Moving beyond the descriptive

2019 ◽  
Vol 76 (1) ◽  
pp. 126-144 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alison Hicks
Keyword(s):  
Grounded Theory ◽  
Information Literacy ◽  
Literacy Practices ◽  
Language Learner ◽  
Theoretical Development ◽  
Photo Elicitation ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Research And Practice ◽  
Literacy Research

Purpose Information literacy has been consistently undertheorised. The purpose of this paper is to contribute in the ongoing theorisation of information literacy by exploring the meaning and implications of the emergent grounded theory of mitigating risk for information literacy research and practice. Design/methodology/approach The grounded theory was produced through a qualitative study that was framed by practice theory and the theoretical constructs of cognitive authority and affordance, and employed constructivist grounded theory, semi-structured interviews and photo-elicitation methods to explore the information literacy practices of language-learners overseas. Findings This paper provides a theoretically rich exploration of language-learner information literacy practices while further identifying the importance of time, affect and information creation within information literacy research and practice as well as the need for the continued theorisation of information literacy concepts. Research limitations/implications The paper’s constructivist grounded theorisation of information literacy remains localised and contextualised rather than generalisable. Practical implications The paper raises questions and points of reflection that may be used to inform the continued development of information literacy instruction and teaching practices. Originality/value This paper contributes to an increasingly sophisticated theoretical conceptualisation of information literacy as well as forming a basis for ongoing theoretical development in the field.

scholarly journals Mitigating risk: mediating transition through the enactment of information literacy practices

2019 ◽  
Vol 75 (5) ◽  
pp. 1190-1210 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alison Hicks
Keyword(s):  
Grounded Theory ◽  
Information Literacy ◽  
Literacy Practices ◽  
Language Learner ◽  
Photo Elicitation ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Learner Engagement ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Usa ◽  
The Uk

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to present the emergent grounded theory of mitigating risk, which was produced through an analysis of the information literacy practices of English-speakers who are learning a language overseas as part of their undergraduate degree.Design/methodology/approachThe grounded theory emerges from a qualitative study that was framed by practice theory and transitions theory, and employed constructivist grounded theory, semi-structured interviews and photo-elicitation methods to explore the information activities of 26 language-learners from Australia, Canada, the UK and the USA.FindingsThe grounded theory of mitigating risk illustrates how academic, financial and physical risks that are produced through language-learner engagement overseas catalyse the enactment of information literacy practices that enable students to mediate their transition overseas.Research limitations/implicationsThis study’s theory-building is localised and contextual rather than generalisable.Practical implicationsThe grounded theory broadens librarians’ and language-educators’ knowledge of student activities during immersive educational experiences as well as extending understanding about the shape that information literacy takes within transition to a new intercultural context.Social implicationsThe grounded theory develops understanding about the role that local communities play within intercultural transition and how these groups can respond to and prepare for increasingly fluid patterns of global movement.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to an increasingly sophisticated theoretical conceptualisation of information literacy while further providing a detailed exploration of transition from an information perspective.

scholarly journals Negotiating change: Transition as a central concept for information literacy

2020 ◽  
pp. 016555152094915
Author(s):  
Alison Hicks
Keyword(s):  
Grounded Theory ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Information Literacy ◽  
Literacy Practices ◽  
Detailed Examination ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Central Concept ◽  
Research And Practice ◽  
Doctoral Research ◽  
Literacy Research

Transition forms a dynamic concept that has been underexplored within information literacy research and practice. This article uses the grounded theory of mitigating risk, which was produced through doctoral research into the information literacy practices of language-learners, as a lens for a more detailed examination of transition and its role within information literacy. This framing demonstrates that information literacy mediates transition through supporting preparation, connection, situatedness and confidence within a new setting and facilitating a shift in identity. This article concludes by discussing the important role that time and temporality, resistance and reflexivity play within transition as well as outlining implications for information literacy instruction and future research into time, affect and materiality.

scholarly journals The role of libraries in teaching doctoral students to become information-literate researchers

2019 ◽  
Vol 120 (3/4) ◽  
pp. 158-172 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sharon Ince ◽  
Christopher Hoadley ◽  
Paul A. Kirschner
Keyword(s):  
Graduate Students ◽  
Doctoral Students ◽  
Information Literacy ◽  
Digital Literacy ◽  
Literacy Practices ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Literacy Skills ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Skill Sets ◽  
Types Of Information

PurposeThis paper aims to review current literature pertaining to information literacy and digital literacy skills and practices within the research workflow for doctoral students and makes recommendations for how libraries (and others) can foster skill-sets for graduate student research workflows for the twenty-first century scholarly researcher.Design/methodology/approachA review of existing information literacy practices for doctoral students was conducted, and four key areas of knowledge were identified and discussed.FindingsThe findings validate the need for graduate students to have training in information literacy, information management, knowledge management and scholarly communication. It recommends empirical studies to be conducted to inform future practices for doctoral students.Practical implicationsThis paper offers four areas of training to be considered by librarians and faculty advisers to better prepare scholars for their future.Originality/valueThis paper presents a distinctive synthesis of the types of information literacy and digital literacy skills needed by graduate students.

