the growth of a knowledge society the growth of a knowledge society

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A2K A2K

A critical reflection on A critical reflection on access to knowledge

d and

the growth of a knowledge society the growth of a knowledge society

Peter Johan Lor Johannes J Britz

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

& University of Pretoria

Image: Encefalus, http://encefalus.com/neurology-biology/single-neurotransmitter-provide-basis-explanation-social-phenomena/

& University of Pretoria

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A2K → Knowledge Society A2K → Knowledge Society

Access Knowledge Society

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→

A2K → Knowledge Society

Access Knowledge Society

1: Knowledge Society Society

Society

Knowledge

Knowledge: constructivist theory

Exploratory

g y

2: Access to knowledge Last Mile

Last Million Last Million Last Micron

3: Implications for librariesp

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Part 1:

Knowledge S i t ?

Society?

Tower of Babel by Pieter Bruegel the Elder.

Image: Artcess, http://artcess.wordpress.com/2008/07/10/art-in-the-last-588-years/

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Knowledge S i ti

Knowledge

Societies

Knowledge Knowledge

Society

Knowledge-

b d

Knowledge Economy Information

Economy Information Society

based economy

Post-

industrial Society

Service economy

industrial society

Tower of Babel by Pieter Bruegel the Elder.

Image: Artcess, http://artcess.wordpress.com/2008/07/10/art-in-the-last-588-years/

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Information

Economy Society

Knowledge

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Knowledge Knowledge Society/

Knowledge

E Society/

Societies

Economy

Economy Society

Information Information

Information Economy

Information Society

Information

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Knowledge: (1) Hierarchical concept

?

Knowledge: (1) Hierarchical concept

Wisdom

Knowledge Information

Data

Facts

Data

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K l d (2) “Wh t' i Knowledge: (2) “What's in people's heads”

Information: Knowledge exteriorized, being

exteriorized, being

transmitted

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Knowledge (3)

Th f

Theory of learning, g Stellenbosch 1960s 1960s

Image: Suneetha Maduri, http://suneethamadhuri.com/Education.aspx

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Knowledge 4:

Constructivist theory of

learning learning

Image: http://careerowners.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/brain-cool-image.jpg

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Constructivist theory of Constructivist theory of learning

Constructivism

Multiple strands Multiple strands Piaget, Vygotsky

Psychological constructivism Psychological constructivism Social constructivism

Moderate

Radical (“science wars”)

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Constructivist theory of Constructivist theory of

learning Constructivism in education (Mahoney 2004)

1. Knowledge is created actively

& continuously by learners.

2. We organize & reorganize

tt f i i

patterns of experiences in our heads in tacit, emotional,

meaning making processes meaning-making processes.

3 The processes are self 3. The processes are self- referent, linked to our sense of self

of self.

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Constructivist theory of Constructivist theory of learning

Constructivism in education

(M h 2004) td

(Mahoney 2004) cntd.

4 Individuals are embedded 4. Individuals are embedded in social & symbolic systems.

5. This organizing activity reflects an on-going

reflects an on going

developmental flow with

dynamic, dialectical tensions.

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Constructivism in Education 101 Constructivism in Education 101

1. Knowledge is continuously being constructed in 1. Knowledge is continuously being constructed in the mind of the individual to whom information is imparted.

2. In this process information is integrated in the individual's conceptual structures.p

3. This is a developmental and dialectic process that is never completed

that is never completed.

4. Knowledge is socially constructed through /

interaction between the individual and his/her community/ies.

5. There are concomitant changes in the

conceptual structures shared by members of a

Image: Teen Mental Health Blog, http://blog.teenmentalhealth.org/category/brain/

community.

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A li ti t LIS/A2K Application to LIS/A2K

Assumptions:

f

1.The acquisition of knowledge in the LIS context is analogous to learning in educational setting to learning in educational setting 1.Constructivist learning theory

can be applied in LIS

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For purposes of A2K For purposes of A2K

Knowledge is information that is being integrated in conceptual structures that integrated in conceptual structures that

people are continuously constructing within their heads in interaction with multiple

communities to which they belong communities to which they belong.

These can be local or virtual communities, communities of practice scientific

communities of practice, scientific communities etc. This implies that

knowledge is not merely information that

has reached a human receiver Knowledge In our interpretation, for the has reached a human receiver. Knowledge

implies creative activity on the part of the individual, and it implies interaction

between that individual and other

p

purpose of this paper, knowledge encompasses not merely the cognitive between that individual and other

individuals. We see knowledge as process, rather than as an outcome.

y g

domain but also the domain of values, attitudes and

emotions, as well as , knowing how, or "know- how"^.

