1

Information Literacy in the Information Literacy in the Development ParadigmDevelopment Paradigm

Shamprasad Pujar and Julie Shamprasad Pujar and Julie BrittainBrittain

IGIDR and BLDSIGIDR and BLDS

2

AgendaAgenda

What is information literacy?What is information literacy? Why information literacy?Why information literacy? Information literacy in the development Information literacy in the development environment environment Intermediaries role in information Intermediaries role in information literacyliteracy Information literacy planned by IDS Information literacy planned by IDS Knowledge Services Knowledge Services Proposal to ACU-DelPHIProposal to ACU-DelPHI

3

Question for discussion: Question for discussion:

What do participants understand by What do participants understand by the term ‘information literacy’? the term ‘information literacy’?

(5 minutes in groups then report back)(5 minutes in groups then report back)

4

What is information literacy?What is information literacy?

Has traditionally been used in Higher Has traditionally been used in Higher Education environments to describe the Education environments to describe the skills associated with searching for, finding, skills associated with searching for, finding, and using information (i.e. students and using information (i.e. students information skills) information skills)

More recently this has tended to focus on More recently this has tended to focus on Internet searching skillsInternet searching skills

5

Information Literacy:Information Literacy:

““The ability (skills) to identify, locate, The ability (skills) to identify, locate, evaluate, organize and effectively create, use evaluate, organize and effectively create, use and communicate information from a variety and communicate information from a variety of sources to address an issue or a problem” of sources to address an issue or a problem” [Wijetunge and Alahakoon, 2005] [Wijetunge and Alahakoon, 2005]

““Knowing when and why you need Knowing when and why you need information, where to find it, and how to information, where to find it, and how to evaluate, use and communicate it in an evaluate, use and communicate it in an ethical manner” (CILIP, 2007)ethical manner” (CILIP, 2007)

6

What does it mean to be information What does it mean to be information literate?literate? It is believed that the skills that required It is believed that the skills that required to be ‘Information Literate’ require an to be ‘Information Literate’ require an understanding of: understanding of:

A need for information A need for information The resources available The resources available How to find information How to find information The need to evaluate results The need to evaluate results How to work with or exploit results How to work with or exploit results Ethics and responsibility of use Ethics and responsibility of use How to communicate or share the How to communicate or share the

findings findings How to manage the findingsHow to manage the findings

7

Seven Pillars model of SCONUL?Seven Pillars model of SCONUL?

Though there have been many models and frameworks, Though there have been many models and frameworks,

one of the most used models is that of the 7 SCONUL one of the most used models is that of the 7 SCONUL

Pillars. Pillars.

Basic: Knowing how to locate and access information

Challenging: Knowing how to understand and use information

Role for information Intermediaries

8

Intermediaries role in increasing Intermediaries role in increasing demand for information:demand for information:

Interpret, translate and if required re-Interpret, translate and if required re-packagepackage information to better suit specific information to better suit specific community community needs i.e. make a value addition to the needs i.e. make a value addition to the information informationEnable researchers and policy makers to Enable researchers and policy makers to understand specialized information understand specialized informationMake information easier to use Make information easier to use

Example: ELDIS, OII etcExample: ELDIS, OII etc

9

Key problem: Key problem:

Access is not enough!Access is not enough!

10

The information landscape:The information landscape: Overabundant supply of information in Overabundant supply of information in different different formats formats Lack of skills among policy makers and Lack of skills among policy makers and researchers in researchers in finding relevant and quality information, finding relevant and quality information, especially especially freely available electronic information freely available electronic information Limited use of quality research available locally Limited use of quality research available locally and and internationally, may be due to lack of suitable internationally, may be due to lack of suitable information environment information environment Possibly leading to: Possibly leading to:

Poor quality research papers not based on most up-Poor quality research papers not based on most up-to-date to-date

methods and findingsmethods and findings

Lack of evidence-based policy decisionsLack of evidence-based policy decisions

11

Basic information literacy programmes are Basic information literacy programmes are being run being run by local and international organizations by local and international organizations (primarily for (primarily for students and researchers) students and researchers) Often focus on either simple search skills or on Often focus on either simple search skills or on specific databases (PERI, Research4Life) specific databases (PERI, Research4Life) Despite very different methods, materials and Despite very different methods, materials and even even size of course size of course participants success rate is participants success rate is variablevariable Result is that participants continue to get Result is that participants continue to get irrelevant irrelevant information information

