Information Literacy and Digital Divide: The Case of the University of Botswana Students Studying Part-Time

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the literature published on information literacy (IL) from 2005 to 2014 and reveal the key aspects of IL publication trends. Design/methodology/approach The study analyses the literature indexed in Web of Science database on IL from 2005 to 2014 and used the required bibliometric measures to analyse specific aspects of publishing trends. Findings The findings of the study reveal that increase in literature on IL from 2005 to 2014 was noticed. A high amount of annual growth of literature on IL is observed for the year of 2007, 2008 and 2011. “Pinto, M” and the “University of Granada, Spain” was productive author and institute. Journal of Academic Librarianship was the most productive journal, with 97 articles being published for the period. USA was the most contributing country. “Digital divide”, “media literacy”, “pedagogy”, “higher education” and “critical thinking” were current research topics in the IL domain. Originality/value The paper is very useful for researchers to learn about trends in the literature on IL, as well as possible areas for further research, and it provides the names of the most productive authors, organizations and countries, along with the most popular IL keywords.

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An Evaluation of Information Literacy Competencies Amongst Library and Information Science Students at the University of Botswana

Journal of Interlibrary Loan Document Delivery & Electronic Reserve ◽

10.1300/j474v15n03_08 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 15 (3) ◽

pp. 77-93 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Stephen M. Mutula ◽

Justus Wamukoya ◽

Saul F. Zulu

Keyword(s):

Information Literacy ◽

Information Science ◽

Library And Information Science ◽

Science Students ◽

University Of Botswana ◽

The University ◽

Information Literacy Competencies

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Towards an activist research: Is Wikipedia the problem or the solution?

Art Libraries Journal ◽

10.1017/alj.2020.24 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 45 (4) ◽

pp. 155-161

Author(s):

Alexandra Duncan

Keyword(s):

Open Access ◽

Digital Divide ◽

Information Literacy ◽

The Internet ◽

Critical Information ◽

The Arts ◽

Starting Point ◽

Global Digital Divide ◽

Colonial Legacies ◽

The University

ABSTRACTIs the internet a tool for democracy or the manifestation of the global digital divide? Using the colonization of the internet as a starting point, this article outlines some current issues with knowledge equity, asking if democratic open access products like Wikipedia are the solution or another manifestation of the systemic bias of society. Whilst acknowledging librarianship has its own colonial legacies to address, the suggestion is made that critical librarianship can provide a response in the form of library–based edit-a-thons and Wikipedia workshops. These show how the power of Wikipedia can be used responsibly not just for enabling critical information literacy, but as an instrument for activism. In considering librarian interventions done so far at the University of the Arts, London, the article outlines future practical possibilities for decolonization, as well as looking more widely at how to democratize information in open access products and the Western publishing that sits behind them.

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Information literacy and law students at the University of Botswana

Innovation ◽

10.4314/innovation.v41i1.63629 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 41 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

B Toteng ◽

R Hoskins ◽

F Bell

Keyword(s):

Information Literacy ◽

Law Students ◽

University Of Botswana ◽

The University

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The Concept of Nontraditional Student

Vocational Training Research And Realities ◽

10.2478/vtrr-2017-0004 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 28 (1) ◽

pp. 40-60

Author(s):

Treinienė Daiva

Keyword(s):

Nontraditional Students ◽

Social Roles ◽

Nontraditional Student ◽

Full Time ◽

Older Students ◽

Learning Differences ◽

Status Characteristics ◽

Part Time ◽

Definition Of ◽

The University

Abstract Nontraditional student is understood as one of the older students enrolled in formal or informal studies. In the literature, there is no detailed generalisation of nontraditional student. This article aims to reveal the concept of this particular group of students. Analysing the definition of nontraditional students, researchers identify the main criteria that allow to provide a more comprehensive concept of the nontraditional student. The main one is the age of these atypical students coming to study at the university, their selected form of studies, adult social roles status characteristics, such as family, parenting and financial independence as well as the nature of work. The described features of the nontraditional student demonstrate how the unconventional nontraditional student is different from the traditional one, which features are characteristic for them and how they reflect the nontraditional student’s maturity and experience in comparison with younger, traditional students. Key features - independence, internal motivation, experience, responsibility, determination. They allow nontraditional students to pursue their life goals, learn and move towards their set goals. University student identity is determined on the basis of the three positions: on the age suitability by social norms, the learning outcomes incorporated with age, on the creation of student’s ideal image. There are four students’ biographical profiles distinguished: wandering type, seeking a degree, intergrative and emancipatory type. They allow to see the biographical origin of nontraditional students, their social status as well as educational features. Biographical profiles presented allow to comprise the nontraditional student’s portrait of different countries. Traditional and nontraditional students’ learning differences are revealed by analysing their need for knowledge, independence, experience, skill to learn, orientation and motivation aspects. To sum up, the analysis of the scientific literature can formulate the concept of the nontraditional student. Nontraditional student refers to the category of 20-65 years of age who enrolls into higher education studies in a nontraditional way, is financially independent, with several social roles of life, studying full-time or part-time, and working full-time or part-time, or not working at all.

