Table Of ContentVolume 9, Issue 2, 2015 [THOUGHTS ON THE FRAMEWORK]
T R H
HIS IS EALLY APPENING
Criticality and discussions of context in ACRL’s Framework
for Information Literacy
Kevin P. Seeber The development of the ACRL Framework for
University of Colorado Denver Information Literacy has sparked an immense
amount of conversation among academic
librarians, though the profession is still far
from consensus with regards to if, when, or
how the document should be implemented.
This essay argues that despite debates over
various points within the text, the overall
theme of the Framework is a call for librarians
and educators to recognize the importance of
context when discussing information literacy.
As this relates to the curriculum of higher
education, instruction and assignments can no
longer afford to separate "school" from "real
life." Classroom instruction must recognize the
political, cultural, and socioeconomic
dimensions of information, as well as the
systems of privilege and oppression that
accompany these dimensions, and encourage
students to critically engage with these systems
when conducting research and creating
information.
[PERSPECTIVES EDITED BY ROBERT SCHROEDER]
157
Seeber, This is Really Happening Communications in Information Literacy 9(2), 2015
A LOT HAS HAPPENED always seems to be shifting. While some
professionals have sought to explain the
I was at a statewide library unconference a strengths of the document and discuss its
few weeks ago. In keeping with the implementation (Oakleaf, 2014; Townsend,
unconference format, the day opened with Lu, Hofer, & Brunetti 2015; Witek, 2015),
all the attendees sitting around a big table, others have offered thoughtful critiques,
tossing out ideas for different sessions. voicing a variety of concerns and
Topics included "dealing with library reservations (Beilin, 2015; Seale, 2015;
renovations," "looking for more outreach Wilkinson, 2014). As I attended conferences
opportunities," and "developing roving this past year and spoke with librarians from
reference models." I recommended that we wide and far, I was struck by how many
"talk about the Framework." Almost people were effectively “in the middle”
immediately, a colleague and friend of mine when it came to the Framework. They liked
followed by recommending that we "talk parts, disliked others, and were wondering
about Framework fatigue.” what, if anything, they should do next.
I could easily relate to the sentiment. Which is why, for the purposes of this
Beginning with the release of “Draft 1, Part essay, I would like to step back for a
1” in February 2014, the ACRL Framework moment. I would like to set aside
for Information Literacy for Higher discussions of threshold concept theory,
Education has sparked more discussion, metaliteracy, and assessment of student
debate, and reflection on what it means to learning. Likewise, I would prefer not
be an instruction librarian than any other address the structure of the Framework,
event in my decade in academic libraries. parsing the difference between “knowledge
The process of drafting, reviewing, revising, practices” and “dispositions.” I will not
critiquing, and implementing the document argue why the wording of a certain frame
has generated untold numbers of tweets, should be changed to have that “as” become
blogs, and conference presentations, and an “is.” I do not want to get into whether or
now we are beginning to see the not teaching information literacy is the job
conversation expand into the scholarly of librarians or other disciplinary faculty, or
literature. It is also worth noting that all of whether or not we can “teach the
this published and presented material, Framework” in a one-shot. I have feelings
immense as it is, rests alongside still more about a lot of these topics, and critical
conversations, taking place in coffee shops discussions around them need to continue,
and conference rooms and a thousand other but for now I will leave these areas to my
casual settings. colleagues to address.
For those of us who have been following the My purpose in writing this essay is to
process closely and trying to get a handle on explore the Framework solely as a
where the professional consensus is, it has pedagogical document. To read the filed
required quite a bit of time and energy. One version, divorced from the earlier drafts and
of the most challenging aspects for me has accompanying literature, what does the
been trying to find footing on ground that document say about our interactions with
[THOUGHTS ON THE FRAMEWORK]
158
Seeber, This is Really Happening Communications in Information Literacy 9(2), 2015
students? Are there any overarching themes order to prepare students for whatever
that appear within the text? How might comes next. The Framework certainly deals
these ideas be shared with colleagues with concepts that are relevant for college
outside of librarianship? How likely are they students, but it is not solely for this group,
to be incorporated into the broader and it contains ideas that are relevant for
curriculum of higher education? In other anyone interacting with information in
words, what does the Framework mean for contemporary society.
our profession and our practice?
