Questions and Reading

I went into college this morning for a meeting with the faculty’s research co-ordinator. I had a few questions which being the eternal ‘mature student’ I just had to ask. The questions revolved around the Research Training Programme that I have to complete- as well as issues around ethical approval for research. That done, I decide to read whilst having a coffee. Bad idea – after spilling much of the coffee (a black Americana) on my white Fred Perry, I decide to head off home to read. From a reading angle it was very productive, the articles read (if not totally understood) were:

Kuhlthau, C. (1991) Inside the Search Process: Information Seeking from the User’s Perspective

This is a complex article which I will need time to digest – but it is an excellent start to examining user searching behaviours or as the authors call it the information search process (ISP) by an academic who has spent a great deal of time researching the subject. This is a must.

Behrens, S. (1994) A Conceptual Analysis and Historical Overview of Information Literacy

Another essential paper for anyone wanting to chart the development of information literacy. Behrens covers the 70s and 80s through to the early 1990s. No review of the subject would be complete without looking at this paper.

Snavely, L. And Cooper, N. (1997) The Information Literacy Debate

This is also, like the previous two, essential reading. This is an oft-quoted paper, giving an overview of information literacy. They discuss and present a range of alternative names for information literacy for those who are unhappy with its current nomenclature. This is an extremely easy paper to digest and well worth a look.

Conference Carnegie Research Practice Conference

The second conference of the week, this time organised by the Carnegie faculty for all PhD and research students at Leeds Met. The venue was the very impressive new ‘facility’ at the Headingly Cricket and Rugby ground (food was excellent too!) This is one of the few occasions were all of the research students get together to network and share. Again, although I am not a natural networker, I managed to find a couple of people who have similar interests to me – so from that angle the day was very useful. The day started with a lecture on critical thought, this was very useful and I need to follow up the on the notes. I then attended a seminar on ‘How to survive your viva’; this is uppermost in my mind as I have a confirmation viva soon. After lunch, Professor Tony Bryant, presented an excellent seminar on Grounded Theory; an area of research method which so far is beyond my understanding. He was excellent! The day ended with a ‘question time’, type ask the panel and then the day was brought to a close by the Vice-chancellor. Overall, a very good day.

Information Literacy: Fact or Fable?

I called my conference presentation - Information Literacy: Fact or Fable? This was my first opportunity to present my initial reading to date, and in reality my first academic conference. It was just my luck that members of the Universities senior team decided to ‘drop in’ and guess who was about to speak. Honestly, I feel the presentation went well for a first go; it is easy to beat yourself up about what you would change or even do completely differently. Many people (genuinely) said that they enjoyed it and that I had made a potentially boring subject come alive. I spent the day attending all of the presentations; it also proved to be a very useful net working opportunity -- overall a very good day.

INN Conference

Today I spent half of the day making finishing touches to my presentation for Wednesday (tomorrow); I also took time to attend some of the conference (especially the lunch – those of you thinking about coming to Leeds Met the buffet lunch is excellent – based on my previous NHS experience!)

The key note speaker was Professor Ray Paul, a very distinguished man http://people.brunel.ac.uk/~csstrjp He spoke about the inns and outs of applying for research funding, although not relevant to me now, it certainly reminded me of previous incarnations of applying for money and I am sure that it will prove to be useful in the future. Still very interesting.

Writing for Faculty Conference

Today was spent preparing by short (but well formed) paper for Wednesday’s Innovation North Faculty Conference. I have 20 minutes to present my preliminary thoughts on my work todate. I will place the paper on my website (so when it is up please feel free to comment!).

Boyce (2000) Second thoughts about information literacy

Here is another very thought provoking article, one which I recommend. I must admit it took a second read for me to get to grips with the writing; nevertheless, Boyce poses some good probing questions as she tries to grapple with the concept of information literacy for herself.

In her second paragraph she opens by stating that she questions the:

‘construction of information literacy; as it has an ‘indeterminate quality’, which seems to encompass everything from computer competence, search savvy…right through to a philosophy of learning how to learn…the strongly print, bibliocentric logic of information literacy seems to me to be inappropriate for the anarchic environment of digital information.’

Her article examines the meaning of the terms along with the context. She calls for another look at the theory, worried by the bibliocentric bias to the concept and how this fits in with the anarchic digital world. One does need to remember that that article was written seven years ago and in that time the theory has move on, yet I believe there is still an element of truth in what she says.

Again I feel myself agreeing with Boyce when she forcefully states:

‘I am troubled by the universality and totalising effects of this movement, by the impetus of the phenomenon so vastly understood, yet subject to such uncritical, fervent allegiance. ‘Against the seemingly universal endorsement of information literacy.’

Drawing to a conclusion, the discussion moves on to ask the question is IL simply a pre-occupation of the teacher/librarian? (Is it a product of a profession too close to its subject?). For Boyce its only play a part in the story it simply reflects a sectoral (i.e. library) viewpoint and that this preoccupation with their particular paradigm has distracted profession to coming to terms within a wider and broader overview of literacy in the new communications environment; ‘it has blinded us to the way in which we have been positioned materially, culturally and socially..’

Information literacy: a clarification

I decided that I would attend a conference at the University today on pedagogies. My first mistake was not realising that it was in-fact a three day event! Well, I attended the first lecture, and then decided to disappear – not very good I know. Anyway, this allowed me to start reading another article:

Langford, L. (1998). "Information literacy: a clarification." School Libraries Worldwide 4(1): 59-72.

This is another article which I liked very much; in that it set off a whole ream of writing and thoughts -- It is an article which tapped into my consciousness. Where this article is a little different is that it focuses more on literacies in general. Langford is another voice who recognised back in 1998 that there is a gap in the IL literature (Todd and also Boyce etc). Langford questions whether we need to examine ‘new literacies’ as propagated by Ross and Bailey (1994) Wanted new literacies for the information age, NASSP Bulletin 78(563):31-35 . This is another paper to add to my list to read, to see if I agree with Langford.