THE ROLE OF INFORMATION LITERACY IN OVERCOMING OBSTACLES TO LEARNING AND LIFELONG LEARNING

Literacy is widely recognised as a fundamental human right, which empowers individuals and opens opportunities for social, economic and political integration. Information Literacy can be defined as knowing when and why one might need information, where to find it, and how to evaluate, use and communicate it in an ethical manner. In this paper we argue that Information Literacy can help disadvantaged groups in both the developed and developing worlds improve their opportunities for developing their intellectual potential. We report on case studies and initiatives from the Information Literacy movements that are addressing these hurdles to learning. It will be argued that it is naive and simplistic to suppose that a solely technological solution will enable the learners to surmount obstacles to learning in order to improve their life chances. What is required is a more holistic approach, which requires the construction of legal, cultural, and economic infrastructures.