Research Data Management and Data Literacies by Unknown

Author:Unknown
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2022-01-28T13:59:31+00:00

Chapter 5: New literacies in the age of convergence

Abstract

This chapter addresses varied literacies in the light of the existing, potential, real, and perceived convergences between varied technologies and leading to sociocultural consequences. The main focus is on data literacy, but media literacy, critical digital literacy, academic literacy, statistical literacy, visual literacy, data visualization literacy, and AI literacy are touched on. The evolution and diffusion of information literacy leading to the appearance of data literacy, definitions, and the nature of data literacy and data literacy competencies are described. A framework for data literacy is portrayed and the role of data literacy in research and civic life is discussed.

Keywords

Convergences; New literacies; Information literacy; Data literacy; Media literacy; Critical digital literacy; Academic literacy; Statistical literacy; Visual literacy; AI literacy

Introduction

Although data literacy is a major issue that stands at the center of our argument, we should not forget about other literacies, because, due to their nature, it is necessary for us to take a variety of literacies into account.

As Haendel, Vasilevsky, and Wirz (2012) stated, although librarians have become experts in data management, they are an underrecognized resource in the fields of information and data literacies. The topics and skills related to these fields have always been of interest to academic librarians, and it is natural that their role is expanding to include data curation. Despite the fact that there seem to be positive developments in the recognition of academic librarians’ input since this problem was first noted, much remains to be done in the provision of services and awareness raising.

This book is devoted to informing not only the researchers of today but the researchers of the future as well. The latter will primarily emerge from the ranks of graduates and doctoral students. We hope accordingly that all of them will be interested in the issues related to “new literacies,” broadly meaning the development of new social practices with new technologies ( Leu, Kinzer, Coiro, Castek, & Henry, 2017 ). When dealing with these literacies, we do not want to forget about information professionals’ practical needs.

Approaching literacies

We believe that approaching literacies by repeating the question “Where’s Walden?” asked by Hawkley (2017) offers an appropriate, although somewhat unusual, metaphoric view on literacies.

Walden; or, Life in the Woods is the title of the book written by the 19th century American naturalist, poet, and philosopher, Henry David Thoreau ( Thoreau, 1995 ). In this book, he reflected upon simple living in natural surroundings. However, one of the important messages goes beyond this and can be distilled from this work as follows: “Those who are able and motivated to gather information and think deeply about it have always had special access to Walden” ( Hawkley, 2017, p. 6 ). Hawkley draws the conclusion that Walden was not the perfect search environment, but Thoreau made it a lived experience for himself, and today it is part of our job to make it attainable.

Many new models of information literacy (IL) share constructivist views on teaching and learning, arguing that “learning

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