Connecting with new information landscapes: information literacy practices of refugees

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of the research reported in this article is to understand how refugees learn to engage with a complex, multimodal information landscape and how their information literacy practice may be constructed to enable them to connect and be included in their new information landscape. Methodology: The study is framed through practice and socio-cultural theories. A qualitative research design is employed including semi-structured face-to-face interviews and focus groups which are thematically analysed through an information practice lens. Findings: Refugees encounter complex and challenging information landscapes that present barriers to their full participation in their new communities. Social inclusion becomes possible where information is provided via sharing through trusted mediators who assist with navigating the information landscape and information mapping, and through visual and social sources. Research limitations/implications: The study is local and situated and therefore not empirically generalizable. It does however provide rich, deep description and explanation that is instructive beyond the specific research site and contributes to theory building. Practical implications: The study highlights the role, and importance, of social and visual information sources and the key role of service providers as mediators and navigators. Governments, funders and service providers can use these findings to inform their service provision. Originality/value: This is an original research paper in which the results provide practical advice for those working with refugees and which also extends theories of information literacy practice as an information practice.

E-Government and the Digital Divide: A Study of English-as-a-Second-Language Users’ Information Behaviour

“…In a study of refugees trying to access e-government services, Lloyd et al [12] found that the information poverty they experience was a product of the social exclusion of the participants as a result of barriers e-services can erect. Such information poverty can lead to "limited support networks, [an] inability to access the labour market, alienation from society and poorer educational outcomes" [15].…”

“…However, in instances where these social groups may not be attainable or their knowledge and experience is also deficient can have dire repercussions for those members of society who already face significant barriers [12]. In an effort to address these concerns the UK government are currently running both standard services (face-to-face, postal and over the telephone) and digital services simultaneously but it is not inconceivable that standard services will (eventually) be phased out.…”

A Comparative Study of Native and Non-native Information Seeking Behaviours

“…Lloyd et al [16] found that refugees trying to access e-government services experience information poverty due to social exclusion of the participants as a result of barriers e-services can erect. Vinson suggests that such information poverty can lead to serious negative outcomes, including "limited support networks, [an] inability to access the labour market, alienation from society and poorer educational outcomes" [23].…”

“…This issue is made more serious by the policies of most national governments, the UK's included, to begin transitioning their services from a "traditional" face-toface and paper-based paradigm to "e-services," where provision is made through purely digital means [11]. For those in society, however, who are not adept in the use of such technologies, or are not able to readily make sense of the important information delivered through them, this raises concerns around the barriers that may be erected and the risk this poses of segregating users, especially those in vulnerable groups [13], such as refugees and migrants [16].…”

Exploring the Information Literacy Experiences of ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) Learners: A Discussion of Methods

“…The study is informed by existing research that suggests that there is a relationship between language learning and information literacy [1][2] as well as research that looks at the information literacy practices of immigrants and more widely at their information behaviour which suggest that social exclusion can be seen as an information problem [3], transferring information practices is a significant issue [4], and that there is an association between immigrants and information poverty [5]. ESOL learners are adults living in the UK who are learning English as part of adult basic skills provision.…”