Doctor of Philosophy / Curriculum and Instruction Programs / F. Todd Goodson / Kay Ann Taylor / Library instruction in a university setting, in the primary manner it has been taught for decades, has a problem: the instruction is not teaching. Many library instruction sessions at universities are taught through a traditional lecture-style instruction session where students are allowed no voice in the classroom and there is no room for any evaluation of the information presented. Teaching without an engaged pedagogical framework without any active participation is problematic for teaching critical information literacy. This research focused on library instruction within higher education institutions and the choices made by instruction librarians to include (or not) critical pedagogy and critical information literacy within their teaching styles and classrooms. This study explored (a) the decisions of librarians to teach either in the traditional or critical library pedagogy manner and (b) barriers or encouragement in librarians’ choice to teach through a critical lens. With critical theory as the overarching framework and engaged pedagogy a central part to all these theories, critical engaged pedagogy combines critical race feminist theory, critical library pedagogy, and critical information literacy (the latter two frequently used interchangeably). The combined theoretical framework gives context for researching the reasons that instruction librarians choose (or do not) to implement these theoretical and pedagogical styles into their instruction of information literacy in classrooms. Using the qualitative methodology of narrative inquiry, specifically narrative analysis, this study analyzed and interpreted data from interviews, observational data, and field notes recorded in a reflexive journal through the lens of this theoretical framework. Findings showed that in their everyday experiences as academic instruction librarians, the participants faced both barriers and encouragement to their decisions regarding teaching methods and curriculum in addition to how they are impacting their students’ lives and learning. Four different themes emerged from the data. The first theme, sometimes a teacher, sometimes not, speaks to the struggle that the participants handled every day: though they were instruction librarians, they were not able to always feel as though they were real teachers or faculty on their campuses. The second theme, if only I had a choice, discusses how discipline faculty affect their teaching decisions and the participants’ goal to at least try to teach critical evaluation to the students. The third theme, teaching is a political act, focuses on participants’ teaching under a critical library instruction pedagogy, emphasizing their engagement with the students, the falsehood of neutrality, and teaching about marginalized groups, injustice, oppression, and similar political-minded concepts in their classes. The fourth theme, real world, lifelong skills, discusses how the participants view their impact on student learning and student lives in general, demonstrated through teaching students critical thinking and evaluation (of the real world) skills in addition to impacting students beyond the classroom.

In this Master thesis interest is directed towards approaches toinformation literacy (IL) and critical thinking in the educationalactivities of university libraries. The aspiration of universitylibrarians to promote the critical abilities of students isproblematized. At the center of attention is the project“Lärandemål för informationskompetens” [Learning outcomes forinformation literacy], which in 2006 was carried out incollaboration between the Swedish university libraries, in responseto the educational reforms connected to the Bologna Process.Through the discourse analytical framework of NormanFairclough, documents related to the project “Lärandemål förinformationskompetens” are studied in order to identifydominating approaches to IL. The purpose is to investigate anddiscuss the possible implications of the dominating perspectives,with regard to the development of critical thinking amongstudents.The study results in the identification of two main discourses, thestandardization discourse and the discourse on employability. Bothof these discourses are seen to be connected to two overarchingdiscourses also identified in the study, the market discourse andthe discourse on information overflow.In conclusion, it was found that the objectivist and positivistepistemology underlying the dominating perspectives, in severalrespects is counterproductive to the aspiration to promote criticalthinking among students. A social constructionist approach issuggested as an alternative. / Program: Bibliotekarie

