Thursday, September 27, 2018

Setting the scene: a set of initial premises for everyday information literacy #ECIL2018

The next presentation I am blogging is Alison Hick's talk Setting the scene: a set of initial premises for everyday information literacy. She was drawing on her doctoral work to draw some more general premises. The term of everday information literacy is still being developed: Hicks referred to a recent literature review and the terminology used in things such as professional definitions (e.g. CILIP's recent definition).
Some studies have looked at information literacy in community settings, and themes which have emerged include social networks, pooling experience, with storytelling playing an important role. Corporeal information and sensory information can be important, particularly in certain contexts (e.g. crises, health). In terms of health information literacy, self monitoring of the body, using social sources for information and emotional support, and personal information management, have emerged as important. Although there is a lot of discourse about citizenship and lifelong learning, there is a dearth of studies about how they connect with IL.
Hicks then turned to her doctoral study of IL practices of students learning a language overseas. She used a practice theory framework and drew on new literacies studies. She interviewed 26 English-speakers and approached the research using constructivist Grounded Theory. She used multiple interviews, including using the photo elicitation method (discussing photos they had taken, in the 2nd interview).
Her 1st premise was that Everyday Information Literacy (EIL) centres on a person's engagement in everyday activities. As an example, an interviewee mentioned how she checked with a friend based in Nice (where she was going) for advice on a place to shop.
Her 2nd premise was that EIL is shaped in relation to everyday information sources (which will differe depending on teh person's context). Hicks gave an example of someone using his own body as a source: that a restaurant was OK (if he wasn't ill within 3 hours, it was ok!)
Hicks 3rd was that EIL centres on a person's use of everyday tools and technologies (she gave an example of someone using her phone to document the hours of churches she can across, for reference later)
The 4th premise is that EIL is shaped by fluid conceptions of teaching and learning (so people can easily see themselves as either and can become instant experts/teachers in particular types of everyday information)
Developing and exploring these premises obviously involves NOT seeing IL as a set of skills, or something just in an academic setting. Also the EIL may be shaped by activities or tools that might be seen as undesirable (e.g. learning by copying). This also has implications for how people teach information literacy.

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