Formação para a literacia da informação: perspectivas de diferentes actores

Pretende-se apresentar uma investigação em curso sobre a formação formal da Literacia da Informação (LI) na Escola Superior de Estudos Industriais e de Gestão do Instituto Politécnico do Porto. Em consonância com o estado da arte, múltiplos actores interagem neste processo formativo complexo e abrangente, em que se destaca a trilogia - estudante, docente e bibliotecário, cabendo aqui dar protagonismo aos estudantes e docentes das licenciaturas da Escola. O objectivo geral deste estudo pretende investigar se a formação superior contribui para aumentar os níveis de LI dos estudantes. Os objectivos específicos são analisar as perspectivas de estudantes e docentes sobre a LI, sobre a formação para a Literacia da Informação (FPLI) na educação formal e sobre estratégias pedagógicas. Destaque para as Tecnologias da Informação e Comunicação ligadas à LI, já que esta inclui a competência digital, associada, por seu turno, a outras competências relacionadas com o reconhecimento, pelos indivíduos, de necessidade informativas, de pesquisa, selecção, avaliação, uso crítico e ético da informação em qualquer suporte. Dentre várias técnicas de recolha de dados aplicadas - análise documental aos planos curriculares das licenciaturas e fichas ECTS, entrevistas semi-dirigidas aplicadas a coordenadores de curso e à Bibliotecária e questionários aplicados a docentes e estudantes - ressaltam dados quantitativos provenientes do tratamento estatístico dos referidos questionários. Enfatizam-se aspectos como o relacionamento dos estudantes com a internet, o modo como estes recuperam e usam a Informação e ainda a visão de docentes e discentes sobre questões relacionadas com a LI e o processo formativo. Deste cruzamento de perspectivas convergentes e divergentes, ressaltam resultados que caracterizam a FPLI e a conclusão de que há efeitos positivos nos estudantes, decorrentes da formação, já que são percepcionadas diferenças em relação aos que ingressam nas licenciaturas e aos finalistas das mesmas

O processo de Bolonha e a inevitável mudança na área da Ciência da Informação

São descritos os princípios fundamentais da Declaração de Bolonha e algumas alterações que ela pressupõe. Evoca-se a história da formação dita BAD, em Portugal, destacando-se o aparecimento das primeiras licenciaturas nacionais, dentre as quais a de Ciências e Tecnologias da Documentação e Informação (CTDI) da Escola Superior de Estudos Industriais e de Gestão do Instituto Politécnico do Porto, demonstrando-se o modo como foi feita a adequação da referida licenciatura de CTDI, ao abrigo de Bolonha, e sublinhando-se, no novo modelo de ensinoaprendizagem, o protagonismo, a autonomia e a responsabilização dos alunos. Caracteriza-se a actual licenciatura multidisciplinar, de banda larga, referindo-se as competências que um licenciado deve adquirir, tendo em conta a necessidade do surgimento de um novo perfil para os actuais Profissionais da Informação.The main principles of the Bologna process and some alterations that it presumes are described. The history of the formation in information science in Portugal is evoked, detaching the appearing of the first national bachelor degrees, among which the one of Sciences and Technologies of Documentation and Information (CTDI) of the College of Industrial Studies and Management of the Polytechnic Institute of Oporto, presenting the way the above referred degree was adapted to the Bologna process, in which the leadership, autonomy and responsibility of the students is emphasised. The current, wide-banded, multidisciplinary degree is characterized, and the competences that a student should acquire, having into account the need of a new profile for the present Information Professional, are outlined

