Information Literacy (IL)

Lecture xx Slide 1

Computing in Society (CIS), Year 1 Semester 1, AY2010/2011Copyright ©2010 NP School of InfoComm Technology. All rights reserved.

UNESCO Information Literacy – A Case Study Digital Divide & Bridging The Gap

Objectives:- To understand UNESCO Information Literacy- To understand digital divide and how to bridge the gap

References:1. Towards Information Literacy Indicators, Conceptual Framework Paper by Ralph Catts & Jesus Lau, UNESCO Paris, 2008.2. ICT and Our Society (4th Edition) by Yeo Gee Kin & Oh Lih Bin, McGraw Hill Publication.

Lecture xx Slide 2


Information Literacy (IL)

Why IL is important to people?

Lecture xx Slide 3


UNESCO Information Literacy• United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural

Organisation (UNESCO)

Advocates the building of knowledge societies ...

“ A Basic Human Right in the Digital World”

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UNESCO Information Literacy• Defining Information Literacy (IL)

Adopted by UNESCO (2005), IL skills include:

• Recognise their information needs• Locate & evaluate the quality of information• Store and retrieve information• Make effective & ethical use of information, and• Apply information to create and communicate knowledge

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UNESCO Information Literacy• Distinguishing IL and ICT

Can people be information literate in the absence of ICT?

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UNESCO Information Literacy• UNESCO Information Literacy Context

• Implications of IL need to be considered at both national & international levels in :

IL is essential for individuals to achieve personal, social, occupational and educational goals in a knowledge society.

• Society• Work• Education• Well-Being

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UNESCO Information Literacy• IL for Health & Well-Being

Health Professionals• Access to current and best practice to the delivery of quality

services.

Right of Individuals• Obtain, interpret, and understand basic health information

and services.• Use of information and services which are health-enhancing.• Distinguish between information from credible sources, such

as WHO, and information from manufacturer / medical suppliers.

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UNESCO Information Literacy• IL and Civic Society

A civic society in which people may participate actively in a democratic process – active participation (self-directed) creating government as enabling rather than directive.

An informed society in which people act creatively, and takes initiatives to make new meanings & new ways of governance.

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UNESCO Information Literacy• IL and Education

• Create standards to guide IL work in education sector - lifelong learning capabilities.

• Prepare people for civic life, develop and maintains people’s employment capacities.

• Able to recognise an information need & the capability to locate, valuate, store, retrieve and apply information, and to communicate new knowledge.

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UNESCO Information Literacy• IL for Work and Economic Activity

Use IL to create competitive advantage for firms and for nations within the global knowledge economy.

‘Distinguish between routine distribution of information, and the use of information to create knowledge’

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UNESCO Information Literacy• Economics and IL

- Table 1: Comparison of Industrial and Knowledge EconomicsCharacteristics Industrial Economy Knowledge Economy

Resources Materials are scarce and expensive to access

Information is often widely available at marginal cost

Usage Materials are depleted when used & recycling is expensive

Information can be shared and may grow thru use

Durability Materials are usually stable & do not deteriorate over time

Information needs to be updated continuously & quality can deteriorate rapidly

Distribution Materials & products need to be transported and costs can determine both sites of production and access to products

Provided ICT infrastructure exists, both information (materials) & knowledge (products) can be distributed widely

Ownership & Law

Products can be patented, access controlled and taxes applied

Knowledge can be difficult to regulate and tax

Pricing Value is usually fixed by inputs, labor and transport costs

Value is primarily determined by IP & can vary depending on context

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UNESCO Information LiteracyInformation / Knowledge Chain

1. Generation• Author• Inventor• Researcher

2. Packing• Editor• Information

Aggregators

• Database Company

4.Use/Demand•

Researcher• Academics• Student•

Companies

3. Distribution• Bookstores• Libraries• Information

Services

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UNESCO Information Literacy• IL and Adult Competencies (Communication Skills Map)

Definition & articulation of information need

Location & access of information

Assessment of information

Organization of information

Use of information

Communication & ethical use of information

Other information skills

INFORMATION LITERACYDigital technology use

Use of communication tools

Use of networks

Sift media messages

Analyze media messages

Other ICT/Media skills

ICT SKILLS – MEDIA LITERACYReading Writing Numeracy Other Basic Skills

Speaking Listening

LITERACY

ORAL COMMUNICATION

Thinking Skills

REASONING

Lecture xx Slide 14


UNESCO Information Literacy• IL and Ethics - Ethical Use of Information

Ethical practice applies to the creation and distribution of information, and to its use.

