INFORMATION LITERACY

Course Code: BLS1106

Course Level: Year I
15th/9/2023
DIGITAL LITERACY
DIGITAL LITERACY

 Definitions
DIGITAL LITERACY CONCEPT
‘Literacy’ traditionally means the ability to read and write.
A Person who can’t read or write is called ‘illiterate’.

It means that one should have the appropriate skills in the

environment and work in a society where communication and
information are accessed through digital technologies.

Digital literacy is the ability to properly use and evaluate digital

resources, tools and services, and apply it to lifelong learning processes

Paul Gilster first made the term popular in his 1997 book titled ‘Digital
literacy’. He states that ‘digital literacy is the ability to understand and
use information in multiple formats from a wide range of sources when it
is presented via computers’ (Gilster, 1997, p. 1).
The American Library Association defined digital literacy as; “

 the ability to use information and communication technologies to find, understand, evaluate,
create, and communicate digital information,

 It’s an ability that requires both cognitive and technical skills

(American Library Association, 2013).

 It’s the ability to use information and Digital literacies involving the combining of information
and media literacy (American Library Association ,2011)

The information communicated with the digital technologies' adoption reached the users faster, and
the information is always timely.

Digital literacy necessitates vital skills to regulate to the existing situation where digitized
information is preferred to access and utilized.
Digital literacy is very essential to all aspects of digital life.
It is the awareness, attitude and ability of an individual to appropriately
use digital tools and facilitates to identify, access, manage, integrate,
evaluate, analyze and synthesize digital resources, construct new
knowledge, and communicate with others in the context of specific life
situation in order to enable constructive social action and reflection
upon the process Martin, 2005, p.135)

In the digital literacy, it has been observed that Information literacy is

an essential component.
The assessment and usage of digital content in the highly disorganized
web-based information scenario depends on the digital-savvy (social
media clean and friendly) practices related to the published content
beyond the libraries.
digital Literacy

1. Digital technologies.
2. Digital Learning
3. Digital creation and communication
4. Digital citizens and Identity
5. Information, Academic, media and Data literacy
Elements

 Culture ( able to access and use learning technologies in

various formats for instance knowing how to use and
navigate social media.
 Cognitive ( using tools various tools
 Communicative ( Understanding the networks and
communications
 Confident. ( be confident to use technologies)
 Critical. Pay attention when using digital technology
 Civic. ( make use of digital in order to participate I digital
society)
Importance of digital literacy
 Digital literacy cannot be over emphasized as it equips students
with critical thinking skills
 Ability to evaluate and understand and interpret information
using various technological tools.
 Enables individuals to make informed use of digital technology
and media as it offers opportunity to participate in new kinds of
social activities.
 Digital Access. ( electronic participation)
 Digital etiquettes
 Digital law ( E- responsibilities for action and deeds)
 Digital rights and responsibility ( freedom for everyone
 Digital health and wellness ( physical and psychological
well-being in a digital technology world
 Digital security. ( e- precautions for safety
 Digital Commerce (( E buying and selling)
 Digital communication ( e- exchange of information)
Digital Literacy Implication in LIS

 LIS professionals and students and other library users with limited or
no digital literacy will not be able to access computers, databases or
internet leaving them at total disadvantage which can lead to serious
resentment for the digital library.
 Deriving maximum benefit from a digitized or digital library without
which users and even library staff will find themselves confronted
with digital divide

Discussion
Competencies for LIS professionals

There seven pillars are:

 Identify: A LIS professional is able to identify a need for information
 Scope: Assess current knowledge and identify gaps
 Plan: Construct strategies for locating information and data
 Gather: locate and access the information and data they need
 Evaluate: review the research process and compare and evaluate information
and data
 Manage: organize information professionally and ethically
 Present: apply the knowledge gained: presenting the results of their
research, synthesizing new and old information and data to create new
knowledge and disseminating it in a variety of ways.
In other words,
Each pillar deals with;
 combination of knowledge and skills towards identifying a need for
information;
 assessing current knowledge and identifying gaps; constructing strategies for
locating information and data;
 locating and accessing the information and data needed;
 Reviewing the research process and comparing and evaluating information
and data;
 Organizing information professionally and ethically.
Digital literacy indicators