Uma formação útil para a literacia no novo contexto de Bolonha

A Declaração de Bolonha (1999) obrigou a mudanças várias, reconfigurando os modelos formativos no espaço europeu do ensino superior, até 2010. A partir de 2006, em Portugal, com a criação e adequação dos cursos superiores existentes ao modelo de Bolonha, verificou-se uma generalizada redução da duração média dos diferentes ciclos de estudo e a definição de competências gerais e específicas para os cursos e estudantes. Reflecte-se sobre a importância da literacia da informação, conceito evolutivo e abrangente, que se pode traduzir, sumariamente, em saber quando e porquê se tem uma necessidade informacional, onde encontrar a informação, como avaliá-la, usá-la e comunicá-la de forma ética, incluindo as competências tecnológicas, definição que se inscreve na interdisciplinar Ciência da Informação e no comportamento informacional. Destaca-se a vantagem de uma formação para a literacia da informação no ensino superior, a qual contribuirá, certamente, para dotar os estudantes das referidas competências e melhorá-las. Defende-se a necessidade de uma desejável inter-acção entre múltiplos agentes educativos, com destaque para a trilogia estudantes, bibliotecários e professores, sendo os primeiros encarados como protagonistas activos das suas aprendizagens e devendo ser dotados de competências de literacia da informação, factor determinante para o seu sucesso. Quanto ao Bibliotecário, dotado de novas competências, entre as quais as tecnológicas, deve ser um facilitador do processo de formação para a literacia - preferencialmente integrada num projecto pedagógico e no currículo - articulando a sua acção educativa com estudantes e docentes. Corroborando a extensão educativa das Bibliotecas e aliando-a ao uso inevitável das novas tecnologias da informação e comunicação, sublinha-se o papel das Bibliotecas Digitais, que podem corresponder eficientemente aos anseios dos utilizadores no acesso a uma informação de qualidade, de forma cómoda, rápida, a baixo custo, com personalização dos serviços online, com inter-acção e socialização, através de ferramentas de edição colaborativa, típicas da Web 2.0.The Bologna declaration (1999) triggered a series of changes to reconfigure the educational models of the European higher education space by 2010. From 2006 Portugal witnessed a generalised reduction of the average duration of the study-cycles and the definition of general and specific skills for courses and students, resulting from the creation and adjustment of the higher education courses to the Bologna model. This essay reflects upon the importance of information literacy. This evolving and comprehensive concept may be described as the ability to know when and why information needs occur, where to find information, how to assess it, use it and transmit it ethically using technological skills. This definition integrates the interdisciplinary area of Information Sciences which also comprehends informational behavior. Training of information literacy skills in higher education stands out as an advantage that will allow students to improve their skills and achieve full information literacy. We defend the need for a desired interaction between the multiple education agents enhancing the trilogy composed by students, librarians and teachers. The first should be regarded as active protagonists of their learning process and provided with information literacy competences – a key factor of success. The Librarian, having acquired new competencies, namely technologic, should act as a facilitator in the process literacy training - preferably integrated within a pedagogic and curricular project that articulates its educational action with both students and teachers. Supporting the educational extension of the Libraries and allying them to the inevitable use of the new information and communication technologies we should like to point out the role of the Digital Libraries. These can efficiently respond to the requirements of the users by comfortably, rapidly and inexpensively providing access to quality information, by customising on-line services, by allowing socialisation and interaction through collaborative edition tools of the web 2.0

Competências a potenciar: novas formas de agir na construção do conhecimento

No âmbito duma investigação que cruza a área científica da Ciência da Informação com a Educação, elegendo como objeto de estudo a Literacia da Informação (LI), selecionaram-se um conjunto de competências de LI, reconhecidas como mais importantes e mencionadas em vasta literatura sobre o tema, com destaque para alguns Referenciais internacionais. Pretende-se averiguar qual o papel da formação ministrada em diferentes licenciaturas de uma escola de ensino superior politécnico e refletir sobre que competências são mais desenvolvidas nos estudantes de diferentes cursos, comparando aqueles que iniciam e os que terminam a sua formação. Para além dos estudantes, destaca-se, neste estudo, a intervenção dos professores das referidas licenciaturas, ambos os grupos inquiridos através de questionários online. Também os elementos responsáveis pela coordenação dos oito cursos de primeiro ciclo em análise e a bibliotecária da instituição são envolvidos, neste caso, através de entrevistas semidirigidas, contribuindo para uma investigação que se pretende o mais completa possível e com a robustez decorrente do cruzamento de vários dados. Recorrendo a uma abordagem metodológica quantitativa e qualitativa, num interessante jogo de perceções consonantes ou divergentes entre estes atores cruciais do processo educativo, os resultados e a sua interpretação permitem refletir sobre a necessidade de adotar novas posturas e atuações no complexo processo de formação e de desenvolvimento de competências de LI. Estas devem ser adequadas aos perfis desejáveis dos diplomados do ensino superior, profissionais e cidadãos que se pretende que obtenham sucesso nas diferentes áreas da sua vida, revelando-se, em suma, indivíduos infoincluídos, ativos e participativos face às mudanças, desafios e crises do século XXI.The focus of this research, which comprehends two scientific areas: Information Science and Education, is the analysis of Information Literacy (IL) skills. In the selection of a set of IL skills prevailed the acknowledgement of those considered to be most important through the mentions in the wide range of literature available, with emphasis on international standards. The purpose of this study is to assess the consequence of the training provided in a polytechnic higher education institution, hence determining which skills show a higher degree of proficiency amongst the students of different undergraduate programmes by comparing the status at the beginning and at the end of their training period. The study targeted not only students but also the teachers of the undergraduate programmes, who were asked to answer an online questionnaire. To complement the data thus gathered, the coordinators of the eight undergraduate programmes assessed and the institution’s librarian were also involved via a semi-directed interview. Crossing data from both sources allowed from a broader more thorough analysis that fully sustained the results. The use of a quantitative and qualitative methodological approach disclosed an interesting game of consonant and divergent perceptions between the key players in the educational process, the outcome of which, the results and their interpretation, call for a reflection on the need to adopt a new attitude and actions within the complex process of training and development of IL skills. IL skills should be adjusted to the design of optimum graduate profiles for professionals and citizens who seek success in all areas of their lives. In other words, info-inclusion/digital inclusion graduates have a higher chance of success as they face the changes, challenges and crises of the 21 st century