Beyond discussing context, the Framework
CONTEXT AND CRITICALITY also makes clear that we should be critical
of that context as we interact with
I have been on “Team Framework” more or information. Researchers are encouraged to
less from the beginning, and despite the question how and why information is
critiques that have been offered, I continue produced and disseminated, as well as how
to find the document to be energizing and and why they could, or could not, use that
full of potential. That is not to say that I information to achieve their goals. The text
think it is perfect, only that I think it moves draws from the critical information literacy
our work in a much better direction. But movement, which resists linear models of
why? What about the Framework has instruction that prevent “an analysis of how
resonated with me so much? In an attempt individual students in specific contexts and
to better understand my own support, I tried communities encounter information”
my best to wipe the slate clean, forget about (Elmborg, 2006, p. 194). Seale (2015)
all of the conversations that have been going recently noted that the Framework borrows
on, and re-read the document with fresh heavily from critical information literacy,
eyes. I printed a shiny new copy, took a and that the filed document “is not anything
walk across my campus, and sat down on a like the decontextualized, ahistorical, and
bench with a pen, a highlighter, and an open apolitical Standards we knew and hated” (p.
mind. 2-3).
Over the next hour, as I read the text and I will go through the six frames included in
scribbled notes throughout the margins, I the document and investigate how the
rediscovered what I liked about it so much. notion of context is discussed within each
The Framework talks about information as one. I understand that there is still debate
it exists “in the real world.” Unlike most of over the wording and scope of some of these
the curriculum of higher education, which frames, and acknowledge that the document
creates a false binary between “school” and is not meant to be adopted as is by libraries,
“real life,” the Framework addresses the but rather adapted to each individual
notion of “context” head on, and challenges institution. Still, I think that reviewing these
anyone thinking about information to situate individual components provides a better
themselves, and the information with which understanding of the document as a whole,
they interact, within that larger context. and gives librarians a clearer picture of what
Gone is a curriculum formed by a series of the Framework means and how it could be
steps, all of which must be completed in incorporated into the curriculum of higher
[THOUGHTS ON THE FRAMEWORK]
159
Seeber, This is Really Happening Communications in Information Literacy 9(2), 2015
education. contexts, such as academia or the
workplace.” It is unfortunate that this frame
EXAMPLES FROM THE FRAMES lists only the examples of “academia or the
workplace,” and does not address other
Of the six frames, “Authority is Constructed venues for seeking and applying
and Contextual" is the most explicit in its information. At the same time, however, the
acknowledgement of the role of context, frame does not portray the former as
going so far as to include the word in its preparation for the latter, and the underlying
title. The frame’s definition states that concept is seen as being applicable in
“information resources reflect their creators’ multiple environments, rather than limited
expertise and credibility, and are evaluated to just one or the other.
based on the information need and the
context in which the information will be This discussion of context continues with
used.” Here the document discusses the “Information has Value,” which clearly
context which creates the information, as states that “legal and socioeconomic
well as the context in which it is applied, interests influence information production
and how “authority” is conditional in both and dissemination.” It goes on to explain
settings. It goes on to state that researchers that “the value of information is manifested
need “to acknowledge biases that privilege in various contexts, including publishing
some sources of authority over others, practices, information access, the
especially in terms of others’ worldviews, commodification of personal information,
gender, sexual orientation, and cultural and intellectual property laws,” and that
orientations.” This wording clearly is rooted recognizing these contexts allows
in critical information literacy, and invites researchers to “understand that value may
both students and educators to interrogate be wielded by powerful interests in ways
the context surrounding information and that marginalize certain voices.” This frame
reveal the systems of privilege and invites us, and our students, to explore the
oppression at work. Likewise, a disposition interrelationship between oppressive
attached to this frame calls for students to systems and our valuing of information. A
“develop awareness of the importance of knowledge practice associated with this
assessing content with a skeptical stance and frame calls for students to “understand how
with a self-awareness of their own biases and why some individuals or groups of
and worldview.” individuals may be underrepresented or
systematically marginalized within the
The next frame, “Information Creation as a systems that produce and disseminate
Process,” shares a lot with “Authority is information.”
