scholarly journals (Mis)informed about what? What it means to be a science-literate citizen in a digital world

2021 ◽  
Vol 118 (15) ◽  
pp. e1912436117 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily L. Howell ◽  
Dominique Brossard

Science literacy is often held up as crucial for avoiding science-related misinformation and enabling more informed individual and collective decision-making. But research has not yet examined whether science literacy actually enables this, nor what skills it would need to encompass to do so. In this report, we address three questions to outline what it should mean to be science literate in today’s world: 1) How should we conceptualize science literacy? 2) How can we achieve this science literacy? and 3) What can we expect science literacy’s most important outcomes to be? If science literacy is to truly enable people to become and stay informed (and avoid being misinformed) on complex science issues, it requires skills that span the “lifecycle” of science information. This includes how the scientific community produces science information, how media repackage and share the information, and how individuals encounter and form opinions on this information. Science literacy, then, is best conceptualized as encompassing three dimensions of literacy spanning the lifecycle: Civic science literacy, digital media science literacy, and cognitive science literacy. Achieving such science literacy, particularly for adults, poses many challenges and will likely require a structural perspective. Digital divides, in particular, are a major structural barrier, and community literacy and building science literacy into media and science communication are promising opportunities. We end with a discussion of what some of the beneficial outcomes could be—and, as importantly, will likely not be—of science literacy that furthers informed and critical engagement with science in democratic society.

Author(s):  
Yavuz Kömeçoğlu ◽  
Zumrut Muftuoglu ◽  
Can Umay ◽  
Aysin Tasdelen ◽  
Sebnem Ozdemir

A digital literate person is identified as competent person in the three dimensions of digital technologies, defined as technical, cognitive, and socio-emotional. In particular, under the technical dimension, the person is able to use the tools of the digital world in a competent way. Considering this definition given in technical dimension, it is seen that the individual being a good digital literate is also related to the tools of the digital world. However, no matter how good a digital literate can be, she/he is suffocated in the information if there is no tool to help in accessing information in a certain area, because of the size of digital world. The purpose of this study is to strengthen the technical dimension of digital literacy by developing a tool for reaching the correct visuals by using deep learning techniques. In order to fulfill that purpose, transferring cultural heritage to the next generation by avoiding disturbing visuals, was focused.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yan Hong ◽  
Jingjing Fu ◽  
Dehui Kong ◽  
Siqi Liu ◽  
Zhu Zhong ◽  
...  

Abstract Background With the development of digital media, online activities are increasingly becoming part of the daily life of older adults. Widowed older adults generally would face changes in social interactions and activities due to widowhood; thus, the importance of online participation may be more prominent in this population. However, a detailed evidence on the experiences of online social participation among widowed older adults is relatively sparse. This study aimed to explore widowed older adults’ perceptions regarding online social participation in southwestern China. Methods This study adopted a qualitative approach. Semi-structured, in-depth individual interviews were conducted with 19 widowed older adults between September–December 2020. Thematic analysis was applied to analyse the data. Results Two major themes, “benefits” and “barriers” were identified from the original data analysis. Subcategories concerning the theme “benefits” were “benefit perception (convenience, flexible time, supplementation)”, “health promotion”, “emotional comfort”, and “social connection”. Subcategories of “barriers” were “worries: personal economic loss”, “concerns: security of digital device”, “troubles: the diversity of online social participation”, and “difficulties: using digital media”. Conclusions Social participation of widowed older adults in southwestern China has begun to be integrated into the digital world; however, it remains at an early stage with the simple purpose of engagement. The older adults may face many challenges for online social participation. Although there are barriers and challenges in online social participation, widowed older adults can reap its benefits, which can be used as an important measure to facilitate a fulfilling life and successful ageing. There is no doubt that online social participation will become a trend within the foreseeable future. Family, friends and health care professionals should pay more attention to the needs of online social participation in widowed older adults and provide adequate support for them to achieve a meaningful life.


2009 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
O.B. Onyancha ◽  
D.N. Ocholla

This study took cognisance of the fact that the term 'knowledge management' lacks a universally accepted definition, and consequently sought to describe the term using the most common co-occurring terms in knowledge management (KM) literature as indexed in the Library, Information Science and Technology Abstracts (LISTA) database. Using a variety of approaches and analytic techniques (e.g. core/periphery analysis and co-occurrence of words as subject terms), data were analysed using the core/periphery model and social networks through UCINET for Windows, TI, textSTAT and Bibexcel computer-aided software. The study identified the following as the compound terms with which KM co-occurs most frequently: information resources management, information science, information technology, information services, information retrieval, library science, management information systems and libraries. The core single subject terms with which KM can be defined include resources, technology, libraries, systems, services, retrieval, storage, data and computers. The article concludes by offering the library and information science (LIS) professionals' general perception of KM based on their use of terms, through which KM can be defined within the context of LIS.