Critical thinking and problem-solving: from higher education to professional contexts

The critical thinking is a mental process that requires analysis and evaluation of information. It’s a very important skill, mentioned in several international Standards of Information Literacy and in important documents on Education, published by organizations of reference like UNESCO or Associations very recognized of the areas of Libraries, Technologies and Education. It’s a key competency of the 21st century, included in the well-known 4 Cs: Communication, Collaboration, Creativity and Critical Thinking and it’s interrelated with other competencies. In fact, critical thinking is often associated with problem-solving and decision making, and it’s considered to be fundamental to the academic, professional and social success of individuals, living in the information society. According to the complexity of a global world in which new information and communication technologies abound, it’s essential to train citizens to adopt reflective and critical attitudes about the many information products whose quality is often doubtful or inadequate for the informational needs of the individual. Given the information overload, especially on digital platforms, it’s crucial that information users be taught to search for information, select, use and communicate credible information in an ethical manner. So, because such skills are not innate, they need to be taught, whether in formal or informal contexts of learning. The researcher, also a teacher of higher education, motivated by the results of earlier research carried out in Portuguese polytechnical higher education on the development of information literacy skills, intends to deepen issues related to the critical thinking, crucial for the global formation of the human being and for the success of organizations. The purpose of this research is to reflect on how the teaching system - especially higher education - values and teaches to develop this essential competence for the integration and success of those who are in an academic process training and who will later have to demonstrate it in the professional reality, since that skill is one of the most required by the labour market. The methodology adopted is based on a theoretical approach to the theme - through the literature review - and the sharing of experience in the way the teacher has adopted some pedagogical strategies that she considers appropriate to the development of this skill. The results of the research are the theoretical and practical analysis of good pedagogical practices. Also, the elaboration of a set of questions to reflect on the relevance and added value that the critical thinking can bring in the decision-making process - whether in the academic world or in the professional world, can inspire new approaches and improvements. It is concluded that the pedagogical approach on the subject under study is complex and that the most successful cases will result from collaborative work by the various educational agents involved. It highlights the importance of the Ministries of Education and their teaching policies, the directions of schools, teachers, students and employers. There should be a general awareness of the importance of developing this skill in the educational community, greater visibility of its presence in curricula, effective and systematic teaching along the academic path (betting on early education) and institutional support and commitment indispensable for its consolidation.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Dealing with plagiarism in undergraduate education to achieve intelectual property rights

We intend to reflect on a worrying issue in higher education – plagiarism, a practice that has existed for a long time but is now easier. In fact, it is worth remembering that the digital paradigm has been gaining even greater expression in the current context of a pandemic in which personal, academic, social and professional life has been predominantly reorganized digitally. This investigation is based on the concepts of Plagiarism and Intellectual Property Rights, within the framework of higher education in which the author has vast experience as a teacher who has always been concerned with instilling in students the ethical use of information, one of the aspects of Information Literacy. The methodology of this study includes a literature review, favoring good practices carried out by reference institutions in the field, such as The International Center for Academic Integrity and several universities that, in an organized and responsible manner, aim to promote an academic culture of honesty and intellectual integrity, guiding and training teachers and students. We highlight the University of Waterloo which has an Office of Academic Integrity, the Purdue University which has the Online Writing Lab (OWL), and the University of California San Diego whose website has a tab titled "Excel with integrity", all of them providing guidance, training, advice and pedagogical approaches related to academic integrity. In short, all this qualified information available on the internet, very easily, at the distance of a click, it is undoubtedly a very important help, above all, for students, to obtain knowledge and skills about what plagiarism is, ways to fight it, to achieve academic success while respecting legal issues and copyright. In conclusion, we are of the opinion that, more than punishing, Education policies should focus on training the various educational agents to fight a reprehensible and illegal intellectual act, they should clarify and clearly define important concepts related to this complex issue and should promote open debate on the subject. They must also invest resources and promote marketing policies in favor of intellectual property rights and must instill in teachers the courage to denounce and report the unethical use of information by students, even if this represents an inconvenience and an increase in work, at the bureaucratic level. Finally, it will certainly be through a collaborative work between Ministries, educational institutions, their leaders, teachers and students that the task of training for the safe and ethical use of information in an academic context will have more impact and better results.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Plagiarism: what kind of implications in higher education?

