Media Literacy research and policy reports commissioned by Google

Via EDMO Ireland (a hub of the European Digital Media Observatory (EDMO), links to reports which Google commissioned from Ecorys (a Dutch research consultancy) and which were published September-November 2024
- Research report 1: Putting media literacy on the map – a snapshot of policies and practices in Europe (it looks at 8 European countries, and highlights media literacy, or media and information literacy, initiatives - specifically information literacy is not a focus): https://www.ecorys.com/app/uploads/2019/02/Ecorys-ML-policy-study-report-1.pdf
- Research report 2: Google’s media literacy initiatives and partnerships in Europe – a learning review (this includes research summaries and recommendations - the focus is on the Prebunking; Be Internet Awesome; and Super Serachers projects): https://www.ecorys.com/app/uploads/2019/02/Ecorys-ML-policy-study-report-2.pdf
- Plus a summary aimed at young people: https://www.ecorys.com/app/uploads/2019/02/Media-literacy-study-CYP-summary.pdf 

A set of policy briefs (about 10 pages each) on priority media literacy topics, produced by ECORYS with the LSE:
- Policy brief #1: Generative AI and Media Literacy Education: https://www.ecorys.com/app/uploads/2019/02/Policy-brief-1-Generative-AI-and-Media-Literacy-Education-1.pdf
- Policy brief #2: Enabling civil society to combat disinformation https://www.ecorys.com/app/uploads/2019/02/Policy-brief-2-Enabling-civil-society-to-combat-disinformation-1.pdf
Policy brief #3: Engaging and meeting the needs of underserved populations: https://www.ecorys.com/app/uploads/2019/02/Policy-brief-3-Engaging-and-meeting-the-needs-of-underserved-populations-1.pdf

I tracked down the home page for the reports at https://www.ecorys.com/case-studies/medialiteracyeducation/.
Photo by Sheila Webber: snow crystals, January 2025

Webinar: Artificial Intelligence: Which skills do I need?

EAVI (European Association for Viewers Interests) offers a free webinar on 4 February 2025 at 15.00-16.30 CET (14.00-15.30 GMT) Artificial Intelligence: Which skills do I need? as part of its E-engAGEd (Intergenerational Digital Engagement ) Media Literacy Trainers’ Network. The speaker is Dr. Letiția Pârcălăbescu in conversation with Paolo Celot.
"We will explain (i) how contemporary AIs are trained on vast data produced by us, humans, in our entire written history, (ii) how AI learns from—or rather does not truly learn live from—the information we share during our live interactions, and (iii) the evolving skills needed to use AI effectively while safeguarding against those who misuse it."
The E-engAGEd project aims to train young people to teach older people (which sounds a bit ageist to me, but anyway). Register at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdzI0xIkhaAIGd-7eC8M1TfmRplBkLBY-gonwqN1Ny6rPLxEQ/viewform
Image created by Sheila Webber using Midjourney, with the prompt a flowery meadow with older and younger cats chasing data, cute and dreamy. There must be a shortage of data-pursuing cat pictures for the AI to train on, as they appear to be chasing daisies and butterflies, though I suppose they are data too.

#NewsLiteracyWeek

It is National news literacy week in the USA 3-7 February 2025 sponsored by the News Literacy Project, The E.W. Scripps Company and USA Today (being pedantic, isn't that less than a week?) Anyway, the website has some resources worth a look, including lesson plans, videos and a couple of free webinars run during the week
Go to https://newslit.org/news-literacy-week/

Webinars: Data Literacy

A Data Literacy webinar series from the University of North Texas: From Principles to Practice: Data Literacy in Academic Libraries "This webinar series highlights the innovative efforts of academic libraries in developing and implementing data literacy initiatives within their institutions. Through practical examples and firsthand experiences, our speakers will share how they have integrated data literacy principles into their instruction, offering valuable insights and strategies for others looking to enhance data literacy in their own contexts."
- Building Data Literacy through Innovative Programs. February 5, 2025 12.00-13.00 US CST. Speakers: Gabriele Hayden and Ashley Rockwell
- Engaging Faculty and Administrators in Data Literacy Wednesday. February 12, 2025 12.00-13.00 US CST. Speakers: Theresa Burress and Clarence Maybee
- Tailoring Data Literacy to Diverse Student Needs Wednesday, February 19, 2025 12.00-13.00 US CST. Speakers: Jesse Akman and Ben Chiewphasa 
More info and register https://ci.unt.edu/dlcc/webinars/webinar-registration.html

