[MUSIC] So, we've looked at the concept of academic culture in general, and some of its core values. We saw that information and digital literacy was one of these core values. But what does this really mean in practice, and how can you develop your skills in this key area? Information literacy in an academic context relates to information and how we decide what information we need, how we find it, evaluate it, select it, discard it, use it and store it. For your studies, you need to do this when you're researching, writing and presenting your assignments. Then, if we add the idea of digital literacy, we get the idea of being able to do all of these things efficiently, using digital tools. We then also need to add all those extra elements that relate specifically to the digital space such as being able to use digital tools to create information, communicate effectively, to manage your digital identity online, and to use digital networks to enhance your own learning. And of course we need to know how to do all this in a way that's appropriate to the academic context. So now let's hear from some experts in this field to help us understand how information and digital literacy practices relate to academic culture and how this can help you in your studies. [MUSIC] >> Information that you see is your capacity to find, analyze, comprehend, evaluate the information you come across, whether that's a quick and dirty search on Google or if you are digging around in academic databases. Information literacy is your capacity to take that information that you've found, work with it in a meaningful way. >> An example of an understanding around information literacy is that the value of information is contextual. So for example, within law, what is a variable document might be something like a piece of registration or a case law document, a raw report. But then if you are in medicine for example, it be something like a systematic review and that might be a very highly valued document in that context. So another important value around information literacy is understanding that information is the building up of a conversation between experts. So over time, there will be a body of knowledge and that is usually created by that two and fro between experts in the field. The other aspect of that is understanding that people are not just consumers of information, even students. They're also producers of information and at some point they may become an expert and they can actually contribute to that conversation that's happening on a topic. [MUSIC] >> Digital literacy is a really interesting concept. Back in the early 90s, a guy named Marc Prensky sort of put this idea out there that we have digital natives and digital immigrants. And a lot of people born recently are digital natives. It's a language that you speak. But we all need to be literate in digital technologies as we go into a world where the digital frontier is well alert right now. At university now you can't avoid digital technology. A lot of your learning is done online. So digital literacy is making yourself familiar with that new language and ultimately we all need to be digital natives. >> Yes, in terms of thinking about digital literacy, I think it starts with information literacy. So it's knowing that you need to find some information. It’s having the skills to be able to find the particular resources to use and how to search them. How to find the right kind of information you need to assess it and effectively use it. And essentially, digital literacy takes that into another realm because you're using smartphones and your computer, you're searching the Internet. So really, I think in that context it's thinking about what you find online is it relevant? How you evaluate whose created that source. So is it a reliable source? And thinking about the consequences of the information you've found. So can you use it? Perhaps what are the implications of using it. And in terms of an academic environment, that it's relevant to your discipline and it's of scholarly value, considered of academic quality. [MUSIC] >> So to include this idea of information literacy into academic culture, you've gotta bear in mind that information is at the core of understanding the world. Information is at the core of defending an argument or making a proposition about how the world works, whether that's in science or the humanities or whatever your field. So information literacy is a fundamental part of study at university. You need to understand, where are you going to find information to support your point of view? How are you going to assess that information for reliability? How do you evaluate it to make sure it's an accurate way of defending what you've got to say? >> So I see information literacy reflecting in this core values around things like being able to identify a good problem or research question that you want to investigate. It's about understanding the importance of finding good evidence to back up the ideas that you have. And it's about realizing, as well, that when you have a good idea, if you then do some research and you find evidence that doesn't support your position, that you might need to adjust your position, and go off in a different direction. >> I think the university's core values, sort of the academic cultural values. How that reflects in digital literacy and information literacy is really that it equips you not just for university life. But again, for when you go out in the work place and in your personal life. So it's really about thinking about those skills. It's about being able to find information, to evaluate it, to know where to go to access it, to think how to appropriately use it. So really, I think it's about giving you the capacity to learn, apply your thinking, being able to problem solve, respond creatively to issues, communicate effectively with a range of different users because you need to be able to write, how do you communicate. So if you've got to do presentation, speak at a conference, so you know work meetings, something like that. So it's about how you get your ideas across and it's really learning how to adapt and contribute, really in a constantly changing environment. >> So in the lesson today, we've covered what information and digital literacy looks like in terms of academic culture. And we've looked at the skills and knowledge you'll need to help you in your studies. The rest of this course helps you to develop those skills in this area and thus prepares you for university. [MUSIC]
