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ISSN number: 1746-4757

  

Information literacy: empowering the learner "against all odds"

Susie Andretta

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ABSTRACT

This paper focuses on the challenges of implementing information literacy education within an HE institution in the UK. The definition of information literacy presented here is the one proposed by the Australian and New Zealand Institute of Information Literacy which promotes the development of independent learning skills, also known as the "learn-how-to-learn" approach, within the wider perspective of lifelong learning. Three main contextual challenges to the successful implementation of information literacy education are explored here. From the perspectives of learners and educators the paper examines the difficulties of engaging with the learning how to learn approach exemplified by the spoon-feeding expectations of the learners and the rescue mode attitude of the educator. The third challenge is the implication for the culture of the institution implementing the embedded model of information literacy education as advocated by three national information literacy frameworks. The frameworks claim that the embedded model requires a shift from a transmissional type of provision to one that fosters the facilitation of learning within a knowledge-construction approach. Here, issues such as the need for a flexible learning environment supporting a campus-wide information literacy policy is assessed against the institutional concerns about high retention rates and the logistics of fixed programming and timetabling schedules. The impact of this pedagogical shift on provision is presented through examples from information literacy practice employed within undergraduate and postgraduate courses run by the Information Management School, London Metropolitan University. In particular the cases explored illustrate the main challenge of adhering to professional and institutional requirements while employing information literacy as the learning framework.

Susie Andretta is Senior Lecturer in Information Management in the School of Information Management at London Metropolitan University. This paper was presented at the LILAC Conference on 4 April 2005 at Imperial College, London. It has been reproduced with permission.

Introduction

The challenges of implementing information literacy education as a way of empowering the learners within an HE institution in the UK are the main focus of this paper. The general information literacy framework presented here is the one proposed by the Association of College and Research Libraries and the Australian and New Zealand Institute for Information Literacy, which promotes the development of independent learning skills, or the "learn-how-to-learn" approach, as the basis for lifelong learning [1]. This is in line with the requirements for a highly skilled workforce identified by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in its report on the knowledge-based economy which highlights "the capacity to learn" as a particularly crucial competence [2]. In addition, O'Sullivan observes that the report places information literacy at the core of the knowledge-based economy promoting: "the need for continuous learning of both codified information and the competencies to use this information." [3] The process of continuous learning is exemplified by information literacy practice at London Metropolitan University. Evidence to support the claims presented here is drawn from the students' feedback, the experience of the educators involved in the information literacy practice, and various institutional documentation generated in response to the introduction of the provision.

Empowering the learner the information literacy way

The information environment is in constant state of change, evolving to increasing levels of complexity in terms of availability, volume and variety of media. Bruce points to this phenomenon as a reason for employing an information literacy approach and equipping the learner with the lifelong-learning competences required to deal with these challenging conditions [4]. The rationale for adopting information literacy is also clearly expressed by the American Library Association (ALA) in an update on its original report:

"To respond effectively to an ever-changing environment... people need more than just a knowledge base, they also need techniques for exploring it, connecting it to other knowledge bases, and making practical use of it. In other words, the landscape upon which we used to stand has been transformed, and we are being forced to establish a new foundation called information literacy." [5]

Information literacy, therefore, is seen as the foundation of lifelong learning [6]. This in practice means the application of the learn-how-to-learn approach to empower the learner by firmly placing the process of research under his/her responsibility.

"[Information literacy] is common to all disciplines, to all learning environments, and to all levels of education. It enables learners to master content and extend their investigations, become more self-directed, and assume greater control over their own learning." [7]

This necessarily leads to a new learning culture where knowledge transmission, from educator to learner, is replaced by what Bundy describes as the process of 'learning the pathways to knowledge' [8]. Information communities are directly affected by this new learning culture primarily because it influences the information provider/user model which underpins their professional identity. If the learner/user becomes information literate, that is, self-sufficient, then the role of the information professional is necessarily redefined as the one of facilitator of learning, rather than provider of information [9]. The impact of this pedagogical shift is presented through examples from information literacy practice underpinning undergraduate and postgraduate modules run by the Information Management School, in the Department of Applied Social Sciences (DASS), London Metropolitan University. These include the Information Literacy module, a first year core module for the DASS degrees, and the Applied Information Research (AIR) module, a core of the Masters in Information Services Management which is accredited by the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP).