AI: accessibility, summarising

Two informative AI-critical blog posts, by Alice Bennett and by Gerben Wierda:
Bennett, A. (2025, January 27). AI and Accessibility: feature, the future or fad? https://blogs.york.ac.uk/digital-accessibility/2025/01/27/ai-and-accessibility-feature-the-future-or-fad/ and a link from Bennett's article
Wierda, G. (2024, May 27). When ChatGPT summarises, it actually does nothing of the kind. https://ea.rna.nl/2024/05/27/when-chatgpt-summarises-it-actually-does-nothing-of-the-kind/
Photo by Sheila Webber: a squirrel turns its back on AI, November 2024

Webinars on health disinformation

Two webinars from the European Digital Media Observatory (EDMO) on Health Disinformation
Module 1: Understanding and addressing health disinformation on 13 February 2025 11:00 - 13:00 CET (10.00-12.00 GMT). Speakers are:
Ravi Sreenath (Ripple Research) – The cross-sectoral impact of health disinformation and patterns and techniques misinfluencers use to spread misleading health narratives
Sara Beatriz Monteiro (Viral Check) – EMIF Natural project
Keith Kiely (BROD, Sofia University) – Theoretical Framework for Misinformation Neutralization
Link to registration at
https://edmo.eu/training/edmo-training-series-on-health-disinformation-module-1-understanding-and-addressing-health-related-disinformation/

Module 2: Public health 101 for disinformation experts on  27 February 2025 10:00 - 11:30 CET
"takes the perspective of public health, aiming to help understand how public health is affected by disinformation, explain how public health tools and actions differ from actions taken by disinformation investigators and identify how public health approaches might benefit disinformation investigations, and vice versa, and where the two approaches exclude each other. "
Leaders are Tina Purnat (Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health) and Elisabeth Wilhelm (University of West Attica)
Link to registration at https://edmo.eu/training/edmo-training-series-on-health-disinformation-module-2-public-health-101-for-disinformation-experts/

Advancing Media and Information Literacy in Mongolia

A report on the UNESCO website about Media and Information Literacy (MIL) a initiative in Mongolia: the Press Institute of Mongolia (PIM), with UNESCO, has organised workshops in October and November 2024 working "to integrate Media and Information Literacy (MIL) into the Mongolian education system. " It involved civil servants and representatives of government organisations.
UNESCO. (2025, January 22). Advancing Media and Information Literacy in Mongolia: UNESCO-Supported Workshops for Curriculum Integration. https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/advancing-media-and-information-literacy-mongolia-unesco-supported-workshops-curriculum-integration
Photo by Sheila Webber: late autumn sky, November 2024

Articles: digital literacy training; UK libraries' research agenda

A couple of items from open access journal Evidence Based Library and Information Practice
- Detlor, B., Serenko, A., La Rose, T., & Julien, H. (2024). A Survey of Public Library-Led Digital Literacy Training in Canada: Perceptions of Administrators and Instructors. Evidence Based Library and Information Practice, 19(3), 23–41. https://doi.org/10.18438/eblip30553
- Tilley, E., & Marshall, D. (2024). Shaping the Future: A Research Agenda for U.K. Libraries . Evidence Based Library and Information Practice, 19(4), 71–107. https://doi.org/10.18438/eblip30577 and Tilley's reflections on carrying out the research are here
Photo by Sheila Webber: squirrel, November 2024

Online event: Promoting Literacy and Critical Thinking in a Convoluted World

On 8 February 2025 08.00-15.00 US MT (which is e.g. 15.00-22.00 GMT), costing US$40, there is an online conference: Promoting Literacy and Critical Thinking in a Convoluted World.
"Hosted by the Boise State Writing Project and News Literacy Project this conference explores teaching our students how to differentiate fact from fiction, navigate society's divisions, solve complex problems, and support their own and others' well-being. Come to be inspired, share ideas, and network with educators across the country."
Register here https://commerce.cashnet.com/cashnetg/static/storefront/boisestateEnglishDepartment/catalog/BSWPCONF

