INTRODUCTION:
“Tomorrow's illiterate will not be
the man who can't read; he will be the man who has not learned how to learn”
– Alvin Toffler
It is very much clear from the above statement that the in
the coming decades, to be literate, one has to be primarily information
literate and when it comes to the implications of this literacy in the daily
needs as we all know that is the ultimate goal, one has to adopt the thing we
call LIFELONG LEARNING.
Hence these two are like the substitutes of each other, one
is there to facilitate and make other the point of focus.
These two modern paradigms should ideally be harnessed to
work symbiotically and synergistically with one another if people and
institutions are to successfully survive and compete in the 21st
century and beyond
Bundy, (2004) defines the relationship between information
literacy and lifelong
learning as follows. "Information
literacy is the foundation for the independent learning and lifelong learning."[1]
Defining Lifelong Learning:
“It is the development after formal education: the continuing
development of knowledge and skills that people experience after formal
education and throughout their lives” (Encarta, 2008)
Lifelong learning builds on prior learning as it expands
knowledge and skills in depth and breadth (London, in press)
“All learning activity undertaken throughout life, with the
aim of improving knowledge, skills and competences within a personal, civic
social and/or employment related perspective” (European Commission[EC], 2001,
p.9)[2]
“The process of gaining knowledge and skills throughout your
life, often to help you do your job properly” (Cambridge dictionary online)[3]
Defining Information Literacy:
ACCORDING TO ALA,
“Information literacy is a set of abilities requiring
individuals to “recognize when information is needed and have the ability to
locate, evaluate, and use effectively the needed information.”[4]
ACCORDING TO PAUL ZURKOWSKI,
An
information literacy individual, according to Zurkowski, is anyone who had
learned to use a wide range of information sources in order to solve problems
at work and in his or her daily life.
Zurkowski's
definition continues to have validity over 30 years later.
ACCORDING TO ACRL (Association of College and Research
Libraries)
“Information
literacy is a set of abilities requiring individuals to recognize when
information is needed and have the ability to locate, evaluate, and use effectively
the needed information.”
Similarities and Differences:[5]
·
The similarity between these concepts is that both
improve
§ the set of
personal choices and options
§ quality and
utility of education and training
§ prospects
of finding and keeping a job
§ effective
participation in social contexts
·
The difference is that
§ Information
literacy is a set of skills that can be learned
§ Lifelong
learning is a good habit that must be acquired and accompanied by the adoption
of a positive frame of mind.
Benefits of Lifelong Learning:[6]
Lifelong learning is continuous,
deliberate and self-motivated.
Lifelong learning:
·
Enhances skills
·
Improves job performance
·
Sharpens the mind
·
Sharpens confidence
·
Develop interpersonal communication skills
·
Opens the mind
·
Makes mind information-hungry
·
Increases curiosity
·
Makes the world a better place
·
Make the learners active participants in the
information society
·
Develops a higher level of thinking[7]
Major drivers towards the Information Literacy and Lifelong Learning:[8]
·
Persuasive effects
of new technologies
It is nearly impossible to escape the implications of new
technologies, which affect every aspect of our lives. Thus simply to go about
one’s everyday life, there is a constant barrage of new technologies,
terminologies to be mastered and hence it becomes crucial to be information
literate as well as habitual of lifelong learning.
·
Globalisation
Changing geo-political situation, to issues of mass
migration, the displacement of large numbers of people, and the impacts of
different cultures and religions on established ways of thinking and behaving
has developed the need and opportunities for travel and language learning. Now
in this changing scenario, to learning is very much important to develop new
skills to gain or retain the employment
·
Changing pattern of works
There has also been observed changes in the pattern of the
works from the traditional desk jobs or limited area jobs to the jobs which
primarily require the skills like communication skills, management skills, interpersonal
behavior etc. This also proved to be a major driver for the person to develop
curiosity about lifelong learning and be information literate so that they can
withstand the changing work related needs.
·
Explosion of available information
As we are
observing the case of information explosion or information bloom, and we are
well aware that in today’s scenario the knowledged is the powerful, hence we
must adopt the thing that is called lifelong learning to be in the race of
being an active participant of the society and for that particular reason, being
information literate too becomes important as the sources and types of
information, the pattern of information is changing and only those who are
information literate will be able to inculcate this information.
Information Literacy as a helping hand in Lifelong Learning:
Information
literacy develop several qualities in a person which is supposed to be
information literate and these qualities help the individual to foster the
lifelong learning.
Some major
one being:
·
effective information seeking
·
informed choice of information sources
·
information evaluation and selection
·
comfort in using a range of media to best advantage
· Awareness of issues to do with bias and reliability of
information
·
Effectiveness in transmitting information to others
·
Less hesitation while communicating
·
Active participation in the knowledge society
Figure 1
the concept of Information Literacy[9]
Conclusion:
“An
investment in knowledge pays the best interest.”
– Benjamin
Franklin
After
reading and analyzing various aspect, scopes, needs, and trends of both the
lifelong learning as well as information literacy, we can easily conclude
that whether they both differ in terms of their properties like on being the
tool, other being a habit, these are like supplementary to each other in
today’s scenario.
On the
basis of our observation following conclusions are drawn:
·
Information literacy is a tool
·
Lifelong learning is a habit
·
Information literacy supplements the lifelong learning
·
Both are the need of the time
· Both focus on making the user an active participant of
the information society
·
Whether they both are optional is majority of aspects
and depends on personal choices, to survive in the changing community
effectively, one must be information literate and has to cultivate the habit of
lifelong learning.
Further readings:
·
Information literacy eGyanKosh http://egyankosh.ac.in/bitstream/123456789/35346/5/Unit-11.pdf
·
Lifelong Learning eGyanKosh http://egyankosh.ac.in//handle/123456789/53655
[1] Ranaweera,
Prasanna Importance of Information Literacy skills for an Information
Literate society., 2008 . In NACLIS 2008, Colombo (Sri Lanka), 24th June 2008
[2]
London, M. (2011). Lifelong Learning:
Introduction. The Oxford Handbook of Lifelong Learning, 2–11.
https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780195390483.013.0013
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