Download - INFORMATION LITERACY AND CULTURAL HERITAGE FOR LIFELONG LEARNING: THE MODEL Kim Baker

INFORMATION LITERACY AND

CULTURAL HERITAGE FOR LIFELONG

LEARNING: THE MODEL

KIM BAKERACURIL 2014

12 June 2014, Nassau, Bahamas

INFORMATION LITERACY AND CULTURAL HERITAGE FOR LIFELONG LEARNING: THE

MODEL

SUMMARY OUTLINE OF THE MODEL

Catalysts: The learning environment – museums (including galleries); archives; libraries

Components : Carrier, Content and Context

Core processes and tasks: Discover; Learn; Evaluate; Create; Share; Feedback; Modify

Generic learning outcomes: Skills; Attitudes and values; Knowledge and Understanding; Behaviour and activity; Enjoyment, inspiration, creativity. Measurement: Personal Meaning mapping (PMM)

Contextual fluidity: (Allows for the model to be adapted to different cultural contexts, political environments and rapidly changing technologies and developments)

THE MODEL OF INFORMATION LITERACY AND CULTURAL HERITAGE FOR LIFELONG LEARNING

CATALYSTS:

Learning environment: Museums (including galleries) Archives Libraries These converge to create courses cooperatively, blending positivist and constructivist approaches. Course delivery is spread to all sites to provide the learners with an integrated learning experience of the different environments. Courses include the exploration of digital and virtual museums, archives and libraries from on-site networked computers. Courses are evaluated and revised based on feedback and learners’ needs.

Instructors and facilitators: Trained as curators, archivists or librarians. Fully knowledgeable about their collections. Culturally sensitive and attentive. Enthusiastic and passionate, able to make the

learning experience pleasurable and inspirational. Fluent in critical thinking skills. Fully knowledgeable about the content and pedagogy

of courses delivered. Able to facilitate learning in groups, and mediate

where necessary. Sensitive to the different learning styles, and to the

feelings of learners. Able to evaluate and assess final learning outcomes of

learners and provide constructive feedback.


COMPONENTS: (Carrier, Content and Context)

Carrier:Carriers are print, analog, digital and hybrid formats which

may be grouped in collections or individually, and include: books, documents, manuscripts, records, journals, diaries, maps, newspapers, television, film, radio, photographs, drawings, artworks, the Internet, web pages, databases,

online catalogs and finding aids, social media (Twitter, Facebook, blogs, wikis), objects, artefacts and buildings, physical and virtual museums, archival and library collections.


COMPONENTS: Content:Cultural heritage includes:

cultures, customs, beliefs, rites, rituals, ceremonies, indigenous knowledge, social customs and traditions, arts, crafts, music, political and ideological beliefs that influence culture and behavior, history, practices concerning the natural environment, religious and scientific traditions, language, sports, food and drink, calendars, traditional clothing, cybercultures in the digital world, and emerging new cultures which will become the heritage of the future.

Related issues: contested history and conflicting narratives, cultural imperialism, memory, identity, censorship, multiculturalism, repatriation of human remains (museums), inclusion, exclusion, nationalism and national identity, cultures of practice in museums, archives and libraries, moral rights to cultural heritage, intellectual property, privacy and data security issues, ethical use of information, the role of communications media in the representation of cultural heritage, and critical thinking applied to cultural heritage.


COMPONENTS: Context:This is found by asking questions:

Who created it? How was it created? Why was it created? Who decided to collect it as cultural heritage, and why? What was not collected? How does it relate to other cultural heritage practices? How is it described? Who described it and what cultural biases did they have? What was the socio-political and economic context surrounding its creation? When was it created? Who contested it, and why? Who agreed with it, and why? How is it displayed? Who chose what to display, and why? Who contests the narrative in the display, and why? Whose memory and identity is represented? Whose memory and identity is excluded? Where are the linkages, and where have linkages been omitted?