This research aims to reflect on ethical issues in the teaching-learning process in portuguese higher education in the context of Bologna, in particular the troubling reality of plagiarism practiced by students. To relate this issue with information literacy (IL) is inevitable, as at several international standards of IL, the question of ethics, copyright and plagiarism recurs. We highlight in the literature review, some investigations that focus on these matters, although of crucial importance, but wich don’t have had, in our view, adequate attention or the most appropriate practical action to deal with them. From a PhD research, carried out in a portuguese polytechnic higher school, focusing on eight undergraduate degrees in the areas of Accounting, Information Science, Human Resources, Design, Hotel Management and Engineering, we will stand out some results and interpretations of a study on IL and training for IL, highlighting, among others, the question of ethics and plagiarism, wich are regarded by different actors of the educational process. Through data gathering instruments - online questionnaires applied to teachers and students of these undergraduate degrees - and interviews ministered to the course coordinators and the librarian of the institution, there is enough material to conclusions betting on the need for a formal and continuing training, with collaborative actions between the educational agents and institutional reinforcement and impact.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Interdisciplinarity: Making the Teaching-Learning Process Global and Motivating

The concept and the role of interdisciplinarity in the 21st century teaching-learning process should aim to overcome the rigid compartmentalization of individual syllabus and thus contribute to a more global and integrative education. The formal structure of academic curricula reflects an over-specialization of knowledge that causes an undesirable disconnection of contents between disciplines and, sometimes, within a single discipline. The interdisciplinary approach presupposes a break from more traditional teaching methods. It poses a challenge and requires a behavioural resetting of faculty and students, teacher training, the implementation of new educational policies, and a consequent redesign of syllabuses and curricula. Adequate governance policies, financial incentives, and marketing policies are essential. Though the interdisciplinary approach may seem complex due to the integration of diverse syllabus, disciplines, and individuals from both academia and community, it is a motivating and advantageous pedagogical strategy. The methodology used in this article is to review the literature on this topic, providing a theoretical / scientific framework for the account and analysis of positive experiences conducted and/or observed by the author - a teacher in higher education.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

To be or not to be... a plagiarist: training for the ethical use of information in academia

In a world dominated by the digital paradigm, the ethical use of information is one of the Information Literacy (IL) skills which is important for the survival of individuals of the 21st century in various contexts, such as the professional. Also in academia, the widespread absence of this skill in students represents a complex problem, resulting in something undesirable: plagiarism. Many authors have reflected and published on the subject, which has been the focus of our attention in the context of higher education. We are of the opinion that preventing plagiarism before it happens, should be better than having to fight it, once detected, with punitive measures. However, in addition to the imperative need for training, we argue that this must be precocious and take place before entering higher education. This research starts with a real problem that the researcher has as a teacher of higher education, and that corresponds to the question: How to avoid plagiarism, as a trainer? Thus, a review of the literature on the subject is made and an empirical study is presented. It took place in a Portuguese secondary school, with 10th graders, describing the way in which an IL training project took place, which involved the referred students, their Philosophy teachers, the School librarian and the researcher, in the role of the teacher librarian. One of the main objectives of this pedagogical experience conceived and implemented by us in the school library was to provide the students with skills that would help them to do, in a correct way, the academic work requested by the teachers. In order to reach this objective, the methodology we adopted was to provide a theoretical and practical training whose contents were: copyright, plagiarism and norms for the ethical use of information. To complement this information, we organized a conference on the theme "To plagiarize or not to plagiarize ... this is the question" given by a lawyer who addressed in a pedagogical way the issue of plagiarism and associated issues that will be described in this paper. The technique of collecting data to know the target audience and structure the training session, so as to better match the needs of the students, was a questionnaire given to a sample of students before that session. Another questionnaire was applied in the practical part of the session, in the form of a worksheet, a strategy that allowed to evaluate the knowledge learned by the students in the first theoretical part of the session. The results of the evaluation of the worksheet were quite good, which allows concluding that teaching to avoid plagiarism has positive practical effects. In addition, it was concluded that collaborative work involving students, teachers, librarians, information law specialists and school boards in a formal context is critical to sensitize and train students to use information properly and ethically and not to commit plagiarism. This collaborative dynamic is essential to overcome the absence or insufficient formal training on the subject in academic curricula at various levels of education. We believe that, in order to combat the scourge of plagiarism, there is no single solution but the adoption of several pedagogical strategies that lead to the training and awareness of those who are in a learning situation and that must deal ethically with information in various formats, with different objectives and public.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio