Information Literacy Is a Subversive Activity: Developing a Research-Based Theory of Information Discernment

Fuente: ERIC Institute of Education Sciences
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Main Author: Geoff Walton
Format: Recurso educativo Open Access
Language:en
Published: 2017
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author Geoff Walton
author_facet Geoff Walton
Geoff Walton
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contents Information Literacy Is a Subversive Activity: Developing a Research-Based Theory of Information Discernment Geoff Walton Information Literacy Conflict Resistance (Psychology) Systems Approach Context Effect Secondary Education Foreign Countries Library Instruction Undergraduate Students Social Influences Information Sources Psychological Patterns Behavior Patterns The theory of information discernment discussed here is firmly based on models, research and scholarship of information literacy coupled with theory and research in information behaviour. This paper will explore original research conducted by Walton and Hepworth and how it has developed over the last 10 years -- the pilot study was reported in the very first edition of this journal in 2007. It will show that it has led to the emergence of the concept of information discernment and how Foucault's discourse analysis theory has been used to further critically analyse its application. This paper will show how the research has been applied in a range of contexts, from enabling students in their first year of A-level study in the UK to carry out better research for their extended project qualification (EPQ), to teaching information literacy to undergraduates in various disciplines. This research will then be synthesised to create a new theory of information discernment summarised as: "the ways in which social, psychological, behavioural and information source factors influence peoples' judgements about information." I argue that information discernment should be included in future notions of information literacy and, in particular, informs the ACRL (2016) key threshold concept that "authority is constructed and contextual." Attendant psychological notions of worldview, misinformation, confirmation bias, motivated reasoning and epistemic beliefs will be explored to determine how these articulate and enrich this new theory. The paper explores how this theory can be applied in practice beyond the learning environment, and argues that, ultimately, information literacy is a subversive activity which challenges received notions of the construction, communication and exchange of information and knowledge.
format Recurso educativo Open Access
id eric_EJ1467166
institution ERIC Institute of Education Sciences
language en
publishDate 2017
record_format eric
spellingShingle Information Literacy Is a Subversive Activity: Developing a Research-Based Theory of Information Discernment
Geoff Walton
Information Literacy
Conflict
Resistance (Psychology)
Systems Approach
Context Effect
Secondary Education
Foreign Countries
Library Instruction
Undergraduate Students
Social Influences
Information Sources
Psychological Patterns
Behavior Patterns
Information Literacy Is a Subversive Activity: Developing a Research-Based Theory of Information Discernment Geoff Walton Information Literacy Conflict Resistance (Psychology) Systems Approach Context Effect Secondary Education Foreign Countries Library Instruction Undergraduate Students Social Influences Information Sources Psychological Patterns Behavior Patterns The theory of information discernment discussed here is firmly based on models, research and scholarship of information literacy coupled with theory and research in information behaviour. This paper will explore original research conducted by Walton and Hepworth and how it has developed over the last 10 years -- the pilot study was reported in the very first edition of this journal in 2007. It will show that it has led to the emergence of the concept of information discernment and how Foucault's discourse analysis theory has been used to further critically analyse its application. This paper will show how the research has been applied in a range of contexts, from enabling students in their first year of A-level study in the UK to carry out better research for their extended project qualification (EPQ), to teaching information literacy to undergraduates in various disciplines. This research will then be synthesised to create a new theory of information discernment summarised as: "the ways in which social, psychological, behavioural and information source factors influence peoples' judgements about information." I argue that information discernment should be included in future notions of information literacy and, in particular, informs the ACRL (2016) key threshold concept that "authority is constructed and contextual." Attendant psychological notions of worldview, misinformation, confirmation bias, motivated reasoning and epistemic beliefs will be explored to determine how these articulate and enrich this new theory. The paper explores how this theory can be applied in practice beyond the learning environment, and argues that, ultimately, information literacy is a subversive activity which challenges received notions of the construction, communication and exchange of information and knowledge.
title Information Literacy Is a Subversive Activity: Developing a Research-Based Theory of Information Discernment
topic Information Literacy
Conflict
Resistance (Psychology)
Systems Approach
Context Effect
Secondary Education
Foreign Countries
Library Instruction
Undergraduate Students
Social Influences
Information Sources
Psychological Patterns
Behavior Patterns
url https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1467166