Week 7 Information Literacy: Issues Based Reflection

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    • #1961
      Samantha Maddox
      Participant

      Information literacy (IL) can be described as, ‘a set of abilities requiring individuals to “recognize when information is needed and have the ability to locate, evaluate, and use effectively the needed information.” Information literacy also is increasingly important in the contemporary environment of rapid technological change and proliferating information resources .

      This definition of IL is pretty powerful and when you read this and align it with statements made by Neelie Kroes digital agenda for Europe such as; ‘Information and communication technologies are changing the world. IL is a powerful vehicle and is a fundamental human right for people to have access to these platforms and forums to connect.’ Neelie goes on to discuss how IL will eventually exclude people from society as they are not able to obtain the information that will connect them to their everyday needs, such as economic opportunities, social networks, health and education services and government support. The individuals who are being left behind in this essential online world are the elderly, impoverish and the uneducated.

      The issue to be raised in regards to IL is the lack of education that is not reaching these groups. The connection and interaction of IL is not just for children and their future, it is an inclusive issue that needs to encompass all people as we as a society are interacting with IL on a much richer level. Christine Bruce states that IL is pivotal to the pursuit of life long learning and is an integral part of personal and economic growth and it has the ability to transform the society we live in today into self directed learners of tomorrow. People are searching for information on a deeper level and education systems where available are responsible for teaching children and patrons the life long tools of IL as it will increase their capabilities of being able to connect and interact with the society they live with in. IL skills are established in schools at a very young age and this is an integral element because as a society we are pursuing careers that will be entrenched in IL. For older patrons that are wanting to get back into the work force or stretch their skill set, IL is essential for applicants to be considered. I agree with Neelie Kroes, IL is a fundamental human right. We as a society must know how to connect and establish relationships on this level to survive and not fall behind. I agree also with Christine Bruce in her statement that IL is a skill set that will set an individual along a path of life long learning.

      Since the arrival of web 2.0, it has altered the IL environment. People are searching for information in more in-depth context as they have more information available via social media and the many different technological platforms we have at our finger tips. It also has made many resources that older generations and the impoverish take for granted. IL is a catalyst, it has transformed our society that has enabled us to reach demographics and technological spheres that were once unknown. But we must be willing to have this IL available to all societal demographics.

    • #2106
      Paola Beretta
      Participant

      Hi Sam,

      I enjoyed reading your post. In particular I liked the way you made a connection between IL and education opportunities and the impact on those excluded from such opportunities.

    • #2201
      Steven Walker
      Participant

      Hi,

      You have made some excellent points here, by connecting web 2.0 materials out, it has made librarians jobs easier and it has festered an environment that creates a train the trainer type environment. What do you think? Like the librarian teaches a user how to use wikipedia to find things, then a student could append material they were studying about a topic and add it to wikipedia.

       

      Steve

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