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ROLE OF LIBRARIANS IN TEACHING INFORMATION LITERACY IN ZIMBABWEAN AND SOUTH AFRICAN UNIVERSITIES: A COMPARATIVE STUDY

Mousaion ◽

10.25159/0027-2639/842 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 33 (1) ◽

pp. 23-42 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Tinashe Mugwisi

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

South African ◽

Information Literacy ◽

Ethical Issues ◽

University Libraries ◽

Information And Communications Technologies ◽

Communications Technologies ◽

Information Skills ◽

The University

Information and communications technologies (ICTs) and the Internet have to a large extent influenced the way information is made available, published and accessed. More information is being produced too frequently and information users now require certain skills to sift through this multitude in order to identify what is appropriate for their purposes. Computer and information skills have become a necessity for all academic programmes. As libraries subscribe to databases and other peer-reviewed content (print and electronic), it is important that users are also made aware of such sources and their importance. The purpose of this study was to examine the teaching of information literacy (IL) in universities in Zimbabwe and South Africa, and the role played by librarians in creating information literate graduates. This was done by examining whether such IL programmes were prioritised, their content and how frequently they were reviewed. An electronic questionnaire was distributed to 12 university libraries in Zimbabwe and 21 in South Africa. A total of 25 questionnaires were returned. The findings revealed that IL was being taught in universities library and non-library staff, was compulsory and contributed to the term mark in some institutions. The study also revealed that 44 per cent of the total respondents indicated that the libraries were collaborating with departments and faculty in implementing IL programmes in universities. The study recommends that IL should be an integral part of the university programmes in order to promote the use of databases and to guide students on ethical issues of information use.

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Integration of Digital Preservation Knowledge, Skills and Competencies in the Teaching Curricula of Library and Information Studies at the University of Botswana

Mousaion ◽

10.25159/2663-659x/6436 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 37 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Thatayaone Segaetsho ◽

Julie Moloi

Keyword(s):

Digital Preservation ◽

Records Management ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

University Of Botswana ◽

Current Trends ◽

Teaching Content ◽

Library And Information Studies ◽

Information Studies ◽

The University

In the past few decades, digital technology has found a place in the acquisition, arrangement, description, preservation, and dissemination of information. However, heritage institutions are perturbed by the challenges of digital preservation strategies particularly for education. Despite continuous investment in digital preservation, there are limited skilled professionals to equip learners with the knowledge, skills and competencies required to drive digital preservation in Botswana. Therefore, this paper investigated the knowledge, skills and competencies related to digital preservation in the teaching curricula of the Department of Library and Information Studies (DLIS) at the University of Botswana. Data collection was done through intensive structured interviews with specific educators who teach courses on digital preservation in the archives and records management stream. The study revealed that despite the fact that the educators in preservation courses are aware of current trends in digital preservation, most of them have not obtained formal degree certification specific to digital preservation. The findings further revealed that minimal digital preservation competencies are observed in the teaching curricula. A significant number of challenges observed illustrated mainly a lack of resources and limited skills in terms of practical demonstrations by educators. The curricula mostly lacked clarity on long-term and short-term digital preservation. The study recommends that DLIS and other institutions should conduct surveys or curriculum auditing on digital preservation in order to improve the teaching content. A significant number of shortcomings regarding digital preservation that could motivate further studies are also discussed under the conclusion and recommendations section of this study.

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Ciência da Informação e Humanidades Digitais

10.31219/osf.io/mz794 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

FRANCISCO CARLOS PALETTA

Keyword(s):

Labor Market ◽

Information Literacy ◽

Digital Library ◽

Exploratory Study ◽

Digital Humanities ◽

Information Science ◽

Digital Age ◽

Web Of Data ◽

The University ◽

The Web

This work aims to presents partial results on the research project conducted at the Observatory of the Labor Market in Information and Documentation, School of Communications and Arts of the University of São Paulo on Information Science and Digital Humanities. Discusses Digital Humanities and informational literacy. Highlights the evolution of the Web, the digital library and its connections with Digital Humanities. Reflects on the challenges of the Digital Humanities transdisciplinarity and its connections with the Information Science. This is an exploratory study, mainly due to the current and emergence of the theme and the incipient bibliography existing both in Brazil and abroad.Keywords: Digital Humanities; Information Science; Transcisciplinrity; Information Literacy; Web of Data; Digital Age.

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