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Peeling Back the Layers: Deconstructing Information Literacy Discourse in Higher Education

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Sustainable Digital Communities (iConference 2020)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNISA,volume 12051))

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Abstract

The discourses of information literacy practice create epistemological assumptions about how the practice should happen, who should be responsible and under what conditions instruction should be given. Analysis of a wide range of documents and texts emerging from the Higher Education (HE) sector suggest that information literacy (IL) is shaped by two competing and incongruent narratives. The outward facing narrative of information literacy (located in information literacy standards and guidelines) positions information literacy as an empowering practice that arms students with the knowledge and skills to battle the complexity of the modern information world. In contrast, the inward facing narrative (located in information literacy texts) positions students as lacking appropriate knowledge, skills and agency. This deficit perception, which has the capacity to influence pedagogical practice, is at odds with constructivist and action-oriented views that are espoused within information literacy instructional pedagogy. This presentation represents the first paper in a research programme that interrogates the epistemological premises and discourses of information literacy within HE.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University College, London (UCL), London, UK

    Alison Hicks & Annemaree Lloyd

Authors
  1. Alison Hicks
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  2. Annemaree Lloyd
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Alison Hicks .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. OsloMet – Oslo Metropolitan University, Oslo, Norway

    Anneli Sundqvist

  2. OsloMet – Oslo Metropolitan University, Oslo, Norway

    Gerd Berget

  3. University of Boras, Boras, Sweden

    Jan Nolin

  4. OsloMet – Oslo Metropolitan University, Oslo, Norway

    Kjell Ivar Skjerdingstad

Appendix A

Appendix A

Information literacy models

  • A new curriculum for information literacy (ANCIL) (Secker & Coonan, 2011)

  • Framework for information literacy for higher education (ACRL, 2016)

  • Metaliteracy (Jacobson & Mackey, 2014)

  • Seven pillars of information literacy (SCONUL, 2011)

  • VALUE rubric (AACU, 2013)

Books

  • Metaliteracy

    • Jacobson, T. E., Mackey, T. P.: Metaliterate learning for the post-truth world. Chicago: Neal-Schuman (2019).

    • Jacobson, T. E., Mackey, T. P.: Metaliteracy in practice. Chicago: Neal-Schuman (2016).

    • Mackey, T. P., Jacobson, T. E.: Metaliteracy: Reinventing information literacy to empower learners. London: Facet Publishing (2014).

  • Framework

    • Bravender, P., McClure, H., Schaub, G.: Teaching information literacy threshold concepts: Lesson plans for librarians. Chicago: ACRL (2015).

    • Burkhardt, J. M.: Teaching information literacy reframed: 50+ framework-based exercises for creating information-literate learners. Chicago: Neal-Schuman (2017).

    • Godbey, S., Wainscott, S., Goodman, X.: Disciplinary applications of information literacy threshold concepts. Chicago: Neal-Schuman (2017).

    • Harmeyer, D., Baskin, J. J.: Implementing the information literacy framework: A practical guide for librarians. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield (2018).

    • Jacobson, T.: Foreword. In Harmeyer, D., Baskin, J.J. (eds.), Implementing the information literacy framework: A practical guide for librarians, Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield (2018).

    • McClure, R.: Rewired: Research-writing partnerships in a frameworks state of mind. Chicago: Neal-Schuman (2016).

    • McClure, R., Purdy, J. P.: The future scholar: Researching and teaching the frameworks for writing and information literacy. Medford, NJ: ASIST (2016).

    • Oberlies, M. K., Mattson, J. L.: Framing information literacy: Teaching grounded in theory, pedagogy, and practice. Chicago: Neal-Schuman (2018).

  • Seven Pillars/Metaliteracy

  • ANCIL

    • Coonan, E., Secker, J.: Rethinking information literacy: A practical framework for supporting learning. London: Facet (2013).

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Hicks, A., Lloyd, A. (2020). Peeling Back the Layers: Deconstructing Information Literacy Discourse in Higher Education. In: Sundqvist, A., Berget, G., Nolin, J., Skjerdingstad, K. (eds) Sustainable Digital Communities. iConference 2020. Lecture Notes in Computer Science(), vol 12051. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-43687-2_28

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-43687-2_28

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-43686-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-43687-2

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

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