Information Literacy in Europe, MIL and
Sustainable Development goals
Sheila Webber,
Information School,
University of
Sheffield, UK
WLIC, Columbus,
USA, August 2016

Outline
• Some notes on Information Literacy in Europe
• UNESCO’s MIL initiative and GAPMIL European
Sub-Chapter
• Relating IL to UN SDG
Sheila Webber, 2016
This presentation at
http://www.slideshare.net/sheilawebber

A varying picture
• Different educational systems and approaches
• Differing approaches to national healthcare
• Different Government priorities
• Different histories
• Different languages
• Different economic issues
• Differing situation of public library services
• (and so forth)
Sheila Webber, 2016

• Informationskompetenz
• la maîtrise de l’information
• La culture d’information
• Informaatiolukutaito
• Informationskompetens
• La alfabetización informacional
• Las competencias informacionales
• (etc.)
Different
languages
and
different
translations
leading to
different
meanings
Sheila Webber, 2016

Different models, frameworks,
conferences, associations etc. e.g.
• Models and frameworks used in the UK include
– SCONUL 7 Pillars model used in higher education;
– James Herring’s PLUS model (Purpose Location Use
Self-evaluation) used in some schools
– Welsh Information Literacy project & Framework
– Scottish IL Community of Practice & Framework
– Royal College of Nursing’s Nursing, midwifery health and
social care information literacy competences
– InformALL’s Determining the Value of Information
Literacy for Employers tool
Sheila Webber, 2016

Some other examples of models or
frameworks
• Information Literacy Standards for University students
(2009) (Germany) (see
http://www.unesco.org/new/fileadmin/MULTIMEDIA/HQ/CI/CI/p
df/Events/mil2016_lativa_forum_fabian_franke.pdf)
• AKVS/ IVIG (2008). The concept of Information education in
universities in the Czech Republic (includes standards for
IL) http://www.akvs.cz/komise-iniciativy/komise-
ivig/dokumenty/zakladni-dokumenty-o-iv-a-ig/
• Three phases model (searching/ managing/ communication)
proposed by Blasco Olivares & Durban Roca (2012) (Spain)
• InFlow model (outcome of a European project, iTec)
https://sites.google.com/site/inflowinformationflow/
Sheila Webber, 2016

Sheila Webber, 2016
Source: https://sites.google.com/site/inflowinformationflow/

UNESCO and
Media and
Information
Literacy

“UNESCO’s strategy brings together these two fields [Information
Literacy and Media Literacy] as a combined set of competencies
(knowledge, skills and attitude) necessary for life and work today.
MIL considers all forms of media and other information providers
such as libraries, archive, museums and Internet irrespective of
technologies used.” (UNESCO, 2016)
The ecology of
MIL, notions of
MIL (Wilson et
al., 2011: 19)
Sheila Webber, 2016

Intercultural dialogue
“Intercultural dialogue is largely dependent on intercultural
competencies, defined as the complex of abilities needed to
interact appropriately with those who are different from
oneself. These abilities are essentially communicative in
nature, but they also involve reconfiguring our perspectives
and understandings of the world; for it is not so much cultures
as people – individuals and groups, with their complexities
and multiple allegiances – who are engaged in the process of
dialogue”
(Grizzle and Carme Torras Calvo, 2013:151)
Sheila Webber, 2016

Intercultural dialogue
Includes “Indigenous/traditional knowledge and
sharing; Religious freedom/inter- faith dialogue;
Conflict aspect of cultural diversity; Inter-generational
dialogue” (ibid, 154)
Also strongly mentioned are diversity of media
representation and freedom of expression.
Sheila Webber, 2016

MIL curriculum for teachers: core
modules
• Citizenship, freedom of expression and information, access to
information, democratic discourse and life-long learning
• Understanding the news, media and information ethics
• Representation in media and information
• Languages in media and information
• Advertising
• New and traditional media
• Internet opportunities and challenges
• Information literacy and library skills
• Communication, MILl and learning
Is being piloted in a number of countries
Sheila Webber, 2016

Most large conferences result in a
declaration/ recommendation on MIL
• Paris Agenda-12 Recommendations on MIL (2007)
• Fez Declaration on MIL (2011)
• Moscow Declaration on MIL (2012)
• Framework and Action Plan of the Global Alliance
for Partnerships on MIL (2013)
• Paris Declaration on MIL in the Digital Age (2014)
• Riga Recommendations on MIL in a Shifting Media
and Information Landscape (2016)
Sheila Webber, 2016

Global Alliance for Partnerships on
Media and Information Literacy
Formed in 2013 with interim international committee;
2015 established regional chapters with interim
committees; Any organisation can join
http://www.unesco.org/new/en/communication-and-information/media-
development/media-literacy/global-alliance-for-partnerships-on-media-and-
information-literacy/
Ignore the 2013 deadline
mentioned on the page linked
here
Fill in the form AND join the
discussion forum
Sheila Webber, 2016

“GAPMIL seeks to globally reposition
MIL around the core objectives of:
• “Articulating key strategic partnerships to drive MIL
development globally and its application to eight key
development areas e.g. “Governance, citizenship and
freedom of expression”
• “Enabling the MIL community to speak and address, with a
unified voice, certain critical matters, including the need for
policies; and
• “Further deepening the strategy for MIL to be treated as a
composite concept by providing a common platform for
MIL related networks and associations globally that will
ensure convergence of regional and international initiative
and amplification of global impact.”

