Digital literacies: preparing pupils and students for their information journey in the twenty-first century

Published date12 November 2018
DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1108/ILS-07-2018-0059
Pages733-742
Date12 November 2018
AuthorPoppy Frances Gibson,Sarah Smith
Subject MatterLibrary & information science,Librarianship/library management,Library & information services
Digital literacies: preparing pupils
and students for their information
journey in the twenty-rst century
Poppy Frances Gibson and Sarah Smith
Department of Teacher Education, University of Greenwich, London, UK
Abstract
Purpose In a fast-moving worldwhere technology has become intertwined with our dailylives, meaning
information is available at our ngertips,information overload (Khabsa and Giles, 2014) is just one of many
challenges that this technological overhaul has presented for learners from the primary classroom up to
studies withinhigher education (HE). This paper aimsto present skills needed by both pupils and studentsto
navigate their information journey, and discusses how educators can support the acquisition and
developmentof these skills.
Design/methodology/approach Drawing on key literature in the elds of education and academia
through the processof systematic review and adopting the analogy of a journey to represent lifelonglearning,
this bipartite paper exploreshow both primary school pupils and university studentsare required to access
informationin their very own information journeysin this Information Age.
Findings The similarities and differences between child and adult learners are considered. This paper
shares practical strategies for promotingthe smarter use of information and a shorter journey for these
travelersalong the way. This paper essentially aims to raise questions in the minds of educators as they
help to preparetheir learners to learn.
Originality/value This paper offers an interesting insight for teachers and lecturers as the crossover
between two sets of learners, primary-age pupils and students inHE, is considered in terms of how we, as
educators, can help to provide more effective and efcient information journeys, and therefore promote
successfullearning. A ve-stage model is presentedfor the information journey.
Keywords Learning, Digital, Information, Literacies, Technologies, Lifelong
Paper type Literature review
Introduction
In a fast-moving world where technology has become intertwined with our daily lives,
meaning information is available at our ngertips. Informationoverload (Khabsa and Giles,
2014) is just one of many challenges that this technological overhaul has presented. In the
realms of education, becoming a condent navigator of information is key to successful
lifelong learning; we are living in the Information Age, also referred to as the Computer
Age,Digital Ageor the New Media Age. Humanity is evolving. Essentially, this era is
an era based on information, and the acquisitionand ownership of information is a dening
trait of this age. This article shares practical strategies for promoting the smarter use of
information anda shorterjourney for these travellersalong the way.
But what exactly is information? The answer to this at-rst simple question is hard
to dene. If knowledge is that state of knowing, can information be the measurable
unit? Janich et al. (2018) argues that our understanding of information is based in
the much broader history of scientic naturalism, essentially that science is a
fundamental aspect of the world and not a human contrivance(Janich et al.,2018,
p. 16). Many interpretivists, however, would argue that information can mean different
Preparing
students for the
information
journey
733
Received12 July 2018
Revised28 August 2018
Accepted29 August 2018
Informationand Learning Science
Vol.119 No. 12, 2018
pp. 733-742
© Emerald Publishing Limited
2398-5348
DOI 10.1108/ILS-07-2018-0059
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
www.emeraldinsight.com/2398-5348.htm

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