New articles: Teacher agency; Disciplinary difference; Empathy; Badging

The latest issue of portal: libraries and the academy (priced journal) is vol. 24 issue 4, 2024. Articles include:
- Baer, A. (2024). The Role of Librarian-Faculty Relations in Academic Instruction Librarians' Conceptions and Experiences of Teacher Agency. portal: Libraries and the Academy 24(4), 867-891. https://dx.doi.org/10.1353/pla.2024.a938746 "This article reports on findings of an online survey about academic instruction librarians' conceptions and experiences of teacher agency in relation to their instructional work, and, more specifically, on the role of librarian-faculty relationships in these conceptions and experiences."
- Buckley, C.E., Scott, R.E., Shelley, A., Thayer-Styes, C., & Murphy, J.A. (2024). Disciplinary Differences and Scholarly Literature: Faculty Experiences with Discovery, Browsing, and Formats. portal: Libraries and the Academy 24(4), 737-763. https://dx.doi.org/10.1353/pla.2024.a938741 "The findings detail several ways in which disciplinary and personal experiences shape scholars' practices. The authors discuss the perceived disconnect between browsability, discovery, and access of scholarly literature and explore solutions that make the library central to discovery and browsing."
- Davis, L., Albro, M., Mack, T., & Royse, M. (2024). Authentic Connection: Engaging with Students through Empathy. portal: Libraries and the Academy 24(4), 689-703. https://dx.doi.org/10.1353/pla.2024.a938738.
- Young, L.M. (2024). Digital Badging for Information Literacy Instruction: Diffusion of Innovations Analysis and Case Study. portal: Libraries and the Academy 24(4), 705-723. https://dx.doi.org/10.1353/pla.2024.a938739 "This paper offers an analysis of badging in higher education and considers the strengths and weaknesses of digital badging for asynchronous information literacy instruction by employing Dr. Everett Rogers' Diffusion of Innovations theoretical lens"
Photo by Sheila Webber: lost item series, 2024

Webinar: Artificial Intelligence and Academic Integrity

ALA's Library Research Round Table is hosting a webinar on 21 February 2025 at 13.00 US Central time (which is, e.g., 19.00 GMT) Artificial Intelligence and Academic Integrity (AI & AI): The Research Process and Prognosis for Student and Faculty Perceptions of AI Ethics. The speaker is Dr Brady D. Lund (assistant professor of information science at the University of North Texas).
"The purpose of this presentation is twofold: First, to document various approaches used by the presenter and his collaborators to study student and faculty understandings and perceptions of academic integrity in the age of artificial intelligence, including a variety of research methodologies employed as well as avenues to disseminate findings of this research; second, to present the results of presenter's research on these topics and discuss how they may apply to the audience's own institutions. This presentation will be useful both for researchers interested in studying these and related topics, as well as practitioners interested in employing the findings of this research within their organization."
Register at https://ala-events.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_WTMkt-y3RnyUI5CEwpvJzg#/registration
Image generated by Sheila Webber using Midjourney AI

Recording: a conversation on Media and Information Literacy

There is a recording of a webinar focusing on the Caribbean and misinformation held on 30 October 2024 and organised by the Caribbean School of Media and Communication (CARIMAC), WACC and the UNESCO Media and Information Literacy Forum. The debate (A conversation on Media and Information Literacy, between the University of the West Indies and   the University of Technology, Jamaica, is on  "Be it resolved that if the Caribbean is to stem the avalanche of misinformation and disinformation in the public sphere, it is imperative that Media and Information Literacy programmes be introduced into the curriculum from the primary school level.”
Go to https://www.youtube.com/live/Bpf55sMLaYk?si=lUpilJp4sT_ekCba

Karen Blakeman wins Jason Farradane Award

Belatedly, I congratulate Karen Blakeman as the worthy winner of the UK electronic information Group (UKeiG)'s  international Jason Farradane Award for 2024 (it was announced in December). The Jason Farradane Award is presented in recognition of an outstanding, creative and enterprising contribution to the library, information and knowledge profession. The award is named for Dr Jason Farradane, who was a key founding figure in Information Science in the United Kingdom. Karen's nominators said that "Her influence through consultancy and professional development has been invaluable in the rapidly changing world of information retrieval and research skills. She is indisputably a distinguished, influential and inspirational figure, facilitating the effective use of information resources in a digital world." There is more information at https://www.cilip.org.uk/members/group_content_view.asp?group=201314&id=752351
Photo: Karen Blakeman (2011, March 30) Newcastle Royal Station Hotel Chandel(6). https://flic.kr/p/9uFFah CC BY-NC 2.0

Health Information Week #healthinfoweek

Health Information Week in the UK takes place 20-26 January in 2025. It is a "a national, multi-sector campaign to promote high quality information". Main sponsors are the NHS and the Patient Information Forum. The website is here https://healthinfoweek.wixsite.com/healthinfoweek
Today the theme is Winter health and there is a resource list (MS Word doc) here.