2017 ◽  
Vol 118 (9/10) ◽  
pp. 456-470 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan D. Machin-Mastromatteo

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to construct the basis for a research agenda that integrates participatory methodologies (PMs) into literacies (L) research and practice as a valuable methodological basis. Design/methodology/approach The pros and cons of using PM on L research and practice are explained, as well as its possibilities, characteristics and the contributions of a research agenda under such integration (PM-L agenda). This analysis draws from the pertinent literature, Scopus publication data, the author’s own practice as an information literacy (IL) researcher and a questionnaire used to gather further insights from the research community in this matter. Findings A further understanding of the contributions that a PM-L research agenda can bring to the library and information science field is achieved. The pros, cons, hesitations and eagerness that researchers might have toward the idea of using such integration are valuable for determining if this really is a perfect but not an explicit fit. Research limitations/implications Although the questionnaire was promoted in a large international conference during a four-year period (2013-2017), it was answered by 34 participants; only 16 participants had previous experiences with the PM-L integration, and only an average of 8 participants provided significant answers to our open-ended questions. Thus, the amount of data available to analyze was limited. Certainly, using Scopus data provides a large but incomplete picture of the specialized literature that is peer reviewed and indexed, because it excludes publications not indexed that may be pertinent. Originality/value The PM-L integration is deemed as highly adequate, as PMs seek to improve participants’ conditions, situations and realities through reflection and engagement, while L-related activities and research (including information, digital, media literacy or new literacies) are conducted to improve people’s use and understanding of the media for which they are developing literacy. This contributes to their betterment as critical-thinkers, persons, citizens and learners. However, many researchers and especially practitioners do not formally use PM to conduct L activities, at least in many cases, this is not made explicitly. In the case of practitioners, some have conducted such activities empirically, without an appropriate methodological foundation. Hence, to establish PM as the methodologies of choice may help researchers and practitioners have a stronger methodological basis to conduct their work.


2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 266-304
Author(s):  
Mohamad Sobirin

In Ramadan, kiai in various pondok pesantren (Indonesian Islamic Boarding Schools) conduct lecturing activities known as "Ngaji Pasanan". This tradition has been going on for a long time ago till today. However, since 2017 up to now, it has been seen to be held by taking advantage of digital information technology through live streaming via Facebook, YouTube or other media platforms. In 2020, online “Ngaji Pasanan” has become a trend nationwide. This study aims to reveal the context of the online “Ngaji Pasanan phenomenon, which is carried out by the ulama' in pondok pesantren, by taking two samples, namely K.H. Mustofa Bisri and K.H. Said Aqil Siradj. Data collection and analysis used a netnographic approach. This study found that: First, Ngaji Pasanan of the two traditional Ulama' who used digital media were actually conducted offline, but were mediated by the internet and broadcast online. Second, through the online “Ngaji Pasanan”, the two traditional Ulama' not only convey the teachings in the kitab kuning but also contextualize them into socio-religious issues within the digital world, beside they also produce religious discourses and actual nationalities that are being debated by the public, whether in the online or offline context. Third, the presence of traditional Ulama' in the digital space, on the other hand, has been used by netizens to support their opinions by framing their positions on controversial religious and political issues. Fourth, the presence of traditional ulama' in the digital space is more driven by their insistence on addressing the flow of religious and national discourse in the digital space compared to their affirmation of the use of digital technology to carry out the academic tradition of pondok pesantren in Ramadan, namely "Ngaji Pasanan".


2009 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Cesar Augusto Cusin ◽  
Silvana Aparecida Borsetti Gregorio Vidotti

Resumo A natureza atual da web, que destaca a participação colaborativa dos usuários em diversos ambientes informacionais digitais, conduz ao desenvolvimento de diretrizes que enfocam a arquitetura da informação digital inclusiva para diferentes públicos nas mais diversas ambiências informacionais. A pesquisa propõe e objetiva um ambiente informacional digital inclusivo, visando apontar os elementos de acessibilidade que permitam a promoção da inclusão informacional digital, de forma a destacar os referenciais da Arquitetura da Informação Digital, de recomendações internacionais, com o olhar da Ciência da Informação e das novas tecnologias de informação e comunicação (TIC).Palavras-chave inclusão digital; web; acessibilidade; ciência da informação; arquitetura da informação.Abstract The current nature of the web, which highlights the collaborative participation of users in various digital informational environments, leads to the development of guidelines that focus on the digital inclusive information architecture for different audiences in diverse informational environments. The study proposes an inclusive digital information environment, aiming to establish the elements of accessibility that  enable the promotion of digital inclusion information in order to highlight the references of digital information architecture, the international recommendations, with the perspective of Information Science and the new information and communication technologies (ICT).Keywords digital inclusion; web; accessibility; information science; information architecture.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clara Boothby ◽  
Dakota Murray ◽  
Anna Polovick Waggy ◽  
Andrew Tsou ◽  
Cassidy R. Sugimoto

Responding to calls to take a more active role in communicating their research findings, scientists are increasingly using open online platforms, such as Twitter, to engage in science communication or to publicize their work. Given the ease at which misinformation spreads on these platforms it is important for scientists to present their findings in a manner that appears credible. To examine the extent to which the online presentation of science information relates to its perceived credibility, we designed and conducted two surveys on Amazon’s Mechanical Turk. In the first survey, participants rated the credibility of science information on Twitter compared with the same information other platforms, and in the second, participants rated the credibility of tweets with modified characteristics: presence of an image, text sentiment, and the number of likes/retweets. We find that similar information about scientific findings is perceived as less credible when presented on Twitter compared to other platforms, and that perceived credibility increases when presented with recognizable features of a scientific article. On a platform as widely distrusted as Twitter, use of these features may allow researchers who regularly use Twitter for research-related networking and communication to present their findings in the most credible formats.


2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (03) ◽  
pp. A06
Author(s):  
Arko Olesk ◽  
Berit Renser ◽  
Laura Bell ◽  
Alessandra Fornetti ◽  
Suzanne Franks ◽  
...  

Although the need to improve quality of science communication is often mentioned in public discussions, the science communication literature offers few conceptualizations of quality. We used a concept mapping approach, involving representatives of various science communication stakeholder groups working collaboratively, to propose a framework of quality. The framework organizes individual elements of quality into twelve indicators arranged into three dimensions: trustworthiness and scientific rigour, presentation and style, and connection with society. The framework supports science communicators in reflecting on their current practices and designing new activities, potentially improving communication effectiveness.


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