What is “information literacy” and what does it mean to be “information literate”? What is “digital literacy”? What is “information fluency” and how does it differ from “information literacy”?
What is literacy?
Information literacy is so much more than being literate. Macquarie Dictionary defines literacy as;
- The ability to read and write.
- The ability to use language effectively.
- An ability to comprehend communication and express oneself in a specified field e.g. political literacy.
- An ability to use communications technology that is digitally based: computer literacy; multimedia literacy.
(Macquarie Dictionary Publishers, 2020b)
Clearly, with such a wide range of definitions available combined with the array of meanings we have already constructed as to what literacy is, we need to be more specific. Therefore, what is important is to understand your CONTEXT and PURPOSE when working with the term information literacy.
As I study, work and live in Australia, my context and purpose is focused towards the Australian education system which is governed by the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA). Furthermore, I live and work in New South Wales, I am governed by the New South Wales Education Standards Authority (NESA). As such, my understandings of the terms addressed in this post will heavily rely on and refer to my governing bodies.
On a national level, NESA is informed by ACARA and each state is responsible for implementing the Australian Curriculum in their syllabus development. The Australian Curriculum is implemented in the K-10 syllabus in NSW, whereas stage 6 courses are more flexibly created by NESA whilst still upholding the high standards of the Australian Curriculum (NESA, n.d.-).
The Australian Curriculum places Literacy as a General Capability that is therefore covered across all learning areas (subjects) and stages in school (ACARA, n.d. -a). Literacy skills are organised in the following way:
The Literacy continuum incorporates two overarching processes: Comprehending texts through listening, reading and viewing; and Composing texts through speaking, writing and creating.
The following areas of knowledge apply to both processes: Text knowledge; Grammar knowledge; Word knowledge and Visual knowledge. (ACARA, n.d.-).
When I think about the word ‘literacy’ I think about the basic skills required in English and EAL/D classes as these are my subjects I am qualified to teach. Even in my third teaching subject – languages (my specialty being Japanese), each syllabus focuses on the students learning literacy as five competencies;
- Reading and responding;
- Writing;
- Listening;
- Speaking; and
- Viewing and responding
As well as the five skills listed above, an increasingly important skill being focused on in the classroom is the ability to comprehend, create and respond to multimodal texts. (New South Wales Education Standards Authority [NESA], n.d.-a)
Furthermore, as an English teacher when I think about ‘texts’, I think about ‘text types’ and modes of communication. The English syllabus focuses heavily on comprehending and creating key text types; from a range of factual and imaginative texts taught in primary school to senior high’s focus on “prose fiction, drama, poetry, nonfiction, film, media and digital texts” (NESA, n.d.-a) ACARA expands the definition of ‘texts’ to include “all forms of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)” including non-verbal communication, body language and braille (ACARA, n.d.-b). Creating and comprehending these text types is a heavy focus in the classroom.
Both ACARA and NESA definitions of literacy begin with a behaviourist perspective as they focus heavily on the acquisition and development of assessible skills. However, being literate is so much more than behaviours and skills. NESA addresses this by making the distinction that, “being literate is more than the acquisition of technical skills” (NESA, n.d.-b). ACARA echoes this sentiment, stating that, “Becoming literate is not simply about knowledge and skills.” (ACARA, n.d.-b). This is where we start to think about the difference between literacy and information literacy.
Firstly, it is important to note that there is not one, agreed upon definition of information literacy, nor is there a single unanimously agreed upon definition of information. In order to understand the concept and ideas surrounding information literacy, we must first understand the concepts of information and the information landscape.
There is a great deal of research dedicated to these concepts which I can only but briefly attempt to summarise in this post. Whilst, we know and use the word information daily and tend to think of it as an easy to understand concept, defining it is quite a bit more complex than that. This post will not attempt to delve into the history of defining a term which first ended the English language sometime in the 14th century and has been subject to over 70 years of commentary (Case & Given, 2016, p.56-57).
However, if we think in general terms, we can state that information refers to anything we can interpret as data and take meaning from. The information landscape is another key term to do with information and refers to the ‘landscape’, ‘space’ or ‘context’ where information is presented and communicated through multiple formats and delivery modes (Floridi, 2007). When taken from a sociocultural perspective, information literacy involves the understanding that information is contextual and co-created. A person must understand the contexts, situations and purposes surrounding information landscapes to be information literate (Lloyd, 2010, p.2).
So what exactly is information literacy?
