced form of computer skillsor of bibliographic instruction To deal withthe complexities of the current informationenvironment in particular the new formsof information products generated in themove to a largely digital information space acomplex and broad form of literacy isrequired It must subsume all the skill-basedliteracies but it cannot be restricted to

them Nor can it be restricted to any

particular technology or set of technologiesand understanding meaning and contextmust be central to it1

This implies that training for informationliteracy must be correspondingly broad and

must take different forms according to itscontext We now illustrate this point withtwo case studies

Case study 1

This example involves the planning im-plementation and evaluation of a trainingprogramme in information literacy forresearch workers in a multinational pharma-ceutical company This area is well-knownas particularly lsquoinformation intensiversquo with

an unusual variety and sophistication of information needs sources and systems11 Inthis particular situation the sheer variety of systems and sources available was posingproblems for effective use particularly asfamiliar printed journals and referencesources were supplemented and replaced bydigital equivalents

The programme was designed for both UKand US sites of the organization It wasintended that ultimately all research workerswould undergo this training which would be

a certificated competenceSince computer literacy is already a

required competence within this organ-ization with its own well-developed trainingprogrammes this background could beassumed The training programme was basedaround a working definition of informationliteracy appropriate to the scientific re-search environment as being the ability to

d articulate information requirementsd identify the best resources to meet them

d develop effective search and navigationstrategies

d evaluate manipulate and use resultinginformation

The programme then covered the whole of alsquoknowledge spiralrsquo

d recognition of a need for informationd choice of appropriate sourcesd information retrievald evaluation of retrieved informationd

organization of information

understanding

meaning andcontext mustbe central

298 David Bawden and Lyn Robinson

L EA R N ED P UB LI SH IN G VO L 1 5 N O 4 O C TO B ER 2 0 0 2

7232019 Promoting Literacy in DA

httpslidepdfcomreaderfullpromoting-literacy-in-da 35

d manipulation and processing of informa-tion

d communication and storage of informa-tion

d effective use of information

(It is a spiral in that the use of informationgenerally leads back to a need for moreinformation thus lsquoclosing the circlersquo Sinceknowledge has increased however theparticipant is at a lsquohigherrsquo level hence aspiral rather than a circle)

The programme comprises eight shortlsquomodulesrsquo each covering on the aspectsnoted above The materials developed forthese may be delivered in a conventional

training format in a half-day or full-daycourse or may be made available for self-learning on the organizationrsquos intranet Bothtypes of training were provided and bothhad their own advantages They were sup-ported by a variety of aids including subject-based guides to resources and searchingand matrix of information sources andappropriate uses and intranet-based guidesto key sources and information processes

A detailed evaluation of the initial versionof this training programme was carried out

with three groups within the organizationleading to modifications and improvementsto the material and delivery methods Theseevaluations included a variety of toolsfrom interviews with participants and theirmanagers and participantsrsquo self-assessmentof their capabilities to analysis of use of information systems pre- and post-trainingOver 90 of participants were positiveabout the programme

One of the issues with this programmewas that while general principles might be

constant the specifics of types of informa-tion needed relevant sources and systemsnature of processing involved criteria forevaluation etc are very different Thismeant that the each module had to be con-structed as a lsquoskeletonrsquo of general principlesand good practice which were then illus-trated and exemplified with appropriatematerial for each discipline and area beingconsidered This is an illustration of thegeneral (unsolved) question to what extentis information literacy a topic in its own

right and to what extent must it be em-

bedded in the knowledge of a particularsubject or the specifics of a particular kindof problem It is interesting to note that thisproblem emerges within what might bethought of a very tightly focused information

environment ndash a single organization with avariety of scientific disciplines relating todrug discovery and development

It is also worth noting that training onlsquotraditionalrsquo and specific libraryinformationissues ndash such as choice of resources andeffective search strategies ndash was considerablyeasier to provide and to assess and evaluatethan broader aspects such as effective useof information and identification of infor-mation need