Image: Teen Mental Health Blog, http://blog.teenmentalhealth.org/category/brain/

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For purposes of LIS A2K For purposes of LIS, A2K

Emphasis on knowledge as process, rather than as an outcome.

Multiple communities: local & virtual, classrooms indabas kgotlas

classrooms, indabas, kgotlas,

communities of practice, scholarly communities...

Not merely cognitive

(knowing that, knowing how), (knowing that, knowing how), also affective (values, attitudes, emotions etc.)

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Part 2: Access

What do we mean by What do we mean by

“access”?

Image: Doggies.com,

http://doggies.com/blog/2008/06/07/rules-and- regulations-dog-style/

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The last The last million

The last The last micron

The last

mile

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Th l t il The last mile

Physical infrastructurey

Internet, connectivity, bandwidth...

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South Africa South Africa

Connectivity Score 6.18

Comparison:

#1: Sweden 7.95

#27: South Africa 6 18

#27: South Africa 6.18

#36: Botswana 4.30

#43: Egypt 2.97

#47: Kenya 1.80

I W & D t (2010) C ti it d 2010 N ki Si N t k

# e ya 80

#48: Nigeria 1.78

Image: Waverman & Dasgupta (2010) Connectivity scorecard 2010. Nokia Siemens Networks.

http://www.connectivityscorecard.org/images/uploads/media/TheConnectivityReport2010.pdf, accessed 2010-02-13

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The last million: Political- The last million: Political economic, legal, ethical dimensions

Intellectual propertyp p y

Copyright, digitization, orphan works Barriers for developing countries

A2K t

A2K movement A2KTreaty

Declaration on Future of WIPO Declaration on Future of WIPO WIPO Development Agenda

“Knowledge Ecology”

ACA2K Af i C i ht d

ACA2K: African Copyright and Access to Knowledge project

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(1) The battle of Jericho

(Jean Fouquet 1452) (Jean Fouquet, 1452)

http://freechristimages.org/images_Josh ua/BattleOfJericho_Jean_Fouquet.jpg

(2) WIPO Headquarters, Geneva

Geneva

Image:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beck_v._Eiland-Hall

Battle won?

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Th l t i

The last micron:

epistemological dimension

Micron = 1 millionth of a metre Synapse: gap between neurons (much smaller)

Most difficult gap to cross

Because recipients of information are p (1) not passive, (2) embedded in

communities

Problem with slogan (metaphor) of

“access to knowledge”:g Knowledge: abstract

Access: more concrete (access control accessing databases ) control, accessing databases...)

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“Bringing democracy to Afghanistan” Bringing democracy to Afghanistan

Image: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/britain-to-send-1000-extra-troops-to-afghanistan-1662229.html?action=Popup

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How do we ensure that information actually How do we ensure that information actually makes a difference?

“Knowledge is not a package but a process”Knowledge is not a package, but a process Factors:

What the recipient knows already

Recipient's thinking habits, strategies for constructing knowledge

knowledge

Receptiveness: values, attitudes, emotions Language, level, discourseg g

Relations between provider & recipient: power, influence, dependence

Individual recipient within community (status role etc ) Individual recipient within community (status, role, etc.) Receptiveness of community

Image: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/britain-to-send-1000-extra-troops-to-afghanistan-1662229.html?action=Popup

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3 Implications for libraries

3. Implications for libraries

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Future of libraries:

disintermediation?

Impact of ebooks:

CD shops video shops libraries CD shops, video shops, libraries...

What value do we add?

Response: whistling in the dark?

From the Film Peur(s) du noir, 2007 Image: ferdyonfilms.com/2008/10/

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Example: Hope for libraries?

In libraries of all kinds there is a need for professionals who provide awareness and alerting services, assist users by

idi ti ti lli d id i th f

providing motivation, counselling and guidance in the use of resource discovery tools, who can help evaluate and

interpret resources, and above all, who can educate users.

Informediaries are needed to provide lifelong education for information literacy at all levels, from illiterate villagers to

h i ti t Lib i id ll l d t id

research scientists. Librarians are ideally placed to provide this information literacy education, which empowers users to determine their information needs to identify locate and

determine their information needs, to identify, locate and access resources, and to evaluate and utilise these in the production of new knowledge. (Lor 2006)

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Hope for libraries?

In libraries of all kinds there is a need for professionals who provide awareness and alerting services, assist users by

idi ti ti lli d id i th f

providing motivation, counselling and guidance in the use of resource discovery tools, who can help evaluate and

interpret resources, and above all, who can educate users.