Information literacy in the Information literacy in the development environmentdevelopment environment

12

Information CapabilityInformation CapabilityEmerging thinking in information literacy field is the Emerging thinking in information literacy field is the

recognition that information literacy training needs to be recognition that information literacy training needs to be

recognized as ‘behaviour change’ and the importance of:recognized as ‘behaviour change’ and the importance of:

‘‘contextualization’ of course content i.e. embedding the contextualization’ of course content i.e. embedding the

course in course in

participants local context participants local context

‘‘incentivisation’ i.e. ensuring that participants are incentivisation’ i.e. ensuring that participants are

motivated to motivated to

change their behaviour change their behaviour

Also important is recognizing the working environment i.e. Also important is recognizing the working environment i.e.

ensuring that participants have the necessary tools to ensuring that participants have the necessary tools to

change their behaviour (infrastructure and empowerment)change their behaviour (infrastructure and empowerment)

IDS Knowledge Services staff have started to refer to this IDS Knowledge Services staff have started to refer to this

behaviour change as behaviour change as ‘Information Capability’‘Information Capability’

13

Questions:Questions:

What is your experience of What is your experience of information literacy/capability information literacy/capability initiatives?initiatives?

Do you run any information literacy Do you run any information literacy training in your organisation?training in your organisation?

(20 min discussion and report back)(20 min discussion and report back)

14

Information literacy work planned by Information literacy work planned by IDS Knowledge ServicesIDS Knowledge Services An annual International/regional conference/s An annual International/regional conference/s

bringing together organisations and bringing together organisations and individuals working in the development field individuals working in the development field on information literacy initiativeson information literacy initiatives

Development of appropriate M&E indicators to Development of appropriate M&E indicators to measure success of interventionsmeasure success of interventions

Development of an information capability Development of an information capability training for trainers course for information training for trainers course for information staff working with  development researchersstaff working with  development researchers andand practitionerspractitioners

15

Proposal to ACU-DelPHE Proposal to ACU-DelPHE Development Partnerships in Higher Education Development Partnerships in Higher Education

(DelPHE) programme launched its fifth call for (DelPHE) programme launched its fifth call for applications in September 2009, applications applications in September 2009, applications deadline fall in early 2010deadline fall in early 2010

DelPHE DelPHE particularly encourages south-south particularly encourages south-south collaborations and also one partner can be taken collaborations and also one partner can be taken from UKfrom UK

Funding is available for different areas, one which Funding is available for different areas, one which is of concern to us is ‘is of concern to us is ‘Professional development and Professional development and staff trainingstaff training ‘ ‘

Planned for submission of proposal to take up the Planned for submission of proposal to take up the Information Literacy in the Development Information Literacy in the Development Environment project [IGIDR has taken a lead and is Environment project [IGIDR has taken a lead and is looking for other partners, especially from Africa]looking for other partners, especially from Africa]

http://www.acu.ac.uk/key_strengths/delphe/about

16

Potential collaborations:Potential collaborations: ACU-DelPHE : ACU-DelPHE : Scope for collaboration with Scope for collaboration with

other interested I-K-Mediary members other interested I-K-Mediary members organizations, especially from African regionorganizations, especially from African region

The project proposal, if approved may be The project proposal, if approved may be effective for a period of 3 yearseffective for a period of 3 years

The areas of collaborations includes The areas of collaborations includes professional training and development through professional training and development through workshops, conferences etcworkshops, conferences etc

IDS Knowledge Services: IDS Knowledge Services: Scope for Scope for collaboration with other interested I-K-Mediary collaboration with other interested I-K-Mediary member organizations in relation to IDS KS member organizations in relation to IDS KS planned activitiesplanned activities

17

Questions/Discussion (open or Questions/Discussion (open or closed?)closed?)

Do you have any questions for us?Do you have any questions for us?

Would you be interested in becoming involved Would you be interested in becoming involved with eitherwith either

of these collaborative opportunities?of these collaborative opportunities?

Do you know of other partners that we could Do you know of other partners that we could work with in work with in

your country?your country?

18

ThanksThanks

E-mail: E-mail: pujar@igidr.ac.in J.Brittain@ids.ac.uk