Constructed and Contextual,” in that the
concept is centered on a context (in this Of the six frames, “Research as Inquiry” is
case, a process), and discusses how that probably the least direct in its discussion of
context contributes to these ideas of context, though the idea of “inquiry” itself
authority or credibility. The frame calls on provides the context in which information is
students to “recognize that information being sought and applied. It also makes
creations are valued differently in different clear that “this process of inquiry extends
[THOUGHTS ON THE FRAMEWORK]
160
Seeber, This is Really Happening Communications in Information Literacy 9(2), 2015
beyond the academic world to the than others.
community at large, and the process of
inquiry may also focus upon personal, Lastly, “Searching as Strategic Exploration”
professional, or societal needs.” Here, again, is similarly explicit about situating research
the Framework addresses different settings, within “the real world,” stating that
but does not separate the concept’s “information searching is a contextualized,
applicability between them, and instead complex experience that affects, and is
notes that it is useful in multiple venues. affected by, the searcher’s cognitive,
There is also a disposition attached to this affective, and social dimensions.” In many
frame calling for students to “maintain an ways, that sentence encapsulates the
open mind and a critical stance” with Framework’s recognition of, and emphasis
regards to the information they encounter. on, the need to discuss context in the
Considering how that “critical stance” is classroom. It makes clear that information is
acknowledged in the other frames, we can made in different ways, valued for different
see that this frame encourages students to reasons, and used to achieve different ends.
consider broader contexts of how If students are to be successful in their
information is created and shared as they search for answers, they will need to
use it to answer their own questions. consider a number of factors which go well
beyond what librarians have covered in
In the way that the previous frame implies more traditional instruction sessions.
context on the part of the person seeking
information, “Scholarship as Conversation” MY POINT BEING…?
discusses the context surrounding how
information is created and debated. The The main question I asked myself at the
frame includes language about “varied start of this process was “What does the
perspectives and interpretations,” and how Framework mean for our profession and our
multiple viewpoints must be considered as practice?” Teaching librarians are grappling
“users and creators come together and with just how to answer that question, and I
negotiate meaning.” It calls on students to realize that the profession is far from
“suspend judgment on the value of a consensus on if, when, and how to apply
particular piece of scholarship until the this text to our work. The document itself
larger context for the scholarly conversation calls for individual programs to adapt,
is better understood,” as well as including replace, or ignore these frames as each
another disposition that researchers library sees fit. Considering those realities
“recognize that systems privilege authorities then, how can we observe the larger
and that not having a fluency in the implications of the Framework?
language and process of a discipline
disempowers their ability to participate and Through my analysis of context and
engage.” Readers of the Framework are criticality in the document, I demonstrated
reminded that there are no absolutes when it that regardless of how individuals apply the
comes to information, and it would be Framework, the overall theme of the text is
disingenuous to present certain kinds of one of connecting academic research with
information as being more true or correct the world around us. We cannot afford to
[THOUGHTS ON THE FRAMEWORK]
161
Seeber, This is Really Happening Communications in Information Literacy 9(2), 2015
base our instruction on finding the CAPAL Conference in Ottawa, Pashia
information necessary to complete the (2015) described how she had adapted her
assignment at hand without likewise for-credit information literacy course to
discussing the political, cultural, and focus on media narratives surrounding the
socioeconomic factors which contribute to events in Ferguson, Missouri. And
the creation and dissemination of that Pagowsky and Wallace (2015) have written
information. Regardless of the nuances in about their experiences with collecting
how these frames are used by different information related to the Black Lives
libraries, any meaningful incorporation of Matter movement to share with students and
the Framework requires that librarians and faculty on their university campus. In all of
faculty recognize their own biases, and these examples, librarians are moving their
bring to an end the notion of neutrality in instruction beyond simple tasks, and are
their work. instead embracing the complexity of
information and the context surrounding it.
