Defining Information Literacy Study Notes

Defining Information Literacy

Introduction to Information Literacy

  • Defining information literacy is compared to wading through metaphorical mud with added challenges due to the definition of 'information' itself.
  • Marcia Bates (2010) provides a foundation for understanding information through her entry in the Encyclopedia of Library and Information Sciences, which allows for summarizing critical research areas.

Definition and Historical Context of Information

  • Bates (2010) highlights Claude Shannon's work, which distinguishes between messages and the amount of information conveyed.
    • Importance: This differentiation separates 'information' from 'meaning', a distinction that shapes ongoing debates.
  • A fundamental question arises: Is information a neutral entity, or does it derive meaning from human context?

Key Definitions in Information Studies

  • Robert Losee's Definition (1997): Information is defined as “the value attached or instantiated to a characteristic or variable returned by a function or produced by a process.”
    • A good definition of information should both describe observable phenomena and explain events.
    • Losee critiques the conflation of 'information' with 'useful information' within natural language definitions.
  • Bates critiques Losee's perspective by discussing the limits of observers' understanding in processing information.
    • Example: An observer unfamiliar with a cake's ingredients cannot deduce all aspects from its appearance alone.

Forms of Information Conceptions

  • Types of Conceptualizations:
    • Pratt’s (1977) view: Information as an event (or process).
    • Propositional conceptions:
    • Dretske (1981): Information capable of yielding knowledge.
      • Key point: “If everything I say to you is false, then I have given you no information.”
    • Fox (1983): Discusses misinformation as a direct contradiction of information.
    • Structural Concept (Thompson, 1968): Information results from organizational processes applied to raw experiences.

Information Literacy in Context

  • Bates emphasizes the interplay of human understanding in defining information literacy and its connection to various information conceptions.
  • Relevant conceptions leading to literacy include:
    • Information as a process.
    • Misinformation as contrary to information literacy.
    • The organization of information as a crucial skill.

Social Construction of Information

  • Cornelius (1996): Claims information is a human artifact, constructed within social contexts.
  • Goguen (1997): Defines information as an interpretation linked to social accountability.
    • Highlights the significance of context in understanding information.
  • Bates describes a multi-type definition of information essential for behavioral research where varied information forms are considered.
  • Dervin’s (1977) three-part representation of information:
    1. External reality
    2. Internal reality
    3. Individuals' reconciliation of realities
  • Bates classifies types of information into four distinct groupings, including genetic, experienced, and recorded information.

Critiques and Perspectives on Information

  • Bates cites Furner (2004), who challenges the necessity of the term 'information'.
    • Proposes that labeling concepts eliminates the need for 'information'.
  • Bates concludes that the understanding of 'information' remains hotly contested:
    • Information as a proposition, structure, message, event, requiring truth, or socially embedded remains variously interpreted.

Comparative Definitions of Information

  • Other scholars, such as Brown and Duguid (2002) and Buckland (1991, 1997), focus on defining what information is not, often ranking its significance relative to knowledge.
  • Additional major works define information in terms of requirements for delivery (Svenonius, 2000) or as engineering constructs (Shannon & Weaver, 1964).

Contemporary Understanding of Literacy

  • Foundational Literacy:
    • Historically defined simply as reading and writing skills, with modern definitions incorporating critical thinking and cultural knowledge (Campbell, 1990).
  • A contemporary definition from the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE):
    • Literacy as a collection of communicative and sociocultural practices.
    • Characteristics of a literate individual:
    • Participation in a networked world.
    • Critical engagement with diverse texts and tools.
    • Advocacy for equitable access to information.
    • Promotion of cross-cultural communication, recognition of biases, and ethical considerations in information use.

International Perspectives on Literacy

  • The UNESCO definition expands literacy beyond basic reading and writing, emphasizing individuals' abilities to engage with and interpret information in a digital, information-rich world.
  • The European Declaration of the Right to Literacy emphasizes effective understanding and use of all media, including digital literacy.
  • The OECD's PIAAC defines literacy as engaging with written text to participate in society and reach personal goals.