Implementing a convergent model for information literacy: combining research and web literacy

Abstract

The authors propose a convergent model for information literacy (IL) based on complementary proficiencies in research and web literacy. Within this integrated framework, information technology (IT) is an essential dynamic in IL instruction. This model was designed, implemented and tested in an upper-level discipline-specific undergraduate information science (IS) course that requires students to develop research-oriented web pages. This study finds that student familiarity with IL and IT increased in this course. In addition, students who indicated a familiarity with certain web design terms also reported a familiarity with certain IL terms. A factor analysis of survey data indicates that a correlation may exist between research and web design in the development of comprehensive IL knowledge. This paper identifies three dimensions of IL and IT: web environment knowledge, web development knowledge, and research skills. This model is portable to other courses, programs, and organizations engaged in IL and IT instruction.

Learning from Other's Mistakes - One Approach to teaching Information Literacy

“…Thus Mackey and Ho state that both IL and IT skills are needed in the modern concept of web-literacy, i.e. web environment knowledge, web development knowledge, and research skills (Mackey & Ho, 2005). Surprisingly, the needs of today's students are not very different from their predecessors throughout the ages.…”

Development of Concept-Based XHTML/CSS Pedagogy for Non-Technical Learners

“…To this list, add journalism (Royal, 2005), rhetoric and composition (Dick, 2006;Karper, 2004;Turnley, 2005), education (Marx, 2003;Victor, 2002), information science, library science, linguistics, mathematics, psychology, and particularly, literacy (Hofstetter, 2006;Mackey & Ho, 2005).…”

“…Finally, as Web page multimedia and interactivity demands increased, so Web design curricula swelled to include topics like creating Web databases, applications, video and audio (Gordon, 2005;Krunić, Ružić-Dimitrijević, Petrović, & Farkaš, 2006;Mackey & Ho, 2005;Whitehead, 2002).…”

“…In addition to the term Web design, the various fields employ phrases such as Web composition (Karper, 2004;Turnley, 2005), Web authoring (Niess, Lee, & Kajder, 2008;Turnley, 2005), Web literacy (Karper, 2004;Mackey & Ho, 2005;Maddux et al, 2008), Internet literacy (Hofstetter, 2006), Web development (Blackwell, 2002;Park & Wiedenbeck, 2011), Web engineering (Whitehead, 2002), hypermedia design (Lim et al, 2003), and hypertext authoring (Gordon, 2005)-all ultimately refer to the creation and posting of Web pages.…”

“…(Ariga & Watanabe, 2008, p. 815) It has become imperative at the college level to have a course taught in the area of HTML, HyperText Markup Language and web-design. (Mull, 2001, p. 1) Statements like these permeate Web design literature, likely as a way to transition the topic beyond a 'software training' stigma (Walker, 2002) and to encourage use of Web design as a student-centered learning activity (Hofstetter, 2006;Lim et al, 2003;Mackey & Ho, 2005;Niess et al, 2008). Technology-centric fields such as instructional technology or engineering sometimes go so far as to advocate entire programs of study or even a new academic field to address Web design (Hadjerrouit, 2005;Krunić et al, 2006;Victor, 2002;Wang & McKim, 2013;Whitehead, 2002).…”