Case study 2

This example relates to a summer schooltraining course in information literacyfor information professionals largely fromCentral and Eastern Europe and the formerSoviet Union but also from countries suchas Haiti South Africa and Pakistan Part of the Summer University of the CentralEuropean University Budapest12 the courseattracts a variety of information profes-

sionals from across the region includinglibrarians archivists IT managers resourcemanagers journalists and teachers

Digital literacy by and for library information professionals is also supportedthrough a network of training centresthroughout the region served by the summerschool as part of the information activitiesof the Open Society Institute supported bythe philanthropist George Soros1314 With aprimary remit for professional developmentof libraryinformation workers these centres

are now helping the promotion of infor-mation literacy for the development of civilsociety15 Information provision in this regionis going through a period of transitionwith the problems in supply of traditionalresources due to economic and structuralfactors being to some extent offset byprovision of networked information andelectronic resources ndash an example being theEiFL Direct electronic journal and databaseinitiative16

The summer school was first held in 1997

as a course strongly centred on the use of

each modulehad to beconstructed asa lsquoskeletonrsquoof general

principles and

good practice

Promoting literacy in a digital age 299

LE A R N ED PU BL IS H IN G VO L 1 5 N O 4 O CT O BE R 2 00 2

7232019 Promoting Literacy in DA

httpslidepdfcomreaderfullpromoting-literacy-in-da 45

the Internet and particularly effective re-trieval of information and evaluation of information Over time its scope expandedInitially the publication and communi-cation of information by electronic means

were included Latterly the course hascovered more general topics of digitalliteracy in open societies with a particularemphasis on critical thinking on the import-ance of metadata and on the informationprofessional as a promoter of informationliteracy and of the role of libraries in thiscontext The principal topics included in the2001 course give an indication of its scope

d Nature of digital literacyd Information and communication technol-

ogiesd The library in societyd Information resourcesd Digital information in librariesd Finding and accessing informationd Evaluating and organizing informationd Training the trainerd Libraries in the digital aged Digital literacy in open societies

Between 1997 and 2000 the summerschool used lsquoconventionalrsquo teaching and

learning methods ndash lectures seminarspractical classes student presentationsetc ndash over a two-week period17 In 2001 itwas adapted to a largely e-learning modevia the Internet18 Students used a Web-based learning environment (webCT) foraccess to material with communication byemail discussion lists etc A one-weeklsquoface-to-facersquo period was used largely fordiscussion sessions professional visits andsimilar activities In this way ideas of digitalliteracy were illustrated in practice and by

example as well as by didactic teachingA central theme for this course has been

lsquocritical thinkingrsquo sometimes taken as acentral aspect of information literacy Thisterm has been used with diverse meaningssee for example Arprsquos discussion of thematter19 A useful summary is that of Gibsonand Meade20 who suggest that it is lsquoadisciplined process of

d asking informed questionsd posing problems in various ways before

attempting to solve them

d examining assumptionsd solving ill-structured messy lsquoreal-worldrsquo

problemsd evaluating sources of informationd assessing the quality of onersquos own thinking

and problem-solvingrsquo

plus crucially the ability to create mentalframeworks to give context to the mass of information which may be available on thesubject at hand

As with case study 1 it was easier toprovide training on aspects such as use of search engines and Web page design than onsocietal and individual issues These havebeen largely dealt with by discussion exampleand the participantsrsquo own reflection

Conclusions

These two case studies illustrate the diver-sity of approaches which must be consideredfor effective training in information literaciesOne is based in a tightly focused researchenvironment and deals with complex systemsfor handling scientific information Theother is based in a much more open envir-onment taking participants from widely

differing backgrounds and dealing withlsquosofterrsquo issues of critical thinking and therole of information within society