Use of 4.0 (I4.0) technology in HRM: a pathway toward SHRM 4.0 and HR performance

foresight ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rajasshrie Pillai ◽  
Shilpi Yadav ◽  
Brijesh Sivathanu ◽  
Neeraj Kaushik ◽  
Pooja Goel
Keyword(s):  
Grounded Theory ◽  
Industry 4.0 ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Extensive Literature ◽  
Theory Approach ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Hr Managers ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Grounded Theory Approach

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the use of Industry 4.0 (I4.0) technology and its barriers in human resourcemanagement (HRM) for Smart HR 4.0 and its impact on HR performance. Design/methodology/approach The research has been conducted using the grounded theory approach. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 122 senior HR officers of national and multi-national companies in India after the extensive literature review. NVivo 8.0 software was used for the analysis of the interview data. Findings I4.0 technology is used for HRM functions by HR professionals. It is revealed that Smart HR 4.0 that emerged from the I4.0 technology has leveraged the HR performance. It is also found that usage barriers, traditional barriers and risk barriers affect the use of I4.0 technology in HRM. Originality/value A model is developed using the grounded theory approach for HR managers to understand the impact of I4.0 on HRM. This study reveals the barriers affecting the use of I4.0 technology in HRM. It also provides the model for HR performance that emerged through the use of I4.0 technology in HR and Smart HR 4.0. The research delivered key insights for the HR professionals, marketers of HR technology and technology developers.

What Matter Matters? Retaining the Critical in New Materialist Literacy Research

2019 ◽  
Vol 51 (4) ◽  
pp. 444-479 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca Beucher ◽  
Lara Handsfield ◽  
Carolyn Hunt
Keyword(s):  
Black Male ◽  
Literacy Practices ◽  
Race And Racism ◽  
Research And Practice ◽  
Ethical Concerns ◽  
New Materialisms ◽  
Action Analysis ◽  
Male High School ◽  
Literacy Research ◽  
Class Assignment

The field of literacy research has seen a recent surge in scholarship focusing on how matter—both human and nonhuman—comes to matter in literacy research and practice. This article explores how new materialist theories may be recruited for literacy research motivated by an anti-racist ethic. We present an illustrative intra-action analysis of a short autobiographical video produced by Malcolm, a Black male high school student, for a digital autobiography class assignment. Our analysis, informed by both new materialist and poststructuralist theories and emphasizing both discourse and materiality, produces varied interpretations of Malcolm and his literacy practices. Based on our multitheoretic analysis, we raise ethical concerns regarding analyses of racialized students’ literacy practices that emphasize materiality and affect without also retaining a critical eye toward powerful discourses of race and racism. We end with implications and recommendations for others engaging new materialisms in literacy research.

A practice-based exploration of the enactment of information literacy among PhD students in an interdisciplinary research field

2016 ◽  
Vol 72 (3) ◽  
pp. 414-434 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ola Pilerot
Keyword(s):  
Doctoral Students ◽  
Information Literacy ◽  
Interdisciplinary Research ◽  
Research Field ◽  
Research Network ◽  
Material Objects ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Crucial Part ◽  
Interdisciplinary Network

Purpose – The study aims to explore the interaction between the students, the material objects surrounding them, and their social site. The purpose of this paper is to identify and elucidate information literacy as it is being enacted within a complex and heterogeneous community of PhD students. Design/methodology/approach – The study is conducted from a practice-based perspective, according to which information literacy is conceived as learnt through interaction within the socio-material practice where the learner is active. In order to produce empirical material, semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten doctoral students in an interdisciplinary research network, and their workplaces were visited. Findings – The PhD students in this interdisciplinary network are more or less constantly engaged in the enactment of information literacy. It takes place in dialogue with others who can be both co-located and distantly located, and occurs through discussions about work in progress, through processes of evaluation and assessment of texts and authors, and through mundane everyday activities such as participating in meetings, which offer insights into how to navigate, in the broadest sense, the world of academia. A crucial part of the enactment of information literacy, which in practice is inseparable from interaction with others, is to pay attention to physical surroundings and material objects. Practical implications – The findings have implications for prospective PhD students in interdisciplinary fields, for their supervisors, and potentially also for librarians who are supposed to serve these groups. Originality/value – Research on the information literacies of PhD students in interdisciplinary fields is scarce. The practice-based approach applied in this study offers an extended and deepened understanding of the enactment of information literacy among PhD students in one interdisciplinary research practice.

scholarly journals Mining writing center data for information literacy practices

2017 ◽  
Vol 45 (1) ◽  
pp. 100-116 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie J. Graves ◽  
Kathy Christie Anders ◽  
Valerie M. Balester
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Information Literacy ◽  
Writing Center ◽  
Literacy Practices ◽  
Writing Centers ◽  
Literacy Intervention ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Research Libraries ◽  
Institutional Boundaries