Information Literacy and Information literate are terms first introduced in 1974 by Zurkowski to define someone who has been trained to use techniques and skills to use and transform information for their needs (Badke, 2010, p.48). Implicit in this definition is the concept that information must be used, changed, moulded or transformed in some way. It also hints at information literacy being something taught and learned; thereby being socially constructed. Indeed, it is hard to think of a definition of literacy or information literacy, for that matter, that is separate from learning (Lloyd, 2010, p.14).
Information Literacy therefore takes literacy to the next level whereby we are doing something with information, and we are doing it for a purpose.
ACARA addresses this by highlighting the importance of literacy both as a set of skills and competencies and its wider implications in our lives. We need to be able to “access, understand, analyse and evaluate information” to communicate with people, express our thoughts, opinions and feelings, be heard and understood and to hear, interpret and understand others (ACARA, n.d.-b).
NESA makes a similar statement about information literacy, stating that it is not merely about acquiring skills;
It includes the ability to identify, understand, interpret, create and communicate purposefully using written, visual and digital forms of expression and communication for a number of purposes in different contexts. (NESA, n.d.-b)
Therefore, we can take the idea that ‘information’ and ‘literacy’ when combined, form a deeper meaning and more complex set of skills understandings; information literacy asks literacy to ‘put its money where its mouth is’ and actually do something.
What is information fluency then and how is it different from information literacy?
Common dictionary definitions will posit that fluency as a means of doing something ‘readily’, ‘easily’, ‘gracefully’, ‘smoothly’ or other similar adjectives (Macquarie Dictionary, 2020a). These adjectives hint at the notion that whatever concept one is ‘fluent’ in, it is known and understood so intrinsically that it can be done without additional thought or effort. This same idea can be applied to information literacy thus explaining the concept of information fluency.
Information fluency takes information literacy to the next level; being able to navigate and use information literacy to participate in the world with ease and confidence.
The Australian Curriculum’s statement on literacy ends in a similar vein;
…assist students to become effective learners who are confident and motivated to use their literacy skills broadly… to be self-sufficient; working harmoniously with others; being open to ideas, opinions and texts from and about diverse cultures; returning to tasks to improve and enhance their work; and being prepared to question the meanings and assumptions in texts (ACARA, n.d.-b).
The New South Wales Education Standards Authority states similar aims for students to “better understand and negotiate their world and are able to actively participate in all aspects of society as ethical and informed citizens” (NESA, n.d.-b).
This complex universe of meaning is what we as Teacher Librarians are striving to pass on to future generations.
References:
Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority [ACARA]. (n.d.-a). General Capabilities. Australian Curriculum. https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/f-10-curriculum/general-capabilities/
Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority [ACARA]. (n.d.-b). Literacy: Key ideas. Australian Curriculum. https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/f-10-curriculum/general-capabilities/literacy/
Macquarie Dictionary. (2020a). Fluent. In Macquarie Dictionary online. Macmillan Publishers Australia. Retrieved October 2, 2020, from https://www-macquariedictionary-com-au.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/features/word/search/?search_word_type=Dictionary&word=fluency
Badke, William. (2010). Foundations of information literacy: Learning from paul zurkowski. Online (Weston, Conn.), 34(1), 48-50.
Case, D. O., & Given, L.M. (Eds.). 2016). Looking for information: A survey of research on information seeking, needs, and behaviour. Emerald Publishing Limited.
Floridi, L. (2007). A look into the future impact of ICT on our lives. Information Society, 23(1), 59-64. doi: 10.1080/01972240601059094
Lloyd, A. (2010). Information literacy landscapes: information literacy in education, workplace and everyday contexts. Chandos Publishing.
Macquarie Dictionary. (2020b). Literacy. In Macquarie Dictionary online. Macmillan Publishers Australia. Retrieved October 2, 2020, from https://www-macquariedictionary-com-au.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/features/word/search/?search_word_type=Dictionary&word=literacy
New South Wales Education Standards Authority [NESA]. (n.d.-a). English Stage 6. https://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/11-12/stage-6-learning-areas/stage-6-english
New South Wales Education Standards Authority [NESA]. (n.d.-b). Literacy and numeracy. https://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/k-10/understanding-the-curriculum/literacy-and-numeracy
New South Wales Education Standards Authority [NESA]. (n.d.-c). NSW and the Australian Curriculum. https://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/k-10/understanding-the-curriculum/curriculum-syllabuses-NSW/nsw-and-the-australian-curriculum