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Dr. Kim Phaik Lah |
Introduction The National Information Technology Agenda (NITA, 1996) of Malaysia envisages that by year 2020, Malaysia will build a civil society (masyarakat madani) where all Malaysians will have access to information and learning through infostructure for personal, organisational and national advancement; information and knowledge applications will provide the basis to further enhance Quality of Work and Life Information technology is changing the way Malaysians approach literacy learning and use of language . In many ways, it is a dramatic change for those who have to use high technology electronic media for communication. The emphasis in literacy education is to develop information literate people and knowledge workers, enabled by the new information technology. The questions and issues raised are: What are the characteristics of information literate people? How can these characteristics be developed? How can information literate person contributes as knowledge worker in a civil society in the 21st century? How can educational initiatives and innovative projects spearhead changes in developing knowledge workers and civil society for the next decade? Based on the above questions and issues, the present paper seeks to highlight a number of areas of interest in linking higher education to information literacy education. Firstly, it explores the notions of information literacy and its role in literacy education. Secondly, it discusses a case study of a project presently carried out at higher education in Malaysia with regard to the promotion of information literacy. Lastly, it proposes the focus for diversity in innovative efforts which
can spearhead changes and facilitate advancement in information education. The notions of information literacy and its role in literacy education It is widely recognised that the views and notions of what is literacy change dramatically in the last tow decades (Kim, 1992. It no longer defines simplistically as the ability to read and write. Literacy now encompasses the ability to acquire new skills and knowledge which include thinking skills and skills in using information technology. In the literacy learning and development, the processes of gathering, synthesizing and using information is beginning to assume equal importance as the mechanics of reading and writing. The importance of information technology and information literacy skills enable the learners to be effective information gatherers in the digital age. An important study in defining the notion of information literacy can be seen from Christine Bruce's research project and INFOLIT BLUEPRINT on the characteristics of information literate person (ref: ww.gu.edu.au/gwis/ins.infolit/blueprnt.html). The diagrams in Appendix 1 & 2 depict the aspects and characteristics essential for defining the notion of information literate person. The diagrams illustrate that, that person is one who engages in independent self-directed learning using a variety of information technologies. Self-directed learning is an important feature in developing information literacy learning and it emphases the ability to take responsibility for his/her own learning and is equipped with strategies for keeping up-to-date with developments of using and disseminating information. An info-literate person approaches information critically; able to implement information processes, uses information systems and technologies to enhance learning' develops and information style and values which promote information use. The model of information. Another notion of info literacy is linked with the notion of thinking skills in particular problem-solving skills. For example, the model proposed by Eisenberg suggests that there are steps such as task definition, information seeking strategies, location and access, use of information and synthesis and evaluation of information. It is relevant in the context of promoting literacy education to explore these steps. In Malaysia, the present and chief executive office of MIMos (Malysian Institute of Microelectronic Systems), Tengku Mohd. Azzman Shariffadeen suggests that an info literate society must attain a high level of information literacy so that they can identity, use and manipulate information (Management Times, Oct 28, 1997). The increase demands and needs to address the issues and problems of info literacy are evident as the aims of life-long continual learning depends very much on acquisition of learning skills such as learning to learn, learning to be, learning to know. Recently, UNESCO has made regional consideration of the Delors Report a priority and forum are organised enabling Asia-Pacific education leaders to be involved in discussing the agenda for life-long learning. Life-long Learning is a major thrust of the Delors Report. Adult education is seen as being no longer a luxury but a necessity. The conference will also aim to enhance the partnerships between business, industry and education, thus enhancing the relevance of the rapidly developing vocational and training programs. The issues addressed are related to professionalism in adult literacy. It is evident that info literacy, adult literacy and life-long learning need to be addressed in greater depth and the role of higher education in promoting literacy is of great importance learning in mind that innovation in teaching, research and community services can be spearheaded by the higher education institutions.
The present case of study is an example of linking higher education to promotion of infoliteracy BERU (Basic Education Research Unit is a unit in University sains Malaysia. It operates as a unit of knowledge provider and motivator in linking higher education in the areas of basic education. It is a centre of excellence for strengthening basic education especially in the areas of providing basic literacy and life long learning skills. It has spearheaded many of our first generation information technology development with projects using modules of various media (printed, audio and video). For example the Project InSpire which begun in 1977 and is still going strong in the education of the rural children; the Boleh Buat" Motivational Project in 1990; the Literacy Development in Schools Project (1992-97); and the more recent Program SIPI. are some of the R and D flagships of BERU; USM. Recently BERU embarked on a program called infoliteracy via telelearning The main aims of Program InfoLit-TeleLearning are:
The methodologies and strategies to conduct he R & D of InfoLit-TeleLearning) are:
The Program was initiated in 1996. It stated by examining the international, national, regional and local planing activities of Telecommunication IT efforts are cantered in introducing access to telelearning facilities and services and building the TCIT communities of end-users. It was recognised that very little attention is paid on to transformating the learning organisation and creating paradigmic shifts in learning culture; especially the learning culture of life-long learning and acquisition of infoliteracy skills. It is apparent that learning and infostructure to build a new civil and knowledge society in Malaysia begins with end-users; of whom most of them are beginning learners. It is essential that to identify their needs in learning, especially their information literacy needs in order to facilitate them to drive changes; to be driven by changes; and to manage changes in our country. Thus, the use of physical, human and financial resources need to be geared to understand these learners' needs so that better coordination and more effective and efficient use of TCIT can be achieve. It is suggested that Project Infolit: TeleLearning should take the lead in the R & D activities to promote greater understanding of the nature of learning in the new TCIT contexts. Some of the attempts to understand leaners' needs in telelearning began in 1996 with the cooperative efforts and and supports of the Penang State Government, CELCOM and BERU, USM under the School-Industry Partnership Initiatives (SIPI) Program. The Program provides insights for the present R D project of information literacy needs in telelearning. Recently, the Malaysian Ministry of Education's planning is to introduce multimedia system of learning and information to all primary schools. This planning is built upon the understanding of equal access to basic education for all. The planning is in line with the practice of basic education in Malaysia and the Declaration on Education For Al (WCEFA 1990). It is also the affirmed policy of our Malaysian government since 1970 to redress socio-economic imbalances between the urban and rural population by providing equal access of educational opportunities for all in basic education. Some state governments in Malaysia, for example, the Penang State Government has begun to equip all primary schools (irrespective rural and urban areas) with multimedia teaching and learning facilities. By the middle of this year, all Penang primary schools shall establish their own multimedia computer clubs and laboratories.
