"The simple concept of studying information as a separate subject matter turned into the information literacy movement of today" (Badke, 2010).
Origins of Information Literacy
Originally coined in 1974 by Paul Zurkowski, he described information literacy by comparing information with knowledge. "Information is not knowledge. It is concepts or ideas that enter a person's field of perception, are evaluated and assimilated reinforcing or changing the individual's concept of reality and/ or ability to act. As beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so information is in the mind of the user.” (Badke, 2010, p.48). Information literacy was embraced by the American Library Association in 1989 with their presidential committee report.
Traditional vs. Modern Literacy
According to Encyclopedia Britannica, traditional literacy is the capacity to communicate using inscribed, printed, or electronic signs or symbols for representing language. Literacy is customarily contrasted with orality (oral tradition), which encompasses a broad set of strategies for communicating through oral and aural media. In real world situations, however, literate and oral modes of communication coexist and interact, not only within the same culture but also within the very same individual (Foley, 2023). According to UNESCO, the modern definition of literacy is "a means of identification, understanding, interpretation, creation, and communication in an increasingly digital, text-mediated, information-rich and fast-changing world” (UNESCO, 2023).
References
Badke, W. (2010). Foundations of information literacy: Learning from Paul Zurkowski. Online, 34(1), 48-50.
Foley, J.M. (2023, October 27). Literacy. Encyclopedia Britannica Online. https://www.britannica.com/topic/literacy
What you need to know about literacy (2023, June 23). UNESCO. https://www.unesco.org/en/literacy/need-know
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