The purpose of this dissertation was to explore the state of critical information literacy (CIL) in higher education as it is enacted and understood by academic librarians. This qualitative study investigated the institutional support, nonsupport, and barriers to CIL programs and the effectiveness of experiential critical pedagogy for information literacy (IL) learning as taught and studied by 19 CIL specialists. Purposeful sampling was used to gather a sample of 17 academic librarians and two professors of library and information science who had previously worked as academic librarians. The sample included 11 females and eight males; 18 participants were Caucasian and one was African American. Data were collected through 40-60 minute semi-structured interviews and a brief demographic survey. Experiential education served as the broad theoretical framework for this study, which stems from the tradition of critical theory. This study was guided by the work of two major experiential learning theorists and theories: Paulo Freire and critical pedagogy and Jack Mezirow and transformative learning. Mezirow and Freire focused their work on adult education and grounded their approaches in critical theory and focused on power relationships, reflection, and the emancipatory potential of education. The findings were framed through a lens of Freire’s conception of critical pedagogy because it was the major theoretical framework that most of the study participants used to guide their work. Findings suggest that academic librarians who teach CIL do not learn about it in their MLS programs. They tend to use three major critical teaching methods, including student-centered approaches, discussion and dialogue, and problem-posing methods. Participants tended to struggle more with using critical methods than with incorporating critical content. Slightly more than half regularly used critical methods in their teaching, but all participants incorporated critical content, including critical source evaluation and subject headings and language used in information production and dissemination. The findings also suggest that CIL specialists are likely to believe that CIL is best taught within the broader context of academic disciplines and that strong relationships with faculty are crucial for successfully implementing information literacy programs of any kind, including CIL programs. Most participants felt supported by their library administrators and at least minimally by college or university administrators, even though they thought administrators did not have a clear idea of what they do in the classroom. The professional identity and culture of librarians and librarianship played a large role in whether and how librarians were drawn to CIL and in their ability to practice it. The results of this study will allow librarians and educators to make more informed decisions about how to design, teach, and implement programs and will benefit library science scholars and policy makers in terms of knowing how it is being taught and supported at the institutional level.

The purpose of this thesis is to examine the benefit of information literacy instruction in two student groups at Kristianstad University, in relation to development of critical information literacy and within the boundaries of the educational goals. This study takes on a critical information literacy perspective that combines critical pedagogy and standards for information literacy in higher education. Two methods have been used for data collection: interviews and questionnaires. According to the results of the study the information literacy instruction provided by the Kristianstad University Library is important and useful for the students in their academic studies. It also becomes clear that the information literacy differs between the two groups as a consequence of the varying information literacy instruction received by the two groups. Based on these results recommendations are made on how the information literacy instruction can be elaborated upon to secure development of a higher degree of critical consciousness in students and to ascertain equal conditions for different student groups. The findings of this study are not only valuable for those immediately affected, it can also be useful for others involved in higher education. Further research within this area is important for the development of critical information literacy and information litracy instruction in higher education.

Submitted by Priscilla Araujo (priscilla@ibict.br) on 2016-10-10T17:57:29Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) DISSERTAÇÃO_VERS FINAL_A ágora midiática digital a competência crítica informacional e a cidadani.pdf: 795100 bytes, checksum: ba176b65e9e96b9ec09298d9d869cd64 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-10-10T17:57:29Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) DISSERTAÇÃO_VERS FINAL_A ágora midiática digital a competência crítica informacional e a cidadani.pdf: 795100 bytes, checksum: ba176b65e9e96b9ec09298d9d869cd64 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-03-31 / Esta pesquisa procura traçar um caminho para a discussão da competência crítica em informação voltada ao projeto de uma cidadania ampliada na ágora digital, percorrendo os conceitos envolvidos neste assunto. Para atingir os aspectos relevantes para a C.I. a respeito desta competência é necessário compreender a ágora, a cidadania, os atributos de um cidadão engajado, o meio digital e as redes sociais digitais, bem como as influências atuantes sobre o cidadão e as redes. É preciso compreender a democracia e os movimentos sociais, além de entender o que é inclusão e letramento digital, competência em informação, competência crítica e competência para a cidadania ampliada. O objetivo maior é pensar em como despertar o gosto pela informação e pela construção do conhecimento a fim de estimular o exercício de uma cidadania participativa. Muitos autores foram necessários para singrar este caminho. É um longo caminho a trilhar, mas necessário à C.I. e de sua responsabilidade, já que se trata de colaborar com a formação do conhecimento no cidadão que convive neste cibermundo contemporâneo. / This research tries to draw a path to the discussion of the critical literacy This research tries to draw a path to the discussion of the critical in digital agora, wandering through the concepts involved in this subject. TTo reach the relevant aspects to the Science of Information regarding this literacy is necessary to understand the agora, the citizenship, the qualities of an engaged citizen, the digital media and the digital social networks, as well as the influences that act on both the citizen and the networks. It is needed to understand democracy and the social movements, in addition to understanding what is the digital inclusion and literacy, proficiency in information, critical literacy and literacy for expanded citizenship. The greater goal is to think about how to awaken a taste for information and for the construction of knowledge to the point of stimulating the practice of a participating citizenship. Many authors were needed to walk along this path. It is a long path, but it is essential to the Science of Information and its responsibility, as it's about collaborating in the shaping of the knowledge of the citizen that live in this contemporary cyber world.