Perspectives on teaching librarians

A few interesting posts from the ACRL blog:
(1) Calomino, B. (2024, Decemeber 20). Liaison Librarianship: A Trial By Fire (and 5 Takeaways) https://acrlog.org/2024/12/20/liaison-librarianship-a-trial-by-fire-and-5-takeaways/
(2). Mitola, R. & Bowles-Terry, M. (2025, January 15). Immersion at UNLV: Revising and Reviving an ACRL Program. https://acrlog.org/2025/01/15/immersion-at-unlv-revising-and-reviving-an-acrl-program/
(2) Rowe, |J. (2024, November 20). The trap of knowing. https://acrlog.org/2024/11/20/the-trap-of-knowing/ (life lesson - It’s okay not to know!)
Image created by Sheila Webber using Midjourney AI

New articles: Modifying CRAAP test; Privacy #literacy

The January 2025 issue of College & Research Libraries News (volume 86, no. 1) includes:
- Emily Jaeger-McEnroe. Rethinking Authority and Bias: Modifying the CRAAP Test to Promote Critical Thinking about Marginalized Information.
- Kevin Adams. Surveillance and Privacy: How Can the Framework Support Privacy Literacy? (that's the ACRL IL Framework)
Go to https://crln.acrl.org/index.php/crlnews/issue/view/1671/showToc
Photo by Sheila Webber: discarded Christmas trees, January 2025

Recording: Information Literacy as a Discipline: What's the Difference?

The Information Literacy Group has published the recording of the webinar Information Literacy as a Discipline: What's the Difference? in which I was one of the panellists last October. The event was co-organised by the CILIP Information Literacy Group, the Purdue University Institute for Information Literacy, USA, and the University of Sheffield Information School, Libraries and Information Society Research Group. UK.
The panellists were Dr. Karen Kaufmann (Assistant professor, School of Information, University of South Florida, USA), Bill Johnston (activist and retired academic, Scotland), Dr Clarence Maybee (Associate Dean for Learning and the W. Wayne Booker Endowed Chair in Information Literacy at Purdue University Libraries and School of Information Studies, USA), Dr Syeda Shahid (Assistant Professor, Towson University, USA) and me (Sheila Webber, Senior Lecturer, University of Sheffield Information School, UK).
We are members of the international group of researchers and practitioners, ILIAD: Information Literacy Is A Discipline "advancing scholarly conversation around the idea that information literacy is a maturing discipline (Webber & Johnston, 2017). Since 2022 they have been developing wider debate via panel sessions (Maybee et al., 2023), and forthcoming from Facet Publishing in 2025 is an edited volume with contributors from 20 countries, Information Literacy Handbook: Charting the Discipline."
Here's the recording https://youtu.be/CKLX4a-BWUY?feature=shared

#LOEX2025 poster proposals saight from library and information students

There is a call for proposals for posters to be presented in-person at the USA's information literacy conference, LOEX 2025, taking place 15-17 May 2025 in Pasadena, California, USA. The deadline is 27 January 2025. The call is open to library and information students and to "library residents or fellows who have been in the field no more than five years". More info on the LOEX Poster Proposals webpage https://loexconference.org/poster-proposals/

Which Information Behaviour Theories are Relevant to Public Library Reference Service?