 DEFINE INFORMATION (Distinguishing a clear, concise and

topical research question from poorly framed questions, Asking
questions of a "professor" that help disambiguate a vague
research assignment , Conducting effective preliminary
information searches to help frame a research statement)
 Access INFORMATION (Generating and combining search
terms, Efficiently browsing one or more resources to locate)
 Evaluate Information ( Judging the usefulness of providing
online resources e.g. journals
Cont,
Create Information ( edit format, delete, copy, create presentation
slides
Communicate Information (Formatting a document to make it more useful to a
particular group, Transforming an email into a succinct presentation to meet an audience's
needs, Selecting and organizing slides for distinct presentations to different audiences,
Designing a flyer to advertise to a distinct group of users

Manage Information ( Organizing, sorting files, database return, categorizing emails in

appropriate order)

Integrate Information ( Incomplete information from various cites to do research

Topic: Interpreting an information task and
needs identification
Interpreting an information task and
needs identification
 An information task is any work that needs the use of information.
 In caring out an assignment, one must go through gradual stages.

Interpretation: refers to the task of drawing conclusions from the

collected facts after an investigative and or experimental information
from a study.
 When one examine the task carefully, he/she can recognize the
specific focus so that he/she is clear about what direction to take
with your research and ensure you address all aspects of the
assignment.
 One should understand all parts of the assignment.
 Your task instructions might explain the structure, formatting and
type of a task.
Analyzing a task. Here, one must first identify and locate the assignment.
 By use of the key words which show what you have to focus on the instruction
words which tell you how to approach the content
 Has the boundaries/ limits of the task/assignment.
How to analyze an Information task

Analyzing an information task is a fundamental step in understanding what is

being asked and how to go about discovering the relevant information when
doing say information seeking, research, problem etc, certain steps need to be
followed.

Step 1: Read the question and check the meaning of any words or phrases
you do not understand in your task,
 Ensure you understand the background and the specific information being
required in a given question.
Step 2: Identify and understand the task word(s).
 Task words tell you what you need to do for the assignment. For example: if the
question is, “Discuss the important issues which contribute to effective study as a LIS
student”.
 the keywords might be “Issues" study’ “LIS."

 Keywords words tell you what the topic of the task is. Each main point you make in
your work needs to be relevant to these keywords.

Step 3. Define the Scope:

 Determine the scope of the task, whether broad or specific. Or if it need overview of
deeper understanding to help you solve the problem, accomplish the research and
analysis.
Step 4: Identify and understand the limits of the task.
 For instance Limits if the task requires a length expectations and due date of
submitting the work to be 200words
 This will limit the number of factors you choose to focus on in your work
 Then, about time say by 25th, this will dictate how much time you have to plan,
research, draft and finalize your paper.

Step 5: Determine the required type of Information needed to accomplish the

task:
 Find out the category of information necessary to solve the task. For instance; Is
it an expert opinion? statistical information, historical background, or a mixture?
Knowing the type of information needed will help you choose appropriate
information sources, hence solve the problem.
Step 6: Brainstorm Possible information Sources:
 Critically think about the sources where you might find the needed information.
This could include textbooks, journal articles, databases, News papers, Thesis
and dissertations and other sources.

Step7: Prepare a Search Strategy plan:

Develop a search strategy based on the identified keywords and other phrases for
example, Library catalogue, search engines, databases and other search tools. You
can also think about refining your search as you look for information. For instance
narrowing down your search
Step 8: Evaluate the information Sources used:
 After Identifying the potential information sources, evaluate their credibility.
Are they from trusted source? Look at the peer-reviewed.
 Evaluating the reliability of an information source is important for ensuring
the accuracy of the data collected.

Step 9: Data collection:

Collect data from the selected information sources.
Make sure that you write something down, bookmark relevant websites and take
note of citations. Organize the information for easy reference.
Step 10: Analyze and Synthesize data collected:
 Analyze the data you have collected to answer an information task.
 Identify various patterns and trends, and also look for similarity aor
difference of the information

Step 11.Review the information:

 Make sure to look at each tasks is addressed.
 Review your response for clarity, accuracy, and coherence. Make any
necessary revisions to improve the quality of your answer.