The case studies show how some generalprinciples of information literacy can beidentified and used in training They alsoshow how these must be contextualizedillustrated with very different examples andpresented in a very different way to meetthe needs of different groups of learners Inthis way they reflect the breadth and scopeof the information literacy concept and the

challenge for trainers and facilitators in thissubject

Note

An earlier version of this paper was presented at IOLIM2001 D Bawden and L Robinson Training for infor-mation literacy diverse approaches in Proceedings of OnlineInformation 2001 Oxford Learned Information pp 87ndash90(paper presented 5 Dec 2001)

References

1 Bawden D Information and digital literacies a reviewof concepts Journal of Documentation 200157(2)218ndash59

2 Behrens SJ A conceptual analysis and historical

A centraltheme for this

course hasbeen lsquocritical

thinkingrsquo

300 David Bawden and Lyn Robinson

L EA R N ED P UB LI SH IN G VO L 1 5 N O 4 O C TO B ER 2 0 0 2

7232019 Promoting Literacy in DA

httpslidepdfcomreaderfullpromoting-literacy-in-da 25

d engages in independent self-directedlearning

d uses information processesd uses a variety of information technologies

and systemsd has internalized values that p romote

information used has a sound knowledge of the world of

informationd approaches information criticallyd has a personal information style that facil-

itates his or her interaction with the worldof information

Similarly Rader56 argues that the infor-mation-literate citizen will be characterizedby an ability to acquire and use information

appropriate for any situation within orbeyond a library both locally and globallyso that information-literate people will beable to

d survive and be successful in an infor-mationtechnology environment

d lead productive healthy and satisfyinglives in a democratic society

d deal effectively with rapidly changingenvironments

d ensure a better future for the next gener-

ationd find appropriate information for personal

and professional problem solvingd have writing and computer proficiencies

Other terms that have been used todescribe these broad capabilities includelsquodigital literacyrsquo7 which emphasizes the useof digital information but also the endur-ing value of print and lsquomediacyrsquo8ndash10 whichemphasizes an ability to deal with infor-mation in different media according to

individual traits and learning stylesOverall it is best to understand infor-mation literacy as something much broaderthan an enhanced form of computer skillsor of bibliographic instruction To deal withthe complexities of the current informationenvironment in particular the new formsof information products generated in themove to a largely digital information space acomplex and broad form of literacy isrequired It must subsume all the skill-basedliteracies but it cannot be restricted to

them Nor can it be restricted to any

particular technology or set of technologiesand understanding meaning and contextmust be central to it1

This implies that training for informationliteracy must be correspondingly broad and

must take different forms according to itscontext We now illustrate this point withtwo case studies

Case study 1

This example involves the planning im-plementation and evaluation of a trainingprogramme in information literacy forresearch workers in a multinational pharma-ceutical company This area is well-knownas particularly lsquoinformation intensiversquo with

an unusual variety and sophistication of information needs sources and systems11 Inthis particular situation the sheer variety of systems and sources available was posingproblems for effective use particularly asfamiliar printed journals and referencesources were supplemented and replaced bydigital equivalents

The programme was designed for both UKand US sites of the organization It wasintended that ultimately all research workerswould undergo this training which would be

a certificated competenceSince computer literacy is already a

required competence within this organ-ization with its own well-developed trainingprogrammes this background could beassumed The training programme was basedaround a working definition of informationliteracy appropriate to the scientific re-search environment as being the ability to

d articulate information requirementsd identify the best resources to meet them

d develop effective search and navigationstrategies

d evaluate manipulate and use resultinginformation

The programme then covered the whole of alsquoknowledge spiralrsquo

d recognition of a need for informationd choice of appropriate sourcesd information retrievald evaluation of retrieved informationd

organization of information

understanding

meaning andcontext mustbe central

298 David Bawden and Lyn Robinson

L EA R N ED P UB LI SH IN G VO L 1 5 N O 4 O C TO B ER 2 0 0 2

7232019 Promoting Literacy in DA

httpslidepdfcomreaderfullpromoting-literacy-in-da 35

d manipulation and processing of informa-tion

d communication and storage of informa-tion

d effective use of information

(It is a spiral in that the use of informationgenerally leads back to a need for moreinformation thus lsquoclosing the circlersquo Sinceknowledge has increased however theparticipant is at a lsquohigherrsquo level hence aspiral rather than a circle)