Dr Jenna Hartel has created a new video about information. It is the 12th episode in her What Makes This Paper Great? series. She presents Surfacing the ‘Silent Foundation’: Which Information Behaviour Theories are Relevant to Public Library Reference Service? by VanScoy et al. (2024). The 12 minute video is here https://youtu.be/QfcMHv3rI7Y?si=6T--9VNFpUfvackw Additionally she has created a colouring book with pages for each of the theories, which is here

Registration for #LILAC2025 open

Bookings for LILAC 2025 (the UK information literacy conference, in person in Cardiff, Wales, 14-16 April 2025) are open. "150 places at the conference have been released and we aim to release a further 125 places later in the month.
To register go to https://www.lilacconference.com/lilac-2025

SUNYLA annual #infolit instruction showcase

On 13 January 10.00-15.30 US EST (which is, e.g., 15.00-20.30 GMT) the SUNYLA (State University of New York Librarians Association) Information Literacy Committee hold their annual Instruction Showcase online.
You can see the programme here https://docs.google.com/document/d/1JzgOBoGBkdy-2KYP9Oze6XgNJqAJi9b1Ma7QfQogOxY/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.fo48wfk0h5oo
It is free, but registration is required - go to https://oswego-edu.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJMofumvrjsiH9KoKDTfKdQfe7gYk7oJSKoH
Photo by Sheila Webber: Christmas tree out for collection by the council (on the 30th December, that seemed early)

New articles: #Infolit for first years; teacher librarians' experience of teaching; Librarians involved in systematic review; Librarians and #SoTL

The latest issue of open access journal College and Research Libraries (Vol 86 Issue 1 2025) includes:
- Sarah LeMire, Zhihong Xu, and Doug Hahn. First-Year and First-Gen: Assessing the Information Literacy Skills of First-Year, First-Generation College Students.
- Matthew Weirick Johnson. Job Control, Library Instruction, and Burnout: A Quantitative Analysis of Academic Instruction Librarians’ Experiences of Job Control While Teaching.
- Catherine Boden, Susan Bolton, and Angie Gerrard. Health Sciences and Beyond: An Investigation into Canadian Librarian Participation in Systematic Reviews Across Disciplines.
- Anne Grant, Kyle Feenstra, and Mills Kelly. Why Does SoTL [Scholarship of Teaching & Learning] Happen in a Librarian-Free Zone?
Go to https://crl.acrl.org/index.php/crl/issue/view/1670/showTocPhoto by Sheila Webber: snow in November 2024. The snow is still on the ground now, but less picturesque

Recent UNESCO news: China and Uzbekistan

Two short reports. The first reports on a meeting at the Communication University of Zhejiang, China, which included the launch of the 2023-2024 version of China's Media Literacy Blue Book.
UNESCO. (2024, December 14). UNESCO Promotes the Implementation of Media and Information Literacy Initiative in China. https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/unesco-promotes-implementation-media-and-information-literacy-initiative-china
The second gives a brief overview of the AIM programme (Empowering the Government and Citizens of Uzbekistan by Strengthening Access to Information, Accountability of Institutions, and Media Competence) (I think this is a description of the project by the main funder).
UNESCO (2025, January 6). AIM program: Enhancing access to Information, media freedom and digital literacy in Uzbekistan. https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/aim-program-enhancing-access-information-media-freedom-and-digital-literacy-uzbekistan?hub=79862
Photo by Sheila Webber: a Christmas present from last year

Two new articles on Information seeking - IS of Lithuanians in time of war; IS of business students

Wilson, T.D. & Maceviciute, E. (2025). Information seeking in a time of war: coping with stress in Lithuania during the Russia/Ukraine war. Journal of Documentation 81(7), 31-62. https://doi.org/10.1108/JD-06-2024-0156 ; "A majority of participants experienced moderate to high levels of stress associated with the war in Ukraine. Information seeking and discussing information found with family members and friends played a significant role in helping to moderate stress. Most of the participants understood more than one language and, consequently, were able to compare local information sources with international sources. Only five participants were active users of social media, the rest were critical of these sources. All participants valued those sources they believed to be reliable and truthful."

Vinyard, M., Morales, I & Helton, E. (2024). Information seeking behavior of graduate business students: using a qualitative approach to determine the role of the library. Journal of Business & Finance Librarianship. https://doi.org/10.1080/08963568.2024.2435758 "Librarians interviewed 15 graduate business students to understand their information-seeking behavior. Google emerged as the primary research tool, though students encountered paywalls and credibility concerns. Their research skills were shaped by prior work experience, and the depth of research expertise varied according to their bachelor’s degrees. Students were more likely to seek assistance from classmates and professors than librarians. Faculty guidance and database usage varied significantly, impacting students’ use of library databases. Student’s ability to interpret financial and economic data was a significant issue."
Photo by Sheila Webber: another snowy scene from November 2024.