Purpose The study aims to explore collaborations between writing centers and libraries which create opportunities for providing information literacy intervention for students doing researched writing. This case study gathered data from writing center logs to uncover if and how information literacy activity was occurring during consultations. Design/methodology/approach A representative sample of writing center logs recorded between September of 2013 and May 2014 was mined for frequencies of library and information literacy terms. Transaction logs were coded and analyzed according to the frames in the Association of College and Research Libraries Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education. Findings Information literacy is discussed in only 13 per cent of consultations. Referrals to librarians accounted for less than 1 per cent of all transactions. Students most commonly asked for assistance in formatting citations, but deeper information literacy conversations did occur that provide opportunities for engagement with the Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education. Research limitations/implications Transactions were examined from one university. Although findings cannot be generalized, the results were applicable to local services, and this study provides a model useful for libraries and writing centers. Practical implications This study provides ample direction for future collaborations that will take advantage of the intersections of information literacy and writing instruction to improve student research skills. Originality/value Although much has been written about partnerships between libraries and writing centers, this study uniquely demonstrates a model for data sharing across institutional boundaries and how one library mined existing data from a writing center.

scholarly journals Circular economy: laying the foundations for conceptual and theoretical development in management studies

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Roberta De Angelis
Keyword(s):  
Circular Economy ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Business Model Innovation ◽  
Theoretical Development ◽  
Management Research ◽  
Sustainability Management ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Research And Practice ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Scholarly Attention

PurposeThis article develops conceptual and paradigmatic clarity in the circular economy literature from a management studies perspective.Design/methodology/approachThis article uses a systematic literature review for analysing how circular economy is currently understood. It also reflects on how to establish paradigmatic anchoring of the circular economy in the management field.FindingsMultiple definitions of the circular economy exist, but they depict the circular economy narrowly and fail to incorporate aspects of competitiveness and profitability. Additionally, most of sustainability management research displays shortcomings in the way this literature frames the organisation–nature relationship.Research limitations/implicationsThis article aims to support conceptual and theoretical development in the circular economy literature and highlights opportunities for enhanced competitiveness and profitability deriving from circular business model innovation. However, further research is welcomed to assess this connection.Practical implicationsThe conceptualisation of the circular economy proposed in this study emphasises aspects of competitiveness and profitability, which is of relevance to management practitioners.Originality/valueThis study addresses current shortcomings in how the circular economy is conceptualised. As a result, it proposes a more comprehensive conceptualisation which also includes competitiveness and profitability aspects and, thereby, is relevant from a management studies perspective. It also provides paradigmatic anchoring to the circular economy concept by suggesting that the sustaincentric paradigm, which has received limited scholarly attention so far, is suitable to inform circular economy research and practice.

Saturation, acceleration and information pathologies: the conditions that influence the emergence of information literacy safeguarding practice in COVID-19-environments

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Annemaree Lloyd ◽  
Alison Hicks
Keyword(s):  
Information Literacy ◽  
Literacy Practices ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
Literacy Practice ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Qualitative Research Design ◽  
Standard Information ◽  
The Uk

PurposeThe purpose of this second study into information literacy practice during the COVID-19 pandemic is to identify the conditions that influence the emergence of information literacy as a safeguarding practice.Design/methodology/approachThe qualitative research design comprised one to one in-depth interviews conducted virtually during the UK's second and third lockdown phase between November 2020 and February 2021. Data were coded and analysed by the researchers using constant comparative techniques.FindingsContinual exposure to information creates the “noisy” conditions that lead to saturation and the potential for “information pathologies” to act as a form of resistance. Participants alter their information practices by actively avoiding and resisting formal and informal sources of information. These reactive activities have implications for standard information literacy empowerment discourses.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper is limited to the UK context.Practical implicationsFindings will be useful for librarians and researchers who are interested in the theorisation of information literacy as well as public health and information professionals tasked with designing long-term health promotion strategies.Social implicationsThis paper contributes to our understandings of the role that information literacy practices play within ongoing and long-term crises.Originality/valueThis paper develops research into the role of information literacy practice in times of crises and extends understanding related to the concept of empowerment, which forms a central idea within information literacy discourse.

An interlocking and interdependent ecology

2018 ◽  
Vol 46 (2) ◽  
pp. 294-302
Author(s):  
Rebecca Zuege Kuglitsch
Keyword(s):  
Information Literacy ◽  
Scientific Literacy ◽  
Science Literacy ◽  
Literacy Practices ◽  
Critical Approach ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Critical Approaches ◽  
Meaningful Engagement ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Critical Science

Purpose This study aims to explore the potential areas of overlap and reinforcement between critical science literacy and information literacy. As an awareness of the limitations of traditional definitions of scientific literacy and traditional science instruction has grown, there is an opportunity to apply a critical lens to science and IL. Design/methodology/approach The paper examines the literature of critical scientific literacy and connects it to information literacy practices. Findings There is considerable room for librarians to foster and support critical scientific literacy in parallel with information literacy. Both literacies align significantly. Practical implications IL for students in the sciences can and should take a more critical approach to instruction to support scientific literacy as well as ILI. Originality/value Traditional science literacy has had relatively limited impact perhaps, but critical science literacy offers a way to construct science literacy as a meaningful engagement; combining it with critical approaches to information literacy offers the opportunity to reinforce both skills.

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