CORE PROCESSES AND TASKS:

DISCOVER

Facilitator’s tasks Provide tours of the learning sites, physical and virtual; provide instruction on searching and using tools of discovery; highlight the differences between print and digital carriers.

Learner’s tasks Searching, using tools of discovery, including catalogs, finding aids and online search engines.

DISCOVER: SUGGESTED TASKSFollowing the instruction there should be tasks for learners to practice and apply the skills. These can include questions and tasks such as:

• How many museums are there in the carribean, and where are they located?

• How many libraries are there in the Bahamas, and what are their names?

• Find a book which describes the traditional cuisine of Hindus.• Locate a resource which has the history of the national anthem.• Look up and find the titles of journals that focus on the arts and

crafts of indigenous people in the Caribbean.• Find an online exhibition of art on the Internet.• How many places can one find out about Junkanoo? (library

catalogues, internet, archival manuscripts, museum exhibitions)


CORE PROCESSES AND TASKS: LEARN Facilitator’s tasks Facilitate the learning of the group, paying attention to any individual difficulties; outline moral, legal and ethical issues in the use of information, including privacy and data security.

Learner’s tasks Read, listen, watch, absorb, make notes, integrate, summarizekey points.

LEARN: SUGGESTED TASKS• Read the first three chapters of “How to be a True-True

Bahamian” by Patricia Glinton-Meichols, and make notes on the key features of the influences on traditional Bahamian culture described in these chapters.

• Listen to the following two recordings of speeches by the Minister of Education, Science and technology, then make notes on his key points;

• Watch the following two documentaries about the tradition of Junkanoo online, make notes on their key features, and then compare the two, noting the differences and similarities. Look critically for any inaccuracies and note them.

• Read the three newspaper articles about contested interpretations of Bahamian history, and note the main points of each of them



EVALUATE Facilitator’s tasksProvide training in critical thinking skills; facilitate group role-play in analyzing information; include media analysis.

Learner’s tasks Critical analysis; question, deconstruct arguments; practice cultural sensitivity; note moral, legal and ethical issues.

EVALUATE: SUGGESTED TASKSExamples of cultural heritage chosen for evaluation and analysis should be culturally sensitive to the crystallized norms of the group.

Examples of inappropriate subject selection include:• critical analysis of the political leadership in a country

that imprisons its citizens for criticizing its leaders;• the deconstruction of a religious practice in a group

where some or most participants practice that religion;Examples of appropriate subject selection include:• analyzing and deconstructing the main arguments of

different eyewitness testimonies and interpretations of a historical cultural event;

• exploring competing historical narratives of a colonizing event in a particular country, and identifying flawed arguments (look for examples of logical fallicies)



CREATE Facilitator’s tasksProvide training in basic writing, use of computers, PowerPoint, social media.

Learner’s tasks Create and write a story of cultural heritage, using visualand audio material.

CREATE: SUGGESTED TASKSThis stage invites the participants to create their own story of cultural heritage, which could be taken from their own experiences or which could be imaginary, depending on their preference for privacy.

Subject matter can include:• tracing family history from old birth and death records in the

archives;• telling a story about a family tradition;• writing and sharing a recipe for preparing food for a traditional

cultural event, with illustrations;• compiling an online scrapbook of memories of cultural festivals

(example – Junkanoo in the Bahamas), with digital photographs);• compose song lyrics to accompany music that celebrates a cultural

group.

CREATE (CAN CONNECT CULTURES ACROSS THE WORLD) BAHAMAS TO AND FROM SOUTH AFRICA



SHARE Facilitator’s tasksEnsure a supportive and receptive environment for the presentations; provide further assistance in the use of social media, and media literacy. Learner’s tasks Orally present the story to the group, using PowerPoint; write a blog entry, or create a page on Facebook, link to them using Twitter.