Informediaries are needed to provide lifelong education for information literacy at all levels, from illiterate villagers to

h i ti t Lib i id ll l d t id

research scientists. Librarians are ideally placed to provide this information literacy education, which empowers users to determine their information needs to identify locate and

determine their information needs, to identify, locate and access resources, and to evaluate and utilise these in the production of new knowledge. (Lor 2006, n.p.)

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Heartwarming?

http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/original/camel-library.jpg

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Let's not Let s not fool

ourselves

http://www.ogiek.org/photo- gallery/kenya-map-big.jpg

g y y p g jpg

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1.Avoid facile analyses y

2.Examine assumptions, e.g. p g Libraries as “neutral agencies”

Technology as “solution”

All people have “information needs”

Needs diverse but limited number of

t i

People come to libraries

P l k h l

People seek our help

Each library user is a unique individual

individual

Provide packages of information 3. Look at some examples

http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/original/camel-library.jpg

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Example

The aim of building the understanding of staff with regard to The aim of building the understanding of ... staff with regard to participatory development and associated tools was to enable them to work with communities and specific community p y groups to respect and elicit indigenous knowledge,

values, beliefs, perceptions, concepts and practices, and to enable community members to articulate their

to enable community members to articulate their

experiences and recount their stories. The tools were also to enable community members to identify and prioritize their y y p [natural resource management] issues, facilitate discussion among community members of the resources identified, and

ti l t th b li th h ld b

articulate ways they believe those resources should be

managed, as well as to work with communities to identify key stakeholders, make transparent the power relations that

stakeholders, make transparent the power relations that

influence community initiatives, assist communities to develop consensus on action points, and assist communities to assess

th i l d f (M K 2009)

their plans and performance.(McKay 2009)

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Example

The aim of building the understanding of staff with regard to The aim of building the understanding of ... staff with regard to participatory development and associated tools was to enable them to work with communities and specific community p y groups to respect and elicit indigenous knowledge,

values, beliefs, perceptions, concepts and practices, and to enable community members to articulate their

to enable community members to articulate their

experiences and recount their stories. The tools were also to enable community members to identify and prioritize their y y p [natural resource management] issues, facilitate discussion among community members of the resources identified, and

ti l t

Wow! Which

th b li th h ld b articulate ways they believe those resources should be

managed, as well as to work with communities to identify key stakeholders, make transparent the power relations that

enlightened library

i ?

stakeholders, make transparent the power relations that

influence community initiatives, assist communities to develop consensus on action points, and assist communities to assess

th i l d f (M K 2009)

service?

their plans and performance.(McKay 2009)

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Sorry. No library. A community di i iti ti

With apology to Eleane Keamue, Radio Kergheamahn, Liberia Image: http://www.bonnieallenreports.com/posts/text/5894154

radio initiative.

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4. Conclusion:

Relevance of constructivist learning Relevance of constructivist learning theory

To contribute effectively to development LIS workers need greater understanding of the processes that underlie the g ea e u de s a d g o e p ocesses a u de e e

acquisition (=construction) of knowledge by individuals and their communities.

Oral tradition, traditional culture, and beliefs are not

“ i t ti id i t th t l b i f

“...interesting side issues to the actual business of

librarianship” but may be “...a vital starting point for services that people will perceive as relevant to their lives ” (Paul

that people will perceive as relevant to their lives. (Paul Sturges, 2004)

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Conclusion: relevance of constructivist learning theory

learning theory

To contribute effectively to development LIS workers need

Not only of rural communities in far-away countries but also of organization cultures, beliefs values etc of factories offices and

y p

greater understanding of the processes that underlie the acquisition (=construction) of knowledge by individuals and

th i iti

beliefs, values etc. of factories, offices and schools, community bodies and

governance, boardrooms, party

their communities. caucuses... Not to forget individuals.

Oral tradition, traditional culture, and beliefs are not

“ i t ti id i t th t l b i f

“...interesting side issues to the actual business of

librarianship” but may be “...a vital starting point for services that people will perceive as relevant to their lives ” (Paul

that people will perceive as relevant to their lives. (Paul Sturges, 2004)

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To contribute to the development of knowledge societies we need to go beyond the issues of g y Infrastructure (the last mile)

I t ll t l t & liti l i i

Intellectual property & political-economic issues (the last million)

to to

Knowledge construction issues (the last micron)

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Thank you!

Thank you! y y

Peter Johan Lor Peter Johan Lor lorpj@uwm.edu lorpj@uwm.edu J h J B i J h J B i Johannes J Britz Johannes J Britz britz@uwm.edu britz@uwm.edu

b @u edu

Image: Encefalus, http://encefalus.com/neurology-biology/single-neurotransmitter-provide-basis-explanation-social- phenomena/