An information literate society is one whose peoples are able to evaluate information sources, and they will question all sources of information.

In disseminating information received from others, those are information literate should flag the potential bias in the original sources rather than transmitting claims without qualification.

Lecture xx Slide 15


Digital DivideThe Digital Divide

“The information society that) we build must be open and pluralistic – one in which all people, in all countries, have access to information and knowledge.”

Former UN Secretary-General, Kofi AnnanWorld Telecommunication Day, May 17 2003

The digital divide refers to the disparity between those who have access to and use of ICT, and those who do not.

International Adult Literacy Survey (IALS) has identified a correlation between ICT skills and literacy. Those will ICT skills are likely to have higher literacy levels and applies to both between countries with high and low ICT access, and also within countries.

OECD

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Digital Divide3 Significant Barriers to ICT Access

Access to ICT Infrastructure• Includes access to hardware, software

and telecommunication links.

Access to Education & Skills• Use of ICT.

Access to Information Media• Digital media content is mostly in English.

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Digital Divide – Universal AccessUniversal Access

World Region Population(million)

% World Population

Internet Users(million)

User Penetration as % of Population

% of World User

Africa 933 14.2 44 4.7 3.5

Asia 3,713 56.5 459 12.4 36.9

Europe 810 12.3 338 41.7 27.2

Middle East 193 2.9 34 17.3 2.7

North America 335 5.1 235 70.2 18.9

Latin America 557 8.5 116 20.8 9.3

Oceania / Australia

34 0.5 19 55.2 1.5

WORLD TOTAL 6,575 100 1,244 18.9 100

World Internet Usage and Population Statistics Across Different Countries (Sept 2007)

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Digital Divide – Universal AccessOther important factors include:

• Physical Access to Technology

• Affordability

• Technological Skills

• Relevant Content

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• Social Integration

• Socio-Cultural Factors

• Trust in Technology

• Capacity

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• Legal & Regulatory Framework

• Political Will

• Local Economic Environment

• Macro-Economic

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Digital Divide – Language Issue

“Last month, when I was in Central Asia, the President of Kyrgyzstan told me his eight-years old son came to him and said: ‘Father, I have to learn English.”“But why?” President Akayev asked.“Because, Father, the computer speaks English.”

Al Gore, Former US Vice President

“A language becomes a world language for one reason only – the power of the people who speak it.”

David Crystal, Professor of Linguistics

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Digital Divide – Language IssueTop Ten Language Users

Estimated Online Population (million)

% of Total Online

% of Language Penetration

Estimated World Population (million)

English 365 31.2 17.9 2,043

Chinese 184 15.7 13.6 1,352

Spanish 102 8.7 22.9 443

Japanese 86 7.4 67.1 129

French 59 5.0 15.3 388

German 59 5.0 61.1 96

Portuguese 47 4.0 20.2 234

Korean 34 2.9 45.6 75

Italian 31 2.7 52.9 60

Arabic 29 2.5 8.5 341

Disparity between Online Languages (June 2007)

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UNESCO - Bridging The Digital Divide

“The bottom line is that there is no binary digital divide and no single overriding factor for determining – or closing – such a divide.”

Mark WarschauerUC Irvine

UNESCO’s action in the field of IT is based on two essential goals: reducing the digital divide and building knowledge societies.

UNESCO

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UNESCO aims to achieve its goals thru activities in 3 areas:

1. Ethical, Standard Setting and Legal2. Content and ICT Applications3. Methodological Tools and Access to Knowledge

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UNESCO’s strategy is based on 4 elements:

• Reaching Agreement on Common Principals to Regulate the Building of Knowledge Societies

• Increasing Learning Opportunities by Giving Access to Content and to Diverse & Quality Education Service Providers

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UNESCO’s strategy is based on 4 elements:

• Capacity Building in Scientific Research, Information Sharing and Cultural Exchanges.

• Promoting ICT Use with the Aim of Developing Capacity, Empowerment, and Governance & Social Participation

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Bridging The Digital Divide

“The bottom line is that there is no binary digital divide and no single overriding factor for determining – or closing – such a divide.”

Mark WarschauerUC Irvine

The problem of the digital divide is not so much in providing equal access to ICT, but in how ICT is integrated to include the marginalized groups.

In Singapore, to bridge the digital divide between the young and the old, iN2015 Master Plan includes a Silver Infocomm Initiative to equip senior citizens with digital lifestyle skills and knowledge …

Information Literacy (IL)

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