Submitted by Priscilla Araujo (priscilla@ibict.br) on 2018-04-03T19:09:17Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) Dissertacao_AndreaDoyle_Capa_Dura.pdf: 2918363 bytes, checksum: fda9277912a55b685b8168a7d0a945d9 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-04-03T19:09:17Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) Dissertacao_AndreaDoyle_Capa_Dura.pdf: 2918363 bytes, checksum: fda9277912a55b685b8168a7d0a945d9 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-02-17 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / A presente pesquisa investiga, à luz da Ciência da Informação, novas práticas informacionais e educativas desenvolvidas nas ocupações das escolas estaduais do Rio de Janeiro. O trabalho tem por objetivo compreender a contribuição das ocupações para a educação a partir do conceito de competência crítica em informação. Seus objetivos específicos são: mapear o acesso dos estudantes a espaços de informação escolares consagrados (biblioteca, sala de informática e laboratórios de ciências) antes, durante e depois da ocupação; identificar fontes de informação geradas a partir das atividades desenvolvidas nas ocupações; e discutir a percepção dos estudantes sobre as informações veiculadas na mídia a respeito das ocupações. Para sua realização, foi adotada uma abordagem qualitativa que inclui o método etnográfico, que inspirou as visitas da fase exploratória, a pesquisa bibliográfica para definir o referencial teórico e a entrevista semi-estruturada em grupo para fazer o balanço dos ganhos e perdas do movimento de ocupação. O referencial teórico inclui autores reagrupados sob a categoria pedagogia crítica, assim como outros incluídos na categoria competência em informação (CoInfo), além dos que contribuem com visões sobre as teorias críticas e o conceito de regime de informação. Os resultados obtidos pela análise das entrevistas mostram que o acesso aos espaços informacionais ainda é restrito, que a multiplicação das fontes de informação durante as ocupações contribuiu para tornar o aprendizado mais rico e que a percepção geral das mídias foi modificada a partir da experiência de ocupação. Conclui que, para além das conquistas do movimento como acesso a alguns espaços informacionais, maior participação nas decisões escolares por meio das eleições diretas para direção e grêmio, verba emergencial, entre outras, as práticas das ocupações tornaram seus organizadores indivíduos mais críticos e mais preparados para o aprendizado ao longo da vida. / This research investigates, enlightened by Information Science, new information and education practices developed during the occupation of Rio de Janeiro state schools. The objective of this work is to understand the contribution of occupations to education through the concept of critical information literacy. Its specific objectives are: to map students' access to traditional school information spaces (library, computer room and science labs) before, during and after the occupation; to identify sources of information generated from the activities developed in the occupations; and to discuss the students' perceptions of the information conveyed by the media about the occupations. The theoretical framework includes authors who are grouped under the category of critical pedagogy, as well as others included in the category of information literacy, in addition to those that contribute with insights on critical theories and the concept of information regime. A qualitative approach was adopted that includes the ethnographic method, which inspired the exploratory phase of visits, the bibliographical research in order to define the theoretical reference and the semistructured group interview to evaluate gains and losses of the occupation movement. The results obtained by the analysis of the interviews show that access to informational spaces is still restricted, that the multiplication of information sources during the occupations contributed to enrich the learning process and that the general perception of the media was modified from the experience of occupation. It concludes that, in addition to the achievements of the movement such as access to some informational spaces, greater participation in school decisions through direct elections for headmaster and students’ guild, emergency funding, among others, practices developed during the occupations have made its organizers individuals more critical and better prepared for life-long learning.