Information

Seeking

Information

Literacy:WHAT

IS ALL

THIS?

Finding a

way

through

the word

maze

LIB 640 Information Sources and Services

Summer 2009

What Is Information Seeking?

• In the simplest terms, information seeking involves the search, retrieval, recognition, and application of meaningful content. This search may be explicit or implicit, the retrieval may be the result of specific strategies or serendipity, the resulting information may be embraced or rejected, the entire experience may be carried through to a logical conclusion or aborted in midstream, and there may be a million other potential results.

• Kelly Patricia Kingrey, Concepts of Information Seeking and Their Presence in the Practical Library Literature. Library

Philosophy and Practice Vol. 4, No. 2 (Spring 2002)

2

What is information seeking?

3

Why Seek? Theory 1

ASK Hypothesis

• ―. . . Anomalous States-of-Knowledge

(abbreviated to ASK). . . . Situations

in which the patrons‘ knowledge are

incomplete or limited in some way, and

they need further information to get on,

the patrons are seen to be in an anomalous state

of knowledge.‖• Steen Ammentorp and Marianne Hummelshøj, “Ask a

Librarian: Web-Based Reference Question Services: A

Model for Development.” Paper presented at 11th NI&D

Conference. Spring for information. Reykjavik, 30 May–1

June 2001. Retrieved 22. September, 2004.

http://www.murraylib640.org/Ammentorp.doc

Nicholas Belkin

4

Why Seek? Theory 2

The Uncertainty Principle

• Uncertainty initiates the

process of information

seeking

• Kuhlthau, Carol C.

ISP Presentation

Retrieved June 14, 2007.

http://www.scils.rutgers.edu/~kuhlthau/recent_presentations/loex

/loex_presentation.ppt

Carol Kuhlthau

5

Why Seek? Theory 3

The Gap that does not make sense

• “. . . Dervin presents to us a picture of a man walking along a road, when he comes upon an impassable hole in the ground. In this situation, he is obviously facing a gap. What is he to do now?‖

• Jarkko Kari, “MAKING SENSE OF SENSE-MAKING: From metatheory to substantive theory in the context of paranormal information seeking.” Paper presented at Nordis-Net workshop (Meta)theoretical stands in studying library and information institutions: individual, organizational and societal aspects, November 12–15 1998, Oslo, Norway. Retrieved September 22, 2004. http://www.paranet.fi/paradocs/tutkimuksia/kari1998a.pdf

Brenda Dervin

6

Who Seeks? Theory 1

Anomalous State of Knowledge

(ASK) hypothesis:

• “. . . patrons in problematic situations.‖

• Steen Ammentorp and Marianne Hummelshøj, “Ask

a Librarian: Web-Based Reference Question

Services: A Model for Development.”

Marianne Hummelshøj

Holm

Steen Ammentorp

7

Who Seeks? Theory 2

Kulthau’s Information Search Process:

• People experience the ISP [Information Search

Process] holistically with an interplay of

thoughts, feelings, and actions.

• Kuhlthau, Carol C. ―An Overview of the Information

Search Process.‖ Retrieved June 14, 2007. http://www.scils.rutgers.edu/~kuhlthau/information_search_process.htm

Carol Kuhlthau

8

Who Seeks? Theory 3

Sense-Making Hypothesis:

• ―. . . [a] patron [who] is seen as being locked

in a situation unable to move further because

of some kind of gap in his knowledge.‖

• Steen Ammentorp and Marianne Hummelshøj, “Ask

a Librarian: Web-Based Reference Question

Services: A Model for Development.”

Brenda Dervin

9

How Do They Seek? Theory 1

ASK:

• ―. . . users performing some activity feel that

they have a knowledge gap that cannot be

filled directly, and consequently they engage

into an information seeking process. . .”

• Brajnik, Giorgio “Information Seeking as

Explorative Learning.” Retrieved Sept. 7th, 2003. http://www.bcs.org/upload/pdf/ewic_mi99_paper2.pdf

Giorgio BrajnikAssistant Professor in

Computer Science, University

of Udine, Italy

10

How Do They Seek? Theory 2

Kuhlthau’s ISP:

• ―The critical component of the ISP is the person's own formulation of a focus that involves gaining a personal perspective of the topic or subject while using a variety of sources of information. In other words, users are constructing their own understandings through inquiry.‖

• Carol Kuhlthau, “Research Interests.” Last Updated March 2007. Retrieved June 14, 2007.

• http://www.scils.rutgers.edu/~kuhlthau/research_interests.htm

11

How Do They Seek? Theory 3

Dervin’s Sense-Making:

• ― . . . the patron is seen as being locked in a situation unable to move further because of some kind of gap in his knowledge. However the patron tries to bridge this gap by asking questions and using the answers to closing the gap, making new sense. As Belkin, Dervin sees the nature of the information need as something situational changing as the patrons tries to bridge the gap.‖

• Ammentorp and Hummelshøj, “Ask a Librarian: Web-Based Reference Question Services: A Model for Development.”