The programme comprises eight shortlsquomodulesrsquo each covering on the aspectsnoted above The materials developed forthese may be delivered in a conventional

training format in a half-day or full-daycourse or may be made available for self-learning on the organizationrsquos intranet Bothtypes of training were provided and bothhad their own advantages They were sup-ported by a variety of aids including subject-based guides to resources and searchingand matrix of information sources andappropriate uses and intranet-based guidesto key sources and information processes

A detailed evaluation of the initial versionof this training programme was carried out

with three groups within the organizationleading to modifications and improvementsto the material and delivery methods Theseevaluations included a variety of toolsfrom interviews with participants and theirmanagers and participantsrsquo self-assessmentof their capabilities to analysis of use of information systems pre- and post-trainingOver 90 of participants were positiveabout the programme

One of the issues with this programmewas that while general principles might be

constant the specifics of types of informa-tion needed relevant sources and systemsnature of processing involved criteria forevaluation etc are very different Thismeant that the each module had to be con-structed as a lsquoskeletonrsquo of general principlesand good practice which were then illus-trated and exemplified with appropriatematerial for each discipline and area beingconsidered This is an illustration of thegeneral (unsolved) question to what extentis information literacy a topic in its own

right and to what extent must it be em-

bedded in the knowledge of a particularsubject or the specifics of a particular kindof problem It is interesting to note that thisproblem emerges within what might bethought of a very tightly focused information

environment ndash a single organization with avariety of scientific disciplines relating todrug discovery and development

It is also worth noting that training onlsquotraditionalrsquo and specific libraryinformationissues ndash such as choice of resources andeffective search strategies ndash was considerablyeasier to provide and to assess and evaluatethan broader aspects such as effective useof information and identification of infor-mation need

Case study 2

This example relates to a summer schooltraining course in information literacyfor information professionals largely fromCentral and Eastern Europe and the formerSoviet Union but also from countries suchas Haiti South Africa and Pakistan Part of the Summer University of the CentralEuropean University Budapest12 the courseattracts a variety of information profes-

sionals from across the region includinglibrarians archivists IT managers resourcemanagers journalists and teachers

Digital literacy by and for library information professionals is also supportedthrough a network of training centresthroughout the region served by the summerschool as part of the information activitiesof the Open Society Institute supported bythe philanthropist George Soros1314 With aprimary remit for professional developmentof libraryinformation workers these centres

are now helping the promotion of infor-mation literacy for the development of civilsociety15 Information provision in this regionis going through a period of transitionwith the problems in supply of traditionalresources due to economic and structuralfactors being to some extent offset byprovision of networked information andelectronic resources ndash an example being theEiFL Direct electronic journal and databaseinitiative16

The summer school was first held in 1997

as a course strongly centred on the use of

each modulehad to beconstructed asa lsquoskeletonrsquoof general

principles and

good practice

Promoting literacy in a digital age 299

LE A R N ED PU BL IS H IN G VO L 1 5 N O 4 O CT O BE R 2 00 2

7232019 Promoting Literacy in DA

httpslidepdfcomreaderfullpromoting-literacy-in-da 45

the Internet and particularly effective re-trieval of information and evaluation of information Over time its scope expandedInitially the publication and communi-cation of information by electronic means

were included Latterly the course hascovered more general topics of digitalliteracy in open societies with a particularemphasis on critical thinking on the import-ance of metadata and on the informationprofessional as a promoter of informationliteracy and of the role of libraries in thiscontext The principal topics included in the2001 course give an indication of its scope

d Nature of digital literacyd Information and communication technol-

ogiesd The library in societyd Information resourcesd Digital information in librariesd Finding and accessing informationd Evaluating and organizing informationd Training the trainerd Libraries in the digital aged Digital literacy in open societies