GAPMIL European chapter
• Interim committee – UNESCO invited people
associated with organisations or large projects or
initiatives
• Mainly academics/researchers; larger number of
people from Media Literacy, although there is now
awareness of imbalance
• Met in Paris in October 15, Forum in June 16
• Like IFLA – don’t normally get expenses, so relies
on you or your employer funding them
Sheila Webber, 2016

GAPMIL activities so far?
• Conferences, MILID/MIL week
• Statements/ recommendations
• MOOCs / online training
• Publications
• Initiatives on piloting the curriculum and
assessment guidelines
• Lobbying
Sheila Webber, 2016

2nd European Media and Information
Literacy Forum: links
• Storify https://storify.com/sheilayoshikawa/2nd-european-mil-forum-riga-
latvia-27-29-june-2016
• My liveblogs of the conference: http://information-
literacy.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/2ndeurmil
• Conference presentations http://www.unesco.org/new/en/communication-and-
information/media-development/media-literacy/global-alliance-for-
partnerships-on-media-and-information-literacy/second-european-media-and-
information-literacy-forum/
• Riga Recommendations on MIL in a Shifting Media and Information
Landscape http://www.unesco.org/new/en/media-services/single-
view/news/riga_recommendations_highlight_media_and_information_literac/
• Twitter stream https://twitter.com/search?q=%232ndeurmil
Sheila Webber, 2016

Sustainable Development Goals
https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdgs

Look at the SDGs with MIL lenses!
• Just taking the first 6 – pulling out some broad ways in
which MIL supports the goal
• Messages from earlier in the conference – to act and
also have confidence in the value of what we do
(ignoring the put-downs)
• Often the MIL of those in power needs development, in
order for the disadvantaged to benefit – with this
aspect, sometimes be more cunning, sometimes
persuasive, sometimes assertive
• Roles: e.g. researching, scoping, implementing,
reflecting, documenting
Sheila Webber, 2016

IL opportunities include …
1 “No poverty” – enabling people to use information
resources in all forms so they can have “access to basic
services, ownership and control over land and other forms
of property, inheritance, natural resources, appropriate
new technology and financial services” – developing IL of
officials & administrators so they are better able to identify
and solve problems – many different groups affected
2 “Zero hunger” – developing citizens’ nutritional literacy
and developing farmers’ ability to use information to farm
sustainably
Sheila Webber, 2016

3 “Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for
all at all ages”- understanding (investigating) the real
information experience of those living with diseases
such as HIV/AIDs, to develop more effective, culturally-
senstive information and awareness campaigns, and to
develop the IL of patients, carers, medical and
administrative staff – engagement in health literacy work
with people of all ages – increasing IL in use of food and
health apps (e.g. food logging)
Sheila Webber, 2016

4 “Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education
and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all”
– IL programmes (in and outside formal education) that
“ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and
skills needed to promote sustainable development,
including, among others, through education for
sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles”
(e.g. more informed choices) – this goal also includes
development of literacy – outreach programmes from
unis to less priveleged schools
Sheila Webber, 2016

5 “Achieve gender equality and empower all women
and girls” – initiatives or programmes that are enabling
girls and women to become more confident and skilled
in engaging with information in all its forms, to improve
their lives and achieve their potential (all age groups!)
6 “Ensure availability and sustainable management
of water and sanitation for all” – supporting
understanding of how a good local knowledge base can
be developed, for use by experts and accessible to
citizens
Sheila Webber, 2016

Questions
• Am I already working with IL to meet SDGs?
• Will it help others if I document and share this
work?
• How can I develop this work further?
• Who might be partners?
• What are the most feasible/ important next steps –
the next goal I’d like to work on?
• Power of the global community of librarians
Sheila Webber, 2016

“Find your inner activist”
Maura Marx, on Sunday
Sheila Webber, 2016

Sheila Webber
s.webber@sheffield.ac.uk
http://information-literacy.blogspot.com/
http://www.slideshare.net/sheilawebber
Twitter: @sheilayoshikawa
SL: Sheila Yoshikawa
Orcid ID 0000-0002-2280-9519
Pictures by Sheila Webber

References
• Blasco Olivares, A. & Durban Roca, G. (2012). La competencia informacional en la
enseñanza obligatoria a partir de la articulación de un modelo específico. Revista Española
de Documentación Científica, 100-135.
http://redc.revistas.csic.es/index.php/redc/article/viewArticle/746 (chapter in a book edited by
A. Calderón-Rehecho, Competencias sin competencia: la ALFIN y sus circunstancias)
• Grizzle, A. and Carme Torras Calvo (Eds) (2013). Media and Information Literacy: policy and
strategy guidelines. Paris: UNESCO.
• Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia. (2007). Real Decreto 1631/2006, de 29 de diciembre, por
el que se establecen las enseñanzas mínimas correspondientes a la Educación Secundaria
Obligatoria. (BOE-A-2007-238). http://www.boe.es/
• UNESCO (2016) Media and Information Literacy.
http://www.unesco.org/new/en/communication-and-information/media-development/media-
literacy/mil-as-composite-concept/
• Wilson, C. et al (2011) Media and information literacy curriculum for teachers. Paris:
UNESCO. http://www.unesco.org/new/en/communication-and-
information/resources/publications-and-communication-materials/publications/full-list/media-
and-information-literacy-curriculum-for-teachers/
Sheila Webber, 2016

UK models etc.
• SCONUL 7 Pillars model
http://www.sconul.ac.uk/sites/default/files/documents/coremodel.
pdf
• James Herring’s model http://farrer.csu.edu.au/PLUS/
• Welsh Information Literacy project & Framework
https://libraries.wales/national-information-literacy-framework/
• Scottish IL Community of Practice & Framework
http://www.therightinformation.org/framework-home/
• Royal College of Nursing’s Nursing, midwifery health and social
care information literacy competences (2011)
https://www.rcn.org.uk/professional-
development/publications/pub-003847
• InformALL’s Determining the Value of Information Literacy for Employers
tool https://www.informall.org.uk/employment/il-value/il-value-tool/