Purpose The paper identifies the changes in cognition associated with becoming information literate, specifically, in relation to the evaluation of information. Additionally, it puts forward a model for a teaching and learning intervention that engages the learner and leads to higher order information literacy (IL) thinking. From a theoretical perspective the research integrates ideas from the fields of IL, teaching and learning, e-learning and information behaviour (IB). Design/methodology/approach Three interventions were designed to develop the information literacies of first-year undergraduates studying Sport & Exercise at Staffordshire University, to teach and test IL. Interventions took a blended approach and combined face-to-face and online social network learning (OSNL)-also referred to as social media learning (SML)-and focused on one aspect of information literacy: the ability to evaluate source material. Data was captured via interviews, focus groups and from the online discussion that was analysed thematically and categorised using task, behaviour, cognitive states, affective states, conative states and knowledge. This helped to evaluate the efficacy of the interventions and provided data for further analysis. This paper focuses on the cognitive data and their transitions during the interventions and, in particular, among those respondents who experienced OSNL. Findings The changing cognitive states, associated with IL learning were modelled and made evident key cognitive states and transitions. This is represented in the paper in diagrammatic and mathematical notation. The findings indicate the complexity of the information behaviours associated with IL including the cognitive, behavioural, conative and affective elements. Although the cognitive transitions are the focus of this paper an insight is also given into an IL intervention that fosters the capability to interact critically and reflectively with information. The pedagogy that underpins these changes is indicated. The intervention, which incorporated OSNL, proved the most successful. Research limitations/implications Undergraduate students' IB can be changed and IL developed. Additional long-term data would have indicated whether this intervention had a lasting impact on the undergraduates. Practical implications IL practitioners should consider incorporating OSNL and assessment in their interventions. Incorporating discussion, reflection and peer-to-peer assessment is likely to be lead to deeper learning when teaching IL. Originality/value The research adds detail to our understanding of the cognitive, behavioural, affective and conative states associated with IL and makes explicit how these may change as the learner becomes information literate.
Qualitative and quantitative methods were used to study the information needs of people with multiple sclerosis (PWMS) in the UK. Focus groups involving 103 PWMS identified significant experiences. Questionnaires were sent to 4100 PWMS (approximately 5% of the MS population) and 2030 responded. Information provision was found to have improved dramatically over the last seven years. Of those respondents who had been diagnosed in the last five years, 71 per cent thought they had received information. Of the total surveyed population, 43 per cent thought they had not received information. Information provision was found to be inconsistent, although centres noted for their interest in the patient perspective did perform somewhat better. Categories of information need were identified, and their importance and the difficulty in obtaining them were quantified. There is considerable scope for improving provision of information to people with MS.
The aim of this research was to develop a conceptual framework that would help to collect and understand the information needs of a target community. Many information behaviour frameworks already exist, however; although they share some features, they tend to focus on different aspects of the person and their interaction with information. It was proposed that a synthesis of these frameworks could lead to a comprehensive framework. Previous research was analysed and an initial framework defined. This was piloted and adapted and then applied to data on informal carers. This led to further adaptation. Informal carers are people who care for another person, generally a relative, for more than fourteen hours per week and are not paid for this. The data stemmed from 2 sixty interviews that were transcribed and coded. This paper presents the data on informal carers and their information experience using the final framework. This serves to demonstrate how the framework sensitizes the researcher to certain types of significant data, enables the organization of the data, indicates the relationships between different types of data and, overall, helps to provide a rich picture of the target community's information needs. In conclusion the paper discusses the differences and advantages of the framework in relation to previous work and also the limitations of the study and possible further research.
HEPWORTH M. (1986) The geography of technological change in the information economy, Reg. Studies 20, 407-424. Innovations in information technology are transforming urban and regional systems through their impacts on production and distribution processes. Case studies of Canadian multi-locational firms are used to examine this spatio-economic transformation in the context of the new information-based service economy. By focusing on computer networks as spatial systems of information technology, it is shown that these innovations can lead to centralized and decentralized patterns of direct production and office activity. New insights are also developed into the telecommunications-transportation trade-offand the key role of telecommunications in regional development. Information technologyInformation economy Services Regional development HEPWORTH M. (1986) La distribution spatiale de l'6volu-tion technologique dans l'6conomie de l'information, Reg. Studies 20, 407-424. Les innovations n6es de la technologie de l'information sont 5 m~me de transformer les syst~mes urbano-r6gionaux par suite de l'effet sur les proc6d6s de production et de distribution. A partir des cas d'6tude sur des entreprises canadiennes 5 localisations multiples il s'ensuit une analyse de cette mutation spatiale et 6conomique dans le cadre d'une nouvelle 6conomie orient6e vers les services et fond6e sur l'information. En concentrant sur les r6seaux informatiques en tant que syst~mes spatiaux de la technologie de l'information, on montre que ces innovations peuvent entralner une r~partition centralis6e et d6centralis6e de l'activit6 dans les fabriques et aux bureaux. I1 se d6veloppe aussi une meilleure compr6hension de 1'6change t616communica-tion-transportation et du r61e-c16 des t616communications dans le d6veloppement r6gional.
The purpose of this research was to determine whether a blended approach to delivering an information literacy learning and teaching intervention (a mix of face-to-face and online activities) could statistically significantly enhance undergraduate's information discernment compared to standard face-to-face delivery.Three interventions were designed to develop the information literacies of first-year undergraduates studying Sport & Exercise at Staffordshire University. The experimental intervention took a blended approach and combined face-to-face and online social media learning (SML) and focused on one aspect of information literacy: the ability to evaluate source material effectively. The specific aim of the study was to determine whether higher order cognitive abilities were more likely to be engaged in those who participated in this intervention over and above those who did not experience SML. Data was captured via written assessed work. An analysis was devised where written evaluations of found information were converted into numerical scores and then measured statistically via ANOVA and effect size measure. This helped to evaluate the efficacy of the interventions and provided data for further analysis. This paper provides insight into an IL intervention which enabled participants to interact critically with information. The pedagogy that underpins these changes and the cognitive processes engaged during this intervention are discussed. The intervention which incorporated online social media learning (SML) proved to be the most successful learning and teaching approach.The data indicated that undergraduate students' IL can be changed and developed. However, additional long-term data is required to establish whether this intervention would have a lasting impact.These results indicate that IL practitioners who wish to foster deeper learning in their students should consider incorporating online SML and assessment into their teaching practice.This research adds some detail to an understanding of the cognitive processes associated with evaluating information and how an assessed piece of work can demonstrate the end product of these processes.
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