Between 1997 and 2000 the summerschool used lsquoconventionalrsquo teaching and

learning methods ndash lectures seminarspractical classes student presentationsetc ndash over a two-week period17 In 2001 itwas adapted to a largely e-learning modevia the Internet18 Students used a Web-based learning environment (webCT) foraccess to material with communication byemail discussion lists etc A one-weeklsquoface-to-facersquo period was used largely fordiscussion sessions professional visits andsimilar activities In this way ideas of digitalliteracy were illustrated in practice and by

example as well as by didactic teachingA central theme for this course has been

lsquocritical thinkingrsquo sometimes taken as acentral aspect of information literacy Thisterm has been used with diverse meaningssee for example Arprsquos discussion of thematter19 A useful summary is that of Gibsonand Meade20 who suggest that it is lsquoadisciplined process of

d asking informed questionsd posing problems in various ways before

attempting to solve them

d examining assumptionsd solving ill-structured messy lsquoreal-worldrsquo

problemsd evaluating sources of informationd assessing the quality of onersquos own thinking

and problem-solvingrsquo

plus crucially the ability to create mentalframeworks to give context to the mass of information which may be available on thesubject at hand

As with case study 1 it was easier toprovide training on aspects such as use of search engines and Web page design than onsocietal and individual issues These havebeen largely dealt with by discussion exampleand the participantsrsquo own reflection

Conclusions

These two case studies illustrate the diver-sity of approaches which must be consideredfor effective training in information literaciesOne is based in a tightly focused researchenvironment and deals with complex systemsfor handling scientific information Theother is based in a much more open envir-onment taking participants from widely

differing backgrounds and dealing withlsquosofterrsquo issues of critical thinking and therole of information within society

The case studies show how some generalprinciples of information literacy can beidentified and used in training They alsoshow how these must be contextualizedillustrated with very different examples andpresented in a very different way to meetthe needs of different groups of learners Inthis way they reflect the breadth and scopeof the information literacy concept and the

challenge for trainers and facilitators in thissubject

Note

An earlier version of this paper was presented at IOLIM2001 D Bawden and L Robinson Training for infor-mation literacy diverse approaches in Proceedings of OnlineInformation 2001 Oxford Learned Information pp 87ndash90(paper presented 5 Dec 2001)

References

1 Bawden D Information and digital literacies a reviewof concepts Journal of Documentation 200157(2)218ndash59

2 Behrens SJ A conceptual analysis and historical

A centraltheme for this

course hasbeen lsquocritical

thinkingrsquo

300 David Bawden and Lyn Robinson

L EA R N ED P UB LI SH IN G VO L 1 5 N O 4 O C TO B ER 2 0 0 2

7232019 Promoting Literacy in DA

httpslidepdfcomreaderfullpromoting-literacy-in-da 35

d manipulation and processing of informa-tion

d communication and storage of informa-tion

d effective use of information

(It is a spiral in that the use of informationgenerally leads back to a need for moreinformation thus lsquoclosing the circlersquo Sinceknowledge has increased however theparticipant is at a lsquohigherrsquo level hence aspiral rather than a circle)

The programme comprises eight shortlsquomodulesrsquo each covering on the aspectsnoted above The materials developed forthese may be delivered in a conventional

training format in a half-day or full-daycourse or may be made available for self-learning on the organizationrsquos intranet Bothtypes of training were provided and bothhad their own advantages They were sup-ported by a variety of aids including subject-based guides to resources and searchingand matrix of information sources andappropriate uses and intranet-based guidesto key sources and information processes

A detailed evaluation of the initial versionof this training programme was carried out

with three groups within the organizationleading to modifications and improvementsto the material and delivery methods Theseevaluations included a variety of toolsfrom interviews with participants and theirmanagers and participantsrsquo self-assessmentof their capabilities to analysis of use of information systems pre- and post-trainingOver 90 of participants were positiveabout the programme

