The nature of information: Information theory
The nature of information is increasingly complex and is dictated by the relationship between the purpose, practices and social context in which it is used (Cornelius, I. 2004). Academic research has considered information as being objective, subjective or sense making in nature, or similarly made within environmental, internal or social constructs (Case, D. 2006). There is some overlap in use of the terms information, data and knowledge, however these can be partially differentiated by considering that “information is acquired by being told, whereas knowledge can be acquired by thinking” (Machlap. 1982 in Case, D. 2006). For my own purposes, I have defined information as: the communication of a process or message that stimulates a change or development in a person’s thinking.
Information Society
An information society is one in which the creation, distribution and use of information is of substantial economic significance (Fitzgerald, L. 2017). In a paper for UNESCO, Nick Moore (n.d) suggests that information societies can be categorised in three main ways. Firstly, that information is used as a stimulative economic resource to increase efficiency, innovation and competition. Secondly that there is greater use of information by the general public in both consumer and civil capacities. Lastly, information societies can be categorized through the existence of a dedicated information sector exists to support infrastructure, distribution and use. Webster (2014) goes further and suggests that an information society can be defined by the integration of information communication technologies into the technological, economic, occupational, special and cultural dimensions of the society.
The importance of an understanding of the broad information landscape
As information and educational professionals; whose role it is to act as a conduit between information and the public (Fitzgerald, L. 2017) it is important that Teacher Librarians have an understanding of the broad information landscape. Of particular importance are the implications of developing technologies and how and why people use them. For instance, depending on their purpose or accessibility needs, people may have preferences for print or digital resources.
The impact of the information landscape on the role of Teacher Librarians
As Floridi predicted in 2017, the vast and rapid changes to the information landscape have created “profound transformations and challenging problems (Floridi, L. 2007)” for information users. A reduced amount of what Floridi calls “friction” means that users have increased access to huge amounts of information and greater responsibilities to use it to shape their society (2007).
"Responding to the challenges of the twenty-first century – with its complex environmental, social and economic pressures – requires young people to be creative, innovative, enterprising and adaptable, with the motivation, confidence and skills to use critical and creative thinking purposefully (Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. n.d)."
Not only is there a seemingly infinite amount of information, but the forms it takes and delivery modes available are also varied, from print and ebooks to websites, wikis and blogs. Whilst this has tangible benefits for accessibility; particularly for those in remote areas or with a disability, it also poses particular challenges to school-aged children.
"To participate in a knowledge-based economy and to be empowered within a technologically sophisticated society now and into the future, students need the knowledge, skills and confidence to make ICT work for them at school, at home, at work and in their communities (Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. n.d)."
Therefore there is an essential need for Teacher Librarians; information and education experts, to support students and develop their skills in how to locate, analyse and use information critically, creatively and confidently for their purpose.
References:
Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). (2015). Information and communication technology (ICT). Retrieved March. 2017.
Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. (No date). Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability. Retrieved from Australian Curriculum website March 2017.
Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. (No date). Critical and Creative Thinking. Retrieved from Australian Curriculum website March 2017
Case, D. (2006). The concept of information. In Looking for information: A survey of research on information seeking, needs and behaviour, pp. 40-65. 2nd ed. Burlingham: Emerald Group Publishing Lid. ebook, CSU Library.
Cornelius, I. (2004). Information and its philosophy. Library Trends, 52(3), 377-386. CSU Library.
Dutton, W.H. and Blank, G. (2011). Next generation users: The Internet in Britain 2011. Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford. Retrieved September 30, 2012 from http://oxis.oii.ox.ac.uk/research/publications/
Fitzgerald, L. (2017). The Information Environment [ETL401 Module 2].
Retrieved 5 March 2017 from Charles Sturt UNiversity website https://interact2.csu.edu.au/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_23912_1&content_id=_1380446_1
Floridi, L. (2007). A look into the future impact of ICT on our lives. The Information Society, 23, 59-64. CSU Library.
Moore, N. (no date). The information society. Retrieved from UNESCO website March 2017. http://www.unesco.org/webworld/wirerpt/wirenglish/chap20.pdf
Mosbergen, D. (2016). French legislation suggests employees deserve the right to disconnect. The Huffington Post.
Webster, F. (2014). Theories of the information society. 4th ed. London: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group.