SHARING CAN BE SPEAKING, PRESENTING, SINGING, DANCING, STORY TELLING, PLAYING MUSIC


CORE PROCESSES AND TASKS: FEEDBACK Facilitator’s tasksEnsure a supportive and receptive environment for the feedback; mediate when any negative feelings are experienced Learner’s tasksReceive feedback on own creations; give constructive feedback to others on their creations.


CORE PROCESSES AND TASKS: MODIFY Facilitator’s tasks Provide support for the modification process; note where the courses themselves may need to be adapted, modified and updated based on learner feedback.

Learner’s tasks Modify the creations based on feedback, to add context or correct any errors.


GENERIC LEARNING OUTCOMES: (British Museums, Libraries and Archives Council, 2005)SKILLS

information literacy cultural heritage awareness worldview literacy critical thinking skills lifelong learning media literacy

intergenerational literacy

ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Cultural sensitivity flexibility able to apply critical thinking skills in a manner that isculturally sensitive tolerant of different worldviews

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING

development of fluid intelligence, recognition of crystallized intelligence; ethical use of information; understanding of moral rights, copyright and intellectual property issues; privacy; datasecurity; knowledge of a variety of cultural heritage practices and traditions; understanding of the resources and activities availablefrom museums, archives and libraries.

BEHAVIOUR AND ACTIVITY

engages in continuous lifelong learning of cultural heritageand other areas ability to give and receive constructive feedback engages in constructive dialog visits museums, libraries and archives to learn more andto enjoy ongoing cultural programs, exhibitions andactivities

ENJOYMENT, INSPIRATION AND

CREATIVITY

lifelong learning for pleasure continuously explores new areas of learning in thecultural heritage field, and beyond creates, communicates, presents and modifies narrativesin a variety of formats for enjoyment.


Measurement: Personal Meaning Mapping:

Measures: extent of knowledge and feelings breadth of understanding depth of understanding mastery possessed by an individual on a given topic.

PERSONAL MEANING MAPPING (PMM)• PMM consists of providing candidates, beforetraining, with a

sheet of paper with concepts listed. (Can also be done online)

• Concepts can include: “information literacy;” “cultural heritage;” “museums;” “archives;” “libraries;” “critical thinking,” or any other concepts identified by course designers as important.

• The concepts can be listed in one colour, such as black. The candidates then write or draw anything that comes to mind for them in association with those concepts – this could be words, images, ideas, beliefs, opinions or feelings.

• The facilitator then interviews the candidate for further clarity, and makes any notes in a different colour, such as red.

PERSONAL MEANING MAPPING (PMM) (CONT)• The sheet of paper is kept until the conclusion of the training.

• At the end of the course, candidates are asked to add new words, thoughts, opinions, images and ideas to the original sheet of paper, this time in a third colour, such as green

• Finally, the facilitator interviews the candidates on the new additions, and summarizes them in a fourth colour, such as blue. The completed sheets are retained by the facilitator, and can be used for evaluating outcomes achieved and for reviewing courses and training. They can also be a source of rich qualitative data, and the public have the opportunity to include suggestions for improvements or new content to be added to the courses.

CONTEXTUAL FLUIDITYThis model is contextually fluid, and can be constantly updated, adapted and revised in response to:

• country-specific contexts, languages and cultures;• feedback from learners, the changing needs of learners,

different groups of learners; changes to the environment (in museums, archives and libraries) and world events globally;

• new developments in the fields of cultural heritage, information literacy and lifelong learning;

• new digital media and technological developments.


This presentation was based on selected Fair Use extracts from Chapters 5 and 6 of the book:

Baker, Kim. 2013. Information Literacy and Cultural Heritage: Developing a Model for Lifelong Learning. Oxford:Chandos Publishing.

Available for online order here:http://store.elsevier.com/product.jsp?locale=en_US&isbn=9781843347200

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION

Kim Baker

Blog: http://kimbakercapetown.wordpress.comE-mail: [email protected]: @iKbaker

Download - INFORMATION LITERACY AND CULTURAL HERITAGE FOR LIFELONG LEARNING: THE MODEL Kim Baker

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