One of the issues with this programmewas that while general principles might be

constant the specifics of types of informa-tion needed relevant sources and systemsnature of processing involved criteria forevaluation etc are very different Thismeant that the each module had to be con-structed as a lsquoskeletonrsquo of general principlesand good practice which were then illus-trated and exemplified with appropriatematerial for each discipline and area beingconsidered This is an illustration of thegeneral (unsolved) question to what extentis information literacy a topic in its own

right and to what extent must it be em-

bedded in the knowledge of a particularsubject or the specifics of a particular kindof problem It is interesting to note that thisproblem emerges within what might bethought of a very tightly focused information

environment ndash a single organization with avariety of scientific disciplines relating todrug discovery and development

It is also worth noting that training onlsquotraditionalrsquo and specific libraryinformationissues ndash such as choice of resources andeffective search strategies ndash was considerablyeasier to provide and to assess and evaluatethan broader aspects such as effective useof information and identification of infor-mation need

Case study 2

This example relates to a summer schooltraining course in information literacyfor information professionals largely fromCentral and Eastern Europe and the formerSoviet Union but also from countries suchas Haiti South Africa and Pakistan Part of the Summer University of the CentralEuropean University Budapest12 the courseattracts a variety of information profes-

sionals from across the region includinglibrarians archivists IT managers resourcemanagers journalists and teachers

Digital literacy by and for library information professionals is also supportedthrough a network of training centresthroughout the region served by the summerschool as part of the information activitiesof the Open Society Institute supported bythe philanthropist George Soros1314 With aprimary remit for professional developmentof libraryinformation workers these centres

are now helping the promotion of infor-mation literacy for the development of civilsociety15 Information provision in this regionis going through a period of transitionwith the problems in supply of traditionalresources due to economic and structuralfactors being to some extent offset byprovision of networked information andelectronic resources ndash an example being theEiFL Direct electronic journal and databaseinitiative16

The summer school was first held in 1997

as a course strongly centred on the use of

each modulehad to beconstructed asa lsquoskeletonrsquoof general

principles and

good practice

Promoting literacy in a digital age 299

LE A R N ED PU BL IS H IN G VO L 1 5 N O 4 O CT O BE R 2 00 2

7232019 Promoting Literacy in DA

httpslidepdfcomreaderfullpromoting-literacy-in-da 45

the Internet and particularly effective re-trieval of information and evaluation of information Over time its scope expandedInitially the publication and communi-cation of information by electronic means

were included Latterly the course hascovered more general topics of digitalliteracy in open societies with a particularemphasis on critical thinking on the import-ance of metadata and on the informationprofessional as a promoter of informationliteracy and of the role of libraries in thiscontext The principal topics included in the2001 course give an indication of its scope

d Nature of digital literacyd Information and communication technol-

ogiesd The library in societyd Information resourcesd Digital information in librariesd Finding and accessing informationd Evaluating and organizing informationd Training the trainerd Libraries in the digital aged Digital literacy in open societies

Between 1997 and 2000 the summerschool used lsquoconventionalrsquo teaching and

learning methods ndash lectures seminarspractical classes student presentationsetc ndash over a two-week period17 In 2001 itwas adapted to a largely e-learning modevia the Internet18 Students used a Web-based learning environment (webCT) foraccess to material with communication byemail discussion lists etc A one-weeklsquoface-to-facersquo period was used largely fordiscussion sessions professional visits andsimilar activities In this way ideas of digitalliteracy were illustrated in practice and by

example as well as by didactic teachingA central theme for this course has been

lsquocritical thinkingrsquo sometimes taken as acentral aspect of information literacy Thisterm has been used with diverse meaningssee for example Arprsquos discussion of thematter19 A useful summary is that of Gibsonand Meade20 who suggest that it is lsquoadisciplined process of

d asking informed questionsd posing problems in various ways before

attempting to solve them

d examining assumptionsd solving ill-structured messy lsquoreal-worldrsquo

problemsd evaluating sources of informationd assessing the quality of onersquos own thinking

and problem-solvingrsquo

plus crucially the ability to create mentalframeworks to give context to the mass of information which may be available on thesubject at hand