That means that a model of information
literacy instruction which universally In closing, I would like to reiterate my view
praises scholarly research and devalues that the Framework is an important
alternative venues of information document not just for information literacy,
dissemination is no longer valid. To tell but for higher education. It represents a
students “that’s the way it is in college” robs professional sentiment that instruction
them of the opportunity to engage in these cannot be separated from the world in which
discussions of context, and it is incumbent it is taking place. It also challenges
upon us to recognize that students are practitioners to interrogate many issues,
already experiencing complex relationships including privilege and oppression, which
with information in real time. This is the have historically been ignored in the
real world. To present rules and guidelines academy. There will almost certainly be
in a vacuum, devoid of context, deprives our resistance to these ideas, both within
students of the recognition that their lived librarianship and outside of it, but we cannot
experiences have value, and that they likely say that the Framework has failed to spark
have encountered many of the concepts new and necessary conversations about the
included in the Framework, even if they did nature of our work as librarians and
not put those understandings in these educators.
specific terms.
REFERENCES
While these ideas may seem challenging to
some in the profession, there are a number
Association of College and Research
of librarians who have embraced this
Libraries. (2015). Framework for
approach to information literacy instruction,
information literacy for higher education.
and are actively bringing discussions of
Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/acrl/
contemporary context into their work.
standards/ilframework
Tewell and Angell (2015) have developed
new and different in-class activities to
Beilin, I. (2015). Beyond the threshold:
address the idea of authority. During the
Conformity, resistance, and the ACRL
[THOUGHTS ON THE FRAMEWORK]
162
Seeber, This is Really Happening Communications in Information Literacy 9(2), 2015
Information Literacy Framework for Higher uploads/2015/06/7A_Seale_paper.pdf
Education. In the Library with the Lead
Pipe, February 25, 2015. Retrieved from Tewell, E., & Angell, K. (2015, May).
http://www.inthelibrarywiththeleadpipe.org/ Elevating source evaluation: Teaching and
2015/beyond-the-threshold-conformity- un-teaching authority in the critical library
resistance-and-the-aclr-information-literacy- classroom. Presentation at the 43rd annual
framework-for-higher-education/. LOEX conference, Denver, Colorado.
Retrieved from
Elmborg, J. (2006). Critical information http://www.loexconference.org/
literacy: Implications for instructional presentations/tewellPresentation.pptx
practice. Journal of Academic
Librarianship, 32(2), 192-199. Townsend, L., Lu, S., Hofer, A. & Brunetti,
K. (2015, January 30). What’s the matter
Oakleaf, M. (2014). A roadmap for with threshold concepts? [Web log
assessing student learning using the new comment]. Retrieved from http://
Framework for Information Literacy for acrlog.org/2015/01/30/whats-the-matter-
Higher Education. Journal of Academic with-threshold-concepts/
Librarianship, 40(5). Retrieved from http://
meganoakleaf.info/framework.pdf Wilkinson, L. (2014, June 19). The problem
with threshold concepts [Web log
Pashia, A. (2015, June). Information literacy comment]. Retrieved from https://
through the lens of Ferguson. Presentation senseandreference.wordpress.com/2014/06/
at the second annual conference of the 19/the-problem-with-threshold-concepts/
Canadian Association of Professional
Academic Librarians, Ottawa, Ontario. Witek, D. (2015, January 27). Sunrise,
Abstract retrieved from http:// sunset: A reflection on assessment and the
capalibrarians.org/wp/wp-content/ Framework for Information Literacy for
uploads/2015/06/6A_Pashia_abstract.pdf Higher Education [Web log comment].
Retrieved from http://acrlog.org/
Pagowsky, N., & Wallace, N. (2015). Black 2015/01/27/sunrise-sunset-a-reflection-on-
lives matter!: Shedding library neutrality assessment-and-the-framework-for-
rhetoric for social justice. College & information-literacy-for-higher-education/
Research Libraries News, 76(4), 196-214.
Retrieved from http://crln.acrl.org/
content/76/4/196.full
Seale, M. (2015, June). Enlightenment,
neoliberalism, and information literacy.
Paper presented at the second annual
conference of the Canadian Association of
Professional Academic Librarians, Ottawa,
Ontario. Retrieved from http://
capalibrarians.org/wp/wp-content/
[THOUGHTS ON THE FRAMEWORK]
163