Essential elements for an effective information literacy education

There are three main targets identified by ACRL and ANZIIL that need to be achieved to ensure an effective information literacy education within any HE institution:

  1. Lifelong learning is set as the ultimate pedagogical aim, and this is reflected in an institutional learning and teaching strategy that promotes a knowledge construction process, rather than a knowledge transmission approach. To achieve this, information literacy education must encapsulate critical-thinking and problem-solving abilities as well as the capacity for reflective practice [10]. In addition, Bruce promotes the embedded model of integration as the most effective way of covering the three stages of learning which form the basis for lifelong learning. These stages include: "experiencing information literacy (learning), reflecting on the experience (being aware of learning) and applying the experience to a new context (transfer of learning)" [11].
  2. Educators need to change their role from "sage on the stage" to "guide on the side" [12] in line with the constructivist approach whose main aim is to develop students' ability to frame researchable questions that enable independent exploration of the subject studied [13]. At the same time, learners must be invested with the responsibility for their learning [14] in order to ensure that the appropriate degree of motivation and control underpin their learning experience.
  3. ACRL and ANZIIL propose a campus-wide collaboration between faculty, library (as well as staff from other support areas) and administrative staff. Such a holistic approach also reflects the view that "information literacy isn’t just a library issue but, it is an issue for all of HE and society as well" [15]. By implication this calls for HE institutions to act as primary promoters of information literacy education. However, the need to fully integrate information literacy education is set against the challenges facing any academic institution that strives to achieve this in practice. Moore warns that the demands of this new learning culture "might be in conflict with cultural standards and expectations concerning the roles of students and educators." [16]

The remainder of this paper will explore the challenges experienced by the students, an HE institution and the information literacy tutor.

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Footnotes

1. Association of College and Research Libraries, 2000, Information Literacy Competency Standard for Higher Education, American Library Association. http:www.ala.org/acrl/il/toolkit/intro.html: Bundy, A. (ed) 2004. Australian and New Zealand Information Literacy Framework Principles, standards and practice, 2nd edition, Adelaide: Australian and New Zealand Institute for Information Literacy. return

2. Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. 1996. The Knowledge-based Economy. http://members.shaw.ca/competitivenessofnations/Anno%20OECD.htm. (accessed 3 March 2005). return

3. O’Sullivan, C., 2002. Is Information Literacy relevant in the real world?, New Library World, 30 (1): 7-14. return

4. Bruce C.S., 2002. Information Literacy as a Catalyst for Educational Change: A Background Paper. White Paper prepared for UNESCO, the U.S. National Commission on Libraries and Information Science, and the National Forum on Information Literacy, for use at the Information Literacy, Meetings of Experts, Prague, July 2002: 1-17. http://www.nclis.gov/libinter/infolitconf&meet/papers/bruce-fullpaper.pdf (accessed 7 April 2004). return

5. American Library Association, March 1998, A progress report on information literacy. An update on the ALA Presidential Committee on Information Literacy: Final Report, http://www.ala.org/ala/acrl/acrlpubs/whitepapers/progressreport.htm (accessed 7 March 2004). return

6. Abid, A., 2004. Information literacy for lifelong learning, World Library and Information Congress: 70th IFLA General Conference and Council, 22-27 August 2004, Buenos Aires, Argentina. return

7. ACRL, Information Literacy Competency Standard, op. cit. return

8. Bundy, A., 8 November 2001, Information Literacy: The Key Competency for the 21st Century, http://www.library.unisa.edu.au/papers/inlit21.htm (accessed January 2002). return

9. Doherty, J.J. & Hansen, M.A. & Kaya, K.K., 1999 Spring. Teaching Information Skills in the Information Age: the Need for Critical Thinking. Library Philosophy and Practice, 1/2). http://www.webpages.uidaho.edu/~mbolin/doherty.htm (accessed January 2001). return

10. Paul, R., 1992 Spring, Critical Thinking: What, Why, and How. New Directions for Community Colleges, 77 (18-2): 3-24.: Shapiro, J.J. & Hughes, K., March/April 1996, Information Literacy as a Liberal Art: Enlightenment proposal for a new curriculum, Educom Review, 31 (2). http://www.educause.edu/pub/er/review/reviewarticles/31231.html (accessed 16 February 2004): Mutch, A., 1997, Information Literacy: an exploration. International Journal of Information Management, 17(5): 377-386. return

11. Bruce, Information Literacy as a Catalyst, op. cit. return

12. King A., 1993. From sage on the stage to guide on the side, College Teaching, 41 (1): 30-35. return

13. Doherty et al, Teaching Information Skills, op. cit. return

14. ACRL, Information Literacy Competency Standard, op. cit. return

15. Snavely, L., 2001. Information Literacy Standards for Higher Education: An International Perspective, 67th IFLA Council and General Conference, 16-21 August 2001: 1-4. return

16. Moore, P., July 2002, An Analysis of Information Literacy Education Worldwide. White paper prepared for UNESCO, the US National Commission on Libraries and Information Science, and the National Forum on Information Literacy, for the use at the Information Literacy Meeting of Experts, Prague, National Commission on LIS, http://www.nclis.gov/libinter/infolitconf&meet/papers/moore-fullpaper.pdf (accessed 7 April 2004).return

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