As with case study 1 it was easier toprovide training on aspects such as use of search engines and Web page design than onsocietal and individual issues These havebeen largely dealt with by discussion exampleand the participantsrsquo own reflection

Conclusions

These two case studies illustrate the diver-sity of approaches which must be consideredfor effective training in information literaciesOne is based in a tightly focused researchenvironment and deals with complex systemsfor handling scientific information Theother is based in a much more open envir-onment taking participants from widely

differing backgrounds and dealing withlsquosofterrsquo issues of critical thinking and therole of information within society

The case studies show how some generalprinciples of information literacy can beidentified and used in training They alsoshow how these must be contextualizedillustrated with very different examples andpresented in a very different way to meetthe needs of different groups of learners Inthis way they reflect the breadth and scopeof the information literacy concept and the

challenge for trainers and facilitators in thissubject

Note

An earlier version of this paper was presented at IOLIM2001 D Bawden and L Robinson Training for infor-mation literacy diverse approaches in Proceedings of OnlineInformation 2001 Oxford Learned Information pp 87ndash90(paper presented 5 Dec 2001)

References

1 Bawden D Information and digital literacies a reviewof concepts Journal of Documentation 200157(2)218ndash59

2 Behrens SJ A conceptual analysis and historical

A centraltheme for this

course hasbeen lsquocritical

thinkingrsquo

300 David Bawden and Lyn Robinson

L EA R N ED P UB LI SH IN G VO L 1 5 N O 4 O C TO B ER 2 0 0 2

7232019 Promoting Literacy in DA

httpslidepdfcomreaderfullpromoting-literacy-in-da 45

the Internet and particularly effective re-trieval of information and evaluation of information Over time its scope expandedInitially the publication and communi-cation of information by electronic means

were included Latterly the course hascovered more general topics of digitalliteracy in open societies with a particularemphasis on critical thinking on the import-ance of metadata and on the informationprofessional as a promoter of informationliteracy and of the role of libraries in thiscontext The principal topics included in the2001 course give an indication of its scope

d Nature of digital literacyd Information and communication technol-

ogiesd The library in societyd Information resourcesd Digital information in librariesd Finding and accessing informationd Evaluating and organizing informationd Training the trainerd Libraries in the digital aged Digital literacy in open societies

Between 1997 and 2000 the summerschool used lsquoconventionalrsquo teaching and

learning methods ndash lectures seminarspractical classes student presentationsetc ndash over a two-week period17 In 2001 itwas adapted to a largely e-learning modevia the Internet18 Students used a Web-based learning environment (webCT) foraccess to material with communication byemail discussion lists etc A one-weeklsquoface-to-facersquo period was used largely fordiscussion sessions professional visits andsimilar activities In this way ideas of digitalliteracy were illustrated in practice and by

example as well as by didactic teachingA central theme for this course has been

lsquocritical thinkingrsquo sometimes taken as acentral aspect of information literacy Thisterm has been used with diverse meaningssee for example Arprsquos discussion of thematter19 A useful summary is that of Gibsonand Meade20 who suggest that it is lsquoadisciplined process of

d asking informed questionsd posing problems in various ways before

attempting to solve them

d examining assumptionsd solving ill-structured messy lsquoreal-worldrsquo

problemsd evaluating sources of informationd assessing the quality of onersquos own thinking

and problem-solvingrsquo

plus crucially the ability to create mentalframeworks to give context to the mass of information which may be available on thesubject at hand

As with case study 1 it was easier toprovide training on aspects such as use of search engines and Web page design than onsocietal and individual issues These havebeen largely dealt with by discussion exampleand the participantsrsquo own reflection