Step 12: Cite and reference Your Sources:

For instance by use of citation styles e.g.. APA, Chicago, etc.
Present your answer in a clear and organized manner, following any guidelines or
requirements provided for instance Makerere university Uses APA citation style.
 Instruction words

An instruction word lets you know how to approach your assignment/ task.
They are words commonly used in assignment tasks and an interpretation of
what they mean, and provide guidance on how to approach a given task.
Examples of Instruction words
Instructions Meaning
analyze examine something closely in terms of its parts and how they
are related to each
other

argue present a case for and/or against something

assess decide on the value of something
compare discuss two or more things in terms of their similarities and
differences

criticize give a judgement and support it with evidence

define make clear what is meant by something; or use a definition(s)

to explore a concept
describe present a detailed account of something

justify give reasons why certain decisions should be made, or

certain conclusions reached

outline go through and identify briefly the main features of something

discuss offer some interpretation or evaluation of something; present a
judgment on the value
of arguments for and against something

enumerate give an item by item account of something

evaluate form a judgment about the value of something

examine inspect something in detail and investigate the implications

explain make clear the details of something; show the reason for, or
underlying cause of, or the means by which something occurs

illustrate offer an example(s) to show how or that something happens;

explain a concept by
giving examples

interpret make clear the meaning of something and its implications

Stages in Information Tasks.
Planning
Completing a task gives you a chance to build on the information you have
Received for example in your course and to establish what you have learned.
However, this needs careful prior planning as it often takes much longer than one expects.
Allow plenty of time for all the steps outlined below:

A. Understanding the Task:

 Involves thoughtful process about what you have to do to get started for instance reading
and understanding the task or question you need to address.
 Pay close attention to any specific requirements and challenges in the task.
 You then draw a working plan for the information task.
 Make sure you follow all the requirements as stated in the Course Outline, the course site
and feedback forms if available, as these will be applied when your assignment is marked.
B. You must have a clear understanding of what the task requires of you.
 Analyze and understand the task in detail. This may includes identifying key
words within the task so that you know exactly what you need to do to
complete the task.
 Make sure that you have considered every part of the task. Expectations may
vary depending on the type of task (e.g. essay, oral presentation, report etc.)
c.
Develop a rough plan
 Develop a rough plan for the assignment and how you will approach it or what
possible directions you could take.
 Using visual techniques such as constructing a mind map may work well for
you
D. Plan your Search .
Find relevant sources by searching the library catalogue and databases.
 Use a variety of sources and remember that most often you are required to use peer
reviewed academic sources.
 Avoid Wikipedia and Google because you need reliable, academic sources. Using
sources like these may be okay to gain some general background information on a topic
but they are not acceptable as academic sources for your tasks.

E. Read and take notes

 Read with a purpose. Start reading sources to make sure that what you read in detail
 Read and make notes using your own words from a variety of academic sources, and
include complete in-text references beside the notes so that you know where you
found ideas that you are using.
 It’s also a good idea to compile the reference list as you go.
 F. Revisit your plan
 Think about your response to the task and add any ideas to your plan for the
assignment. If
 you need to form a position in response to your task, this is a good time to do
it. You might
 also consider your scope of discussion (what you are including and what you
are not
 including) and the structure of your assignment.
G. Write a rough draft
 Write a draft of the assignment from your plan and notes, and be sure to include
the in-text references and reference list at the end of the assignment.
 Remember that you can always edit this later – it doesn’t have to be your final
version.

H. Reread; rethink; revise; rewrite

 Re-read and revise your draft as many times as you can.
 If necessary, re-read relevant sections of the sources in more detail to help you
expand any ideas.
 It is important that you give yourself enough time to reflect on what you are
writing and make sure that you are answering the question.
 Redraft the assignment so that it clearly presents your ideas to the reader and
has a good “flow”
I. Edit for your final version
 Edit your assignment for typing, spelling and grammar errors (this includes for oral
 presentations or PowerPoint slides that may be a part of your assignment
response).
Ask yourself: Have I met all the requirements of the assignment task? Is my response
clear?
 Remember that redrafting and editing takes almost as much time as the drafting
your first version, so plan to leave enough time for steps F-I.
J. Compile any appendices and prepare the reference list
 prepare the entire reference list If you haven’t been preparing the reference list as
you do your assignment.

K. Proofread
 Proofread the final version of your assignment.
 Check for spelling, typos and grammar, mistakes one more time.
 You can use the spelling and grammar check function in
 It is helpful to ask someone else to read your work to make sure it makes sense.
 Make sure you allow time for this important step - getting the grammar and spelling
right can gain you some easy marks.
L. Submit your assignment
 Make sure you follow the instructions given.
 Submit your assignment
 Then congratulate yourself for completing the task.

M. Reflecting and Learning:

After accomplishing your task, make a reflection on of your research process and the
quality of your work.
Consider what you have learned and how you can increase and advance your data
collection and information analysis skills for future tasks.
THANKS FOR LISTENNING