12

Who, How, Why?

“person-in-context”

“active search for information”

“stress/coping model”

• Wilson, Tom and Christina Walsh. ―A revised general model of information behaviour‖ ch. 7 of ―Information Behaviour: An Inter-Disciplinary Perspective.‖ British Library Research and Innovation Report 10. A report to the British Library Research & Innovation Centre on a review of the literature.Retrieved Sept. 8th, 2003.http://informationr.net/tdw/publ/infbehav/

Professor Tom

Wilson

Biography

Research

Cats

13

Another Why to Consider

Self-Generated or Imposed?

• internally motivated by personal context

OR

• thought up by one person then given to

someone else to resolve

• Gross, Melissa. “Imposed information seeking in public libraries and school library media centers: a common behaviour?” Information Research 6.2 (January 2001). Retrieved Sept. 8th, 20003.http://informationr.net/ir/6-2/paper100.html

14

Process of Searching

Kulthau’s ISP:

• Carol C. Kuhlthau, Jannica Heinström and Ross J. Todd,

―The ‗information search process‘ revisited: is the model

still useful?‖ Information Research VOL. 13 NO. 4,

DECEMBER, 2008.

15

Information Literacy

information literacy (IL)

• Skill in finding the information one

needs, including an understanding of

how libraries are organized,

familiarity with the resources they

provide (including information

formats and automated search tools),

and knowledge of commonly used

research techniques.

• ODLIS

16

What is Information Literacy?

And why should I care?

• Information literacy skills are skills you will

need through your life. We are always seeking

information. . . . Information helps us reach

conclusions, make our choices, and

communicate more effectively. But the good

stuff is often buried in heaps of junk. We need

to continue to improve our searching,

evaluating and communication skills in a

changing information environment.

• Remember computer literacy is not

information literacy. For a comparison, read

this article.

• http://www.sdst.org/shs/library/infolit.html

17

Why teach information literacy?

• The information explosion has provided

countless opportunities for students and

has dramatically altered the knowledge and

abilities they will need to live productively in

the twenty-first century. Students must

become skillful consumers and producers of

information in a range of sources and

formats to thrive personally and

economically in the communication age. • American Association of School Librarians and

Association for Educational Communications and Technology. Information Power: Building Partnerships for Learning. Chicago: American Library Association, 1998.

18

What is information literacy?

If you are information literate, you are

able to

• know when you have a

need for information

• find the information you need

• evaluate the information you find

and use it effectively to meet your

needs

• INTRODUCTION TO INFORMATION

LITERACY: THE PROCESShttp://www.greece.k12.ny.us/ody/library/information%20li

teracy.htm

19

Another concept

What is Information Competence?

• information competence, at heart, is the ability to find, evaluate, use, and communicate information in all of its various formats.

• the fusing or the integration of library literacy, computer literacy, media literacy, technological literacy, ethics, critical thinking, and communication skills.

• http://hcom.csumb.edu/infocomp/aboutic/

20

Literacy, Competence or Competency?

Information literacy

• also known as information competence or

information competency is a set of skills

that helps students sift through the mass of

information now available to them in order

to locate and retrieve what is relevant and

reliable for their research needs.

• Simply put, an information literate student

understands how to find, retrieve, analyze,

and use information effectively.[1]

• Teaching Information Literacy at Pasadena City College

21

Adding to the confusion of terms!

Several other terms and combinations of terms have been also used by different authors: • ‗infoliteracy‘, ‗informacy‘, ‗information

empowerment‘, ‗information competence‘, ‗information competency‘, ‗information competencies‘, ‗information literacy skills‘, ‗information literacy and skills‘, ‗skills of information literacy‘, ‗information literacy competence‘, ‗information literacy competencies‘, ‗information competence skills‘, ‗information handling skills‘, ‗information problem solving‘, ‗information problem solving skills‘, ‗information fluency‘, ‗information mediacy‘ and even ‗information mastery‘

• Sirje Virkus: ―Information literacy in Europe: a literature review‖ Information Research, Vol. 8 No. 4, July 2003

Sirje Virkus

22

Now also as Information Literacies

Why the plural?

• The use of the term

―information literacies‖

emphasizes the complexity and

multiplicity of skills and strategies

involved in finding and using

information.

• Dianne Oberg: “Promoting Information

Literacies: A Focus on Inquiry.‖ 70th IFLA

General Conference and Council, 22-27 August

2004, Buenos Aires, Argentina

http://www.ifla.org/IV/ifla70/papers/088e-Oberg.pdf

Dr. Dianne Oberg

23

A related term often used outside library media circles

What is inquiry-based learning?

