Terms of Information Engagement: Supporting Connection and Inquiry within Digital Learning Spaces

Type of Presentation

Individual paper/presentation

Conference Strand

Assessment

Target Audience

Higher Education

Second Target Audience

K-12

Location

Session 4 Papers

Relevance

This proposal relates to the teaching and learning of information literacy as it provides a framework for investigating student connection and inquiry within digital learning spaces.

Proposal

Though we are still connected, in fact, more connected, within the realm of the digital learning spaces, there is an undeniable abstraction of both information and relationship that comes with the lack of face-to-face interaction. As we lose opportunities of real-time engagement, this abstraction can prove detrimental to learning. The importance of information literacy— an ability to conduct research and apply critical thinking—within digital learning spaces requires us to understand if and how students are connecting to the information and to one another within these spaces. Connection within a shared space becomes the commonality for students in a digital classroom. Meeting synchronously (should) strengthen this commonality, just as it does within the face-to-face (FtF) classroom. However, current research suggests that this identification can be available even without synchronous online class meetings. Therefore, the purpose for this presentation is two-fold. First, this presentation will outline current research to define the keywords of information engagement as it relates to digital learning spaces. Engagement, here, refers to how students are maintaining connections with both their research and their peers. Then, these keywords will be applied to pedagogical methods that support both research connection and inquiry within these learning spaces.

Short Description

This presentation centers on the information literacy praxis of digital learning spaces. As such, there are two key points of focus: connection and inquiry. Connection, here, refers to the ways that students relate to their research and to one another. Inquiry serves as the catalyst for this connection. In summarizing current scholarship, this presentation offers practical pedagogical methods that support information literacy within digital learning spaces.

Keywords

information literacy, connection, inquiry, engagement, methods, digital learning spaces

Publication Type and Release Option

Event

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Apr 1st, 1:00 PM Apr 1st, 1:30 PM

Terms of Information Engagement: Supporting Connection and Inquiry within Digital Learning Spaces

Session 4 Papers

Though we are still connected, in fact, more connected, within the realm of the digital learning spaces, there is an undeniable abstraction of both information and relationship that comes with the lack of face-to-face interaction. As we lose opportunities of real-time engagement, this abstraction can prove detrimental to learning. The importance of information literacy— an ability to conduct research and apply critical thinking—within digital learning spaces requires us to understand if and how students are connecting to the information and to one another within these spaces. Connection within a shared space becomes the commonality for students in a digital classroom. Meeting synchronously (should) strengthen this commonality, just as it does within the face-to-face (FtF) classroom. However, current research suggests that this identification can be available even without synchronous online class meetings. Therefore, the purpose for this presentation is two-fold. First, this presentation will outline current research to define the keywords of information engagement as it relates to digital learning spaces. Engagement, here, refers to how students are maintaining connections with both their research and their peers. Then, these keywords will be applied to pedagogical methods that support both research connection and inquiry within these learning spaces.