Critical information literacy: Adult learning and community perspectives

Abstract

This article considers the evolution of information literacy as a distinct area of inquiry and instruction in libraries. The influence of critical and feminist pedagogies is paramount for the development of critical approaches to understanding an information landscape that is highly politicized. The definition and practice of information literacy will be described, followed by an exploration of critical approaches that help interrogate how information access and control affect these literacy goals and people's democratic right to information. Information literacy that is grounded in social justice goals can be strengthened through the collaboration of librarians with other adult educators, community development practitioners, social service providers and activists.

Professional translators’ and interpreters’ views on information competence: An exploratory qualitative study from the Spanish context

“…It is necessary for all disciplines, all learning environments and all professional practices. The information society and its contexts are constantly changing, and information literacy is the backbone for a critical, aware and informed citizenry (CILIP, 2018), which helps to curb misinformation, foster an egalitarian information culture and promote social justice, sustaining a more holistic, contextual and inclusive approach to information, from a critical information literacy approach (Drabinski and Tewell, 2019;Elmborg, 2006Elmborg, , 2012Swanson, 2004;Tewell, 2015) for which the influence of intersectional feminist pedagogical perspectives (hooks, 1994) has been very relevant (ACRL, 2021;Accardi, 2013;Kingsland, 2020;Irving, 2020;McGivney et al, 2017).…”

Critical workplace information literacy

“…IL research in general has mostly been carried out in the context of (academic) libraries and has moved away from the historical origin of IL in the workplace context (Hicks, 2022;Irving, 2020;Whitworth, 2014;Widén et al, 2021). The institutionalisation of IL within the frameworks of librarianship and information science harms its progress and perpetuates the theory-practice gap (Whitworth, 2014, p. 73), risks the label of "elitism" (Saunders, 2017), and reduces it to a stereotypical perception as a "library skill" (Whitworth, 2011a) and a professional construct, instead of being a right for all (Crawford, 2020).…”

Erwachsenenpädagogische Digitalisierungsforschung

“…Kritisch-hinterfragende Kompetenzen von Erwachsenen sind seltener Gegenstand von Kompetenzstudien, obwohl der Begriff der critical media literacy bereits eine lange Diskurstradition aufweist (vgl. Irving 2020;Tisdell 2007).…”