• An old adage states: ―Tell me and I forget,

show me and I remember, involve me and I

understand.‖ . . . Inquiry implies involvement

that leads to understanding. Furthermore,

involvement in learning implies possessing

skills and attitudes that permit you to seek

resolutions to questions and issues while you

construct new knowledge.

•

Inquiry-based learning

24

Project, Problem, and Inquiry-based Learning

Explore the Approaches

• Project-based learning, problem-based

learning, and inquiry-based learning all

three closely relate to the information

processing approach. They all fit well with

technology-rich learning environments

where the focus is not on the hardware

and software, but on the learning

experience.

• Project, Problem, and Inquiry-based Learning

http://eduscapes.com/tap/topic43.htm

25

Another Related Term

Resource-Based Learning

• Resource-based learning actively involves

students, teachers and teacher-librarians in

the effective use of a wide range of print, non

print and human resources . . . Students who

use a wide range of resources in various

mediums for learning have the opportunity

to approach a theme, issue or topic of study

in ways which allow for a range of learning

styles and access to the theme or topic via

cognitive or affective appeals. More• Resource-Based Learning: Approaches

26

Yet another related termLifelong learning

• Lifelong learning is the process of acquiring

and expanding knowledge, skills, and

dispositions throughout your life to foster

well-being. It isn't about taking an adult

pottery class or reading a nonfiction book

occasionally. It's about the decisions you make

and the problems you solve in everyday life.

From enrolling in an structured, formal

education program to considering whether to

believe an infomercial's gimmick, lifelong

learning takes many forms.

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And another! 21st Century Skills

28

AKA

21st Century Literacies

• 21st Century Literacies refer to the skills

needed to flourish in today's society and in

the future. Today discrete disciplines have

emerged around information, media,

multicultural, and visual literacies. It is

the combination of literacies that can

better help K-12 students and adult

learners address and solve the issues that

confront them. • http://www.kn.sbc.com/wired/21stcent/index.html

29

How do we put it all together?

Use the school library media center!

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After all, why are we doing this?

Dr. Ross Todd, Rutgers University:

• The destination is not an information literature

student, but rather, the development of a

knowledgeable and knowing person, one who is

able to engage effectively with a rich and

complex information world, and who is able to

develop new understandings, insights and

ideas.• School Libraries as Knowledge Spaces: Connections and

Actions; Outcomes and Evidence Powerpoint presentation for

SLAV conference, Victoria, Australia

The School Library Association of Victoria

31

Shifting the focus of School Libraries

From: collections, position

and advocacy

Through: connections,

actions and evidence-based

practice centering on a

shared philosophy and

process of inquiry learning

To: making a real

difference to student

learning outcomes

Developing knowledge and understanding

A thinking communityFrom Ross Todd‘s PPT School Libraries as

Knowledge Spaces: Connections and

Actions; Outcomes and Evidence

32

The Library as a Knowledge Space, not an Information

Place

Ross Todd

33

Evidence for the benefits

Student Learning through Ohio School Libraries (2004)

• Students appear to indicate that the school library –not as a passive supply agency, but as an instructional agency – helps them substantially in their learning.

• What is clearly perceived to be of help is the library’s part in engaging students in an active process of building their own understanding and knowledge – the library as an agency for active learning.

• Review of the Findings Powerpointpresentation.

• Researchers: Dr. Ross Todd and Dr. Carol Kuhlthau, Rutgers

34

Keith Curry Lance

What Research Tells Us About the Importance of School Libraries• At this point . . . there is a clear consensus in

the results now [2002] available for eight states*: School libraries are a powerful force in the lives of America's children. The school library is one of the few factors whose contribution to academic achievement has been documented empirically, and it is a contribution that cannot be explained away by other powerful influences on student performance.

• White House Conference on School Libraries

• *Now 19 states and 1 Canadian province—see

35

A European view

School Library and School Librarianship

• The stream of information from TV channels, Internet, CD-ROMs, computer programmesetc. is unending. If the students, when they become adult citizens, are not to feel lost and helpless in the face of such rich sources of information, they must learn [to] devise personal strategies for information retrieval while they are still at school. Information Literacy and ―strategies for independent learning skill development‖ are key components of any school library.

• From a White Paper by Gert Larsen, School Library Advisor, Albertslund, Denmark, p. 7

• Part of Project GrandSlam - General Research and New Development in School Libraries As Multimedia Learning Centres (see project website http://www.gslam.net )

A previous project in the same series

Competence and comfort with information and information sources

• Information literacy is the solution to Data Smog. It allows us to cope by giving us the skills to know when we need information and where to locate it effectively and efficiently. It includes the technological skills needed to use the modern library as a gateway to information. It enables us to analyze and evaluate the information we find, thus giving us confidence in using that information to make a decision or create a product.

• Introduction to Information Literacy, Association for College and Research Libraries (a division of the American Library Association)

36

The Key Concept?