In order to cope with the present demand for providing efficient and high quality learning systems and services in education through various means of communication and information technology, BERU, USM has recently embarked on the planning of virtual classroom concepts which will enhance it s role as a leading innovative institution in basic education. The conceptual framework developed for investigating telelearning system in basic education is based on the dynamics and convergencies of the four elements in learning (people, knowledge, time and space) and the beliefs that changes (social, cultural, economic and political) can be centered on the progress of telecommunication and IT infostructure The initial concept of establishing telelearning system and services in basis education was explored with a number of local and international personnel who are leaders in the fields of telecommunication and information services and academicians who lead in linking the activities of higher education as knowledge providers in basic education. Telelearning is conceptualized as an Advanced Learning Technology and it is an important strategy to promote learning and teaching through a combination use of non-line and off-line telecommunication information networks. According to our National IT Agenda, it is imperative to combine and coordinate the efforts of many different people, infostructure (on-line and off-line telecommunication) and application possibilities in order to provide equity in access, qualitative transformation and added value to the teaching and learning processes in education. The concept of telelearning services is in line with the visions of Malaysian's MSA (Multimedia Super Corridor) which spearhead our nation's progress into the information age. The improved connection through better tele-communications capability within the MSC and telelearning would allow development of one of the flagship applications: development of an R & D cluster. In fact, through research in telelearning services, one should even be able to collaborate with R & D centers around the world to undertake research. That is exactly our vision for using telelearning system and services for promoting research and development Through borderless research concept, the researcher should for example be able to undertake concurrent research in collaboration with partners in other parts of the world in the areas of basic education. At present the electronic global village offers many lessons about the speed and influence of the information explosion. This explosion, if carefully applied to national and local problem resolution such as those in basic education, can actually create the demand pull for service applications within the MSC. For example, through the power of information networking or school children can do research through electronic libraries accessible via the Internet. These are three foundational R & D questions which will be addressed by BERU, USM in its effort to advance knowledge in tele learning. These are: what does the nature of access, utility and equity of access of people involved in basic education have in telelearning services in Malaysia? what are the qualitative transformations especially the knowledge imperatives, the resonance achieved in social-cultural, educational and technical changes? what are the added values which can be generated through the use of telelearning services? Other research question include: In terms of access and capability, how does one strike a balance between the rights and duties of individuals, and that of society and the environment? How do we ensure hat resource allocation policies continue to offset infrastructure limitations already present in certain regions? What new opportunities are offered through the convergence of I.T. and tele-communications technologies to reenfranchise to include the different disadvantages groups into the mainstream of development. What indicators and evaluation systems can we put in place to ensure the move from an Information to a Knowledge Society and ultimately to a Civil Society. We can cater for a wide range of end users (e.g teacher colleges, schools, media centers teacher, development centers all of whom can be served by having USM's R & D telelearning services and training laboratory on basic education. The economics of scale can be greater than the cost of collaboration. Where quantification of these economies of scale is possible it is simple to achieve with collaborative institutional support. Teacher training is facing the increased international mobility of teaching professionals. we can not work alone to develop new strategies to meet this shared change. It is socially and intellectually stimulating and deligtful to collaborate with the larger community who sharecommon interest. The market for learning technology is not yet mature whilst learning technology requires a large market to achieve any hope of recovering investment. The only viable size for a market in learning technology in teacher education is currently the world market; not the local, regional or national one. In the conceptualization of the R and D services and training laboratory considered important are as follows: research and development pertaining to the access, utility and equity issues of telelearning system in basic education joint development and production of indigenous content telelearning materials and services using infoliteracy skills. The main effort is to have strategic partnership with all interested in developing infolliteracy telelearning. These are various reasons why we need to collaborate in the telelearning services. We collaborate to broaden the base of research activity both in the collection of data and to improve the speed with which we can observe, question, hypothesise and test. The focus of diversity addressed here is the need to have collaborative integrated system in establishing R and D services and training infolit via telelearning.
Contact Info: Dr. Kim Phaik Lah |
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