Nieman Lab - Predictions for Journalism, 2025

The Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard (University, USA) has published Predictions for Journalism, 2025 from "some of the smartest people in journalism and media" asking them "what they think is coming in the next 12 month". There is a North American focus, but a good number of different perspectives (and all fairly short reads) - for example Cristina Tardáguila writes about Getting beyond the fact-check "The global focus on disinformation is undeniable, and that’s a positive step. But the field has become overcrowded, with many players prioritizing performative actions over measurable results. After nearly a decade in this fight, we’re stuck in a cycle of rehashing old strategies and are in desperate need of a reset."
Go to https://www.niemanlab.org/collection/predictions-2025/
Photo by Sheila Webber: snow in November 2024 (it is also snowy at the moment, though not as snowy as this).

Extremism, conspiracy theories and the middle aged

SMIDGE is a Horizon Europe research project (funded by the European Union) focused on extremist narratives (including spread of conspiracy theories and misinformation) and people aged 45-65. The partner institutions are in Denmark, the UK, Austria, Italy, Belgium, Kosovo and Cyprus. They point out that this is an under researched group (with most attention going to younger people), and the project's activities include podcasts, webinars, conference presentations and an online survey (at time of writing I can see a document outlining the methods, but they hadn't posted results yet). Their latest newsletter  is here: https://shoutout.wix.com/so/16P6uI8ur?languageTag=en&cid=301b3122-0a42-4ea6-ac43-fdb7e0e03720
I was alerted to this by an article in The Conversation: Wilford, S. (2024, August 6). Middle-aged radicalisation: why are so many of Britain’s rioters in their 40s and 50s? https://theconversation.com/middle-aged-radicalisation-why-are-so-many-of-britains-rioters-in-their-40s-and-50s-236263
Photo by Sheila Webber: fragmented, November 2024

The Problem with “Perfect” Answers

A useful blog post reporting on interesting research: Munoz, R. (2024, October 15). The Problem with “Perfect” Answers: GenAI and Academic Research Tools. https://er.educause.edu/articles/2024/10/the-problem-with-perfect-answers-genai-and-academic-research-tools
Librarian Roberta Muñoz talks about the problem when people get so used to search engines, AI etc. delivering the answers they expect, that people get frustrated and baffled when they are presented with information that isn't exactly tailored to their preferences. This is drawing on some research by Xu et al., namely:
Xu, R., Le, N., Park, R., Murray, L., Das, V., Kumar, D. & Goldberg, B. (2024). New contexts, old heuristics: How young people in India and the US trust online content in the age of generative AI. https://arxiv.org/abs/2405.02522 "We conducted in-person ethnography in India and the US to investigate how young people (18-24) trusted online content, just as generative AI (genAI) became mainstream. We found that when online, how participants determined what content to trust was shaped by emotional states, which we term "information modes." Our participants reflexively shifted between modes to maintain "emotional equilibrium," and eschewed engaging literacy skills in the more passive modes in which they spent the most time. We found participants imported trust heuristics from established online contexts into emerging ones (i.e., genAI). This led them to use ill-fitting trust heuristics, and exposed them to the risk of trusting false and misleading information. While many had reservations about AI, prioritizing efficiency, they used genAI and habitual heuristics to quickly achieve goals at the expense of accuracy. We conclude that literacy interventions designed to match users' distinct information modes will be most effective."

Also linked from Muñoz's blog post is a  news report on Xu et al.'s research
Rogers, A. (2024, April 25). The secret digital behaviors of Gen Z. Business Insider. https://www.businessinsider.com/gen-z-most-trusted-news-source-online-comment-sections-google-2024-6
Unfortunately, although I was able to read this free a couple of days ago, it is now asking me for money, so I'm relying on my memory for what was in it. I think the author of the research paper is quoted as saying that initially they were investigating information literacy, but then they discarded that idea because what the Gen Zers were doing wasn't information literacy. That seems a bit narrow, since it seems to me that what Xu et al. have done is Information Behavior research, which could be used to engage with the participants to develop ideas of context-appropriate IL (which wouldn't involve them totally changing their IB, but being more aware of what they are doing, which could bring shifts in behaviour).
Photo by Sheila Webber: Winter in the Botanic Gardens, December 2024