Information Literacy in Poland 2006

UNESCO-CEI Workshop on Information Literacy Initiatives, ICPE, Ljubljana, Slovenia, March 27-28, 2006

Information Literacy in Poland - 2006

Sabina Cisekthe Institute of Information and Library Science,

Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland


Information Literacy in Poland 2006

There is not any integrated system or program embracing all forms and areas of education for Information Literacy.

There is a strong feeling that Information Literacy is vital in the knowledge society.

The three “key players” within the field will be described.


The Polish government and Information Literacy – 1

The draft of the National Development Plan for 2007-2013, accepted by the Polish Council of Ministers on 6 September 2005

available at: http://www.funduszestrukturalne.gov.pl/informator/npr2/index.htm;

a part of this in English: http://www.funduszestrukturalne.gov.pl/informator/npr2/npr/nsro_en.pdf



the Indicative strategy of the IT development of Poland until 2013 and a long-term forecast of the information society transformation until 2020, accepted by the Polish Council of Ministers on 29 June 2005

available at: http://www.pldg.pl/files/article/35/10/4.pdf



the Strategy for the educational development for 2007-2013, accepted by the Polish Council of Ministers on 2 August 2005

available at: http://www.funduszestrukturalne.gov.pl/informator/npr2/dokumenty%20strategiczne/edukacja.pdf


The educational system in Poland and IL – the primary and secondary level The content, learning objectives and results etc. of the

national education on primary and secondary levels are determined by the disposition of Ministry of Education Rozporządzenie Ministra Edukacji Narodowej i Sportu z dnia 26 lutego 2002 r. w sprawie podstawy programowej wychowania przedszkolnego oraz kształcenia ogólnego w poszczególnych typach szkół.

Available at: http://www.menis.gov.pl/prawo/rozp_155/rozp_155.php

Among the expected (and obligatory) achievements of pupils are: competence in retrieval, selection and use of information from different sources as well as ITC literacy. Furthermore, teaching-learning contents of numerous classes include knowledge, skills and values related to Information Literacy.


The educational system in Poland and IL – the tertiary level

In another document by Ministry of Education – setting standards for academic education (tertiary level) – the Information Literacy elements are rare and present only in syllabi of information and library studies, pedagogy, architecture and few other.

Rozporządzenie Ministra Edukacji Narodowej i Sportu z dn. 18 kwietnia 2002 r. w sprawie określenia standardów nauczania dla poszczególnych kierunków studiów i poziomów kształcenia.

Available at: http://www.menis.gov.pl/prawo/rozp_170/rozp_170.php


The information and library (LIS) profession and Information Literacy – 1 LIS professionals are the most

knowledgeable group as far as the concept and importance of Information Literacy is concerned

The terms used: IL, “education for information”, “information competence”, “information culture”, “information skills”, “information retrieval skills”, “information user education”, “skillful information usage”


The information and library (LIS) profession and Information Literacy – 2

There is a long tradition of user education in Polish librarianship.

Academic librarians frequently offer instruction on chosen or even all aspects of Information Literacy.

School librarians understand the new role and functions of their libraries.

A few examples: http://www.bj.uj.edu.pl/ http://www.bg.atr.bydgoszcz.pl/ http://www.keiz.atr.bydgoszcz.pl/tk/



The influential online library journal – EBIB – published a special issue on Information Literacy (2005, no 1) available at: http://ebib.oss.wroc.pl/2005/62/index.php

LIS scientists write articles on the subject for example: Batorowska, H. 2005. Od alfabetyzacji

informacyjnej do kultury informacyjnej (From Information Literacy to Information Culture).

available at: http://www.ap.krakow.pl/ptn/ref2005/batorows.pdf



The doctorate dissertation entitled Information education and knowledge society development has been prepared Edukacja informacyjna a rozwój społeczeństwa

wiedzy, Ewa Jadwiga Kurkowska, Warsaw University, 2005

The Institute of Information and Library Science, Jagiellonian University offers – for more then twenty years – a course called “Information didactics” concerning Information Literacy.



The problem is that the policy makers, business and the general public are not fully aware of the competencies of modern LIS profession.


Business and Information Literacy

? Empirical research is needed


Conclusion – 1

The idea that Information Literacy exceeds computer and media skills should be widely promote.


Conclusion – 2: questions

Who is/should be responsible for the public Information Literacy? The European Union agencies? The government (central or local administration)? The educational institutions? The information and library profession? Citizens themselves? All of them? Librarians and information specialists could

take – in cooperation with the appropriate government agencies, educators and business – responsibility for the national Information Literacy.


Conclusion – 3: questions

Is an integrated national program/system for Information Literacy education really needed?

Or – more effective would be individual projects of the interested citizens, professional groups, NGOs, local administration and librarians?