Three Theoretical Perspectives on Information Literacy

Abstract

The concept of information literacy refers to purposeful information practices\nin a society characterized by almost limitless access to information and\nwhere information practices in digital environments shape and constitute\nimportant elements in most people’s lives in our part of the world. The\nmeaning of the term information literacy varies according to the theoretical\nlens from which it is approached. Theoretical starting points are not always\nclearly stated in, for instance, information literacy definitions, standards,\nresearch or educational practices. Regardless of whether the underlying\ntheory is made explicit or not, it will nevertheless have a profound impact\non the ways in which we teach or research information literacy. This article\ndiscusses alternative theoretical understandings of information literacy and\ntheir consequences for educational practices. Three theoretical perspectives\nare presented that represent different understandings of information literacy;\nphenomenography, sociocultural theory and Foucauldian discourse\nanalysis. According to all three theoretical lenses, information literacy is embedded\nin and shaped by as well as shaping the context in which it is\nembedded. In consequence, we propose the notion of information literacies\nin the plural. The three perspectives offer different insights on information\nliteracies, on both empirical and theoretical levels. However, a sociocultural\nperspective also involves particular theoretical assumptions about the ways\nin which digital environments and tools reshape conditions for learning.

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