3.2. Theoretical and conceptual framework
3.3.2. Context in information literacy and workplace learning
Task complexity is characteristic of the nature of information problems experienced in the workplace. Hence by exploring the complexities of information use in the workplace, these studies elucidate some of the major challenges experienced in the workplace with respect to complex tasks in information seeking and use and provide useful insights which can be used by librarians to introduce new directions in workplace learning through information literacy to various organisations (Vakkari, 1999: 835).
skills and knowledge that is required for efficient workplace performance (Billet, 2000: 272;
Somerville, Howard & Mirijamdotter, 2009: 122). Workplace learning involves engaging with information sources within a collective framework which helps in developing a shared
understanding of work practices through the opportunities, interactions and practices that it provides (Powell, 2002: 177; Lloyd, 2006: 575). According to Lloyd and Williamson (2008: 5) the nature of work processes within each profession demands that specific learning practices which constitute the body of knowledge and information of the profession are considered. Lloyd (2010: 246) further accentuates this view when she argues that information literacy should be viewed as a practice that occurs within other practices and in this way researchers will be obliged to take into account other social phenomena that influence the development of professional skills and the outcomes that produce them.
Theories of learning which emphasise the construction of knowledge through a situated approach have been of major relevance with respect to learning in the workplace. Conceptualisations of such theories which articulate the social dimensions of learning have become increasingly important in workplace IL as they provide insights on the interplay of contextual factors that influence information behaviour in work practices (O’Farrill, 2008: 159). The concept of situated learning in the workplace has been exemplified through various apprenticeship and internship programmes in educational institutions. As practiced in some educational institutions, situated learning is usually undertaken as a collaborative programme between the educational institutions and experts within particular professional fields or organisations. Such programmes are aimed at encouraging the development of vocational skills in the workplace in order to enable the student or novice to connect theoretical practices in educational institutions to the workplace. These educational programmes are also vital ways of identifying the social origins and transferability of knowledge within professional groups (Billet, 1995: 20).
The theoretical approaches developed by Lave and Wenger (1991), that is, Situated learning theory and the concept of Communities of Practice (CoP), have served as useful frameworks for explaining workplace learning in diverse contexts. Various studies have also shown that the concept of Communities of Practice and legitimate peripheral participation enable novices to develop better professional skills from working with experts thereby providing a better
understanding of the nature of apprenticeship and workplace learning (Fuller & others, 2005:
51; O’Farrill, 2008: 158). According to Billet (1995: 20), situated learning provides an opportunity for the growth of vocational knowledge in the workplace by offering access to vocational activities and guidance from professional experts. Through this process, the effectiveness of workplace learning can be assessed in order to ensure the development of vocational skills. Lloyd’s (2005b) study on fire fighters for example, highlights the process by which IL is achieved through the interaction between expert members of a community of
practice and the novice in the context of learning about practice and performance. The placement of a novice with an experienced practitioner as part of a team enables the development of
focused information practices by which the novice is able to move from a conceptual knowledge of work practices to an embodied understanding of professional practice through teamwork (Lloyd, 2006: 575, 577). Findings from Lloyd’s studies (2005a: 82; 2005b: Connecting to social sites of knowledge) have indicated that learning is a context specific process that connects information sources with the learning practices required to access them. These findings establish the importance of IL research in reflecting the socio-cultural factors that contribute to shaping the nature of context in the workplace. Lloyd, (2010: 247-248) also argues that the idea that information needs to be contextualised for it to become meaningful, alludes to the notion that knowledge is not arbitrary but is situated and revolves within the social dimension of work practices. Elements of context that provide insight into the nature of workplace learning include aspects such as social structures, that is, institutions, rules, norms and material conditions such as economic constraints, availability of resources and geographical location. All of these
influence and provide explanations of information behaviour within any given context (O’Farrill, 2008: 160).
In applying the concept of IL to the work place, it is noted that the information needs within this context and the practices which involve their use are varied and complex (O’Farrill, 2008: 163).
In this regard, it is noted also that current theoretical assumptions in IL make limited provisions for the workplace as most mainstream models of information behaviour and frameworks of IL have been formulated on the supposition that learning is an individualistic process with an assumption of transferability of skills to novel situations. This view provides little consideration of contextual and situational constraints which may account for skill inadequacy in the
workplace (O’Farrill, 2008: 161). O’Farrill (2008: 156) therefore argues that there is a need to reformulate the general understanding of IL as a concept that is mainly concerned with
developing skills at the educational level by expanding the application of IL to the workplace and other contexts where information use also constitutes an active process of learning within a given community of practice. Essentially, expanding the concept of IL to include dimensions in the workplace literature would make provision for the much needed disciplinary, professional and organisational contributions to the concept of IL (Limberg & others, 2008: 84; O’Farrill, 2008: 164).
3.4. Information literacy and information seeking behaviour