Conclusions

These two case studies illustrate the diver-sity of approaches which must be consideredfor effective training in information literaciesOne is based in a tightly focused researchenvironment and deals with complex systemsfor handling scientific information Theother is based in a much more open envir-onment taking participants from widely

differing backgrounds and dealing withlsquosofterrsquo issues of critical thinking and therole of information within society

The case studies show how some generalprinciples of information literacy can beidentified and used in training They alsoshow how these must be contextualizedillustrated with very different examples andpresented in a very different way to meetthe needs of different groups of learners Inthis way they reflect the breadth and scopeof the information literacy concept and the

challenge for trainers and facilitators in thissubject

Note

An earlier version of this paper was presented at IOLIM2001 D Bawden and L Robinson Training for infor-mation literacy diverse approaches in Proceedings of OnlineInformation 2001 Oxford Learned Information pp 87ndash90(paper presented 5 Dec 2001)

References

1 Bawden D Information and digital literacies a reviewof concepts Journal of Documentation 200157(2)218ndash59

2 Behrens SJ A conceptual analysis and historical

A centraltheme for this

course hasbeen lsquocritical

thinkingrsquo

300 David Bawden and Lyn Robinson

L EA R N ED P UB LI SH IN G VO L 1 5 N O 4 O C TO B ER 2 0 0 2

7232019 Promoting Literacy in DA

httpslidepdfcomreaderfullpromoting-literacy-in-da 55

overview of information literacy College and ResearchLibraries 199455(4) 309ndash22

3 Kulthau CC Information skills for an informationsociety (Report ED 297740) ERIC Clearinghouse onEducational Resources Syracuse NY 1987

4 Bruce C Portrait of an information literate person

HERDSA News 199416(3) Nov 9ndash115 Rader H Bibliographic instruction or information

literacy College and Research Libraries News 199151(1) 18ndash20

6 Rader H Information literacy a revolution in thelibrary RQ 199131 (Fall) 25ndash29

7 Gilster P Digital Literacy New York Wiley 19978 Carbo T Mediacy knowledge and skills to navigate

the information superhighway Proceedings of theInfoethics Conference Monte Carlo 10ndash12 Mar 1997Paris UNESCO

9 Inoue H Naito E and Koshizuka M Mediacy whatis it International Information and Library Review199729(34) 403ndash13

10 Kubey R (ed) Media Literacy in the Information Age

Current Perspectives New Brunswick NJ TransactionPublishers 199711 Robson AS Bawden D and Judd A (eds)

Pharmaceutical and Medicines Information ManagementEdinburgh Churchill Livingstone 2001

12 Summer University Programme Central EuropeanUniversity wwwceuhusun

13 Soros G Open Society Reforming Global CapitalismLondon Little Brown 2000

14 Robinson L and Bawden D Libraries and opensociety Popper Soros and digital information AslibProceedings 200153(5) 167ndash78

15 Open Society Institute Network Library Programwwwosihunlp

16 EiFL Direct wwweiflnet17 Robinson L Kupryte R Burnett P and Bawden D

Libraries and the Internet a multi-national trainingcourse Program 200034(2) 187ndash94

18 Bawden D and Robinson L Multicultural libraryeducation towards distance learning paper presentedat First Annual Joint UK and USA conference on theScholarship of Teaching and Learning London 6 Jun

200119 Arp L In search of a definition of critical thinking

In Oberman C and Kimmage D (eds) Russian American Seminar on Critical Thinking and the LibraryGraduate School of Library and Information ScienceUniversity of Illinois Urbana-Champaign 1995Occasional papers 200201 pp 57ndash67

20 Gibson C and Meade J Internet resource discoverythe role of critical thinking In Leonhardt TW (ed)LOEX of the West Teaching and Learning in a Cl imate of Constant Change Greenwich CT JAI Press 1996

pp 137ndash46

David BawdenSenior Lecturer Department of InformationScienceCity University Northampton SquareLondon EC1V 0HB UK Email dbsoicityacuk

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