Projects / Programmes
Development, testing and validation of an autonomous intelligent and adaptive e-learning system for the improvement of information literacy of adolescents
| Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
| 5.01.00 |
Social sciences |
Educational studies |
|
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| S281 |
Social sciences |
Computer-assisted education |
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| 5.03 |
Social Sciences |
Educational sciences |
information literacy, e-learning, adolescents, autonomous intelligent system, ICT, assessment
Researchers (13)
Organisations (5)
Abstract
The term digital natives tags a generation, born during or after the introduction of ICT into daily routines, thus distinguishing them from digital immigrants. Digital natives are assumed to possess knowledge and skills that allow them to handle ICT tools in a “natural” way, and that they possess the skills required to retrieve, select and analyse available data (documents), and to behave ethically and securely in cyberspace. From the published studies we know that in reality there exists only a weak connection between digital nativity and information literacy, as a part of 21st century skills.
To overcome this situation, a project toward production of an autonomous intelligent and adaptive e-learning system (AIAES) with integrated tasks and assignments for improvement of information literacy of adolescents is proposed. A system is designed in a way that allow work with it in a classroom and as self-educational tool.
Objectives of the research are as follows:
Development, testing and validation of an information literacy test for adolescents (ILT-A)
Outcome 1: A new information literacy test (ILT-A) for assessment of adolescents’ knowledge/skills. The test could be used by schools and individuals, respectively, for indication of general IL levels of youth (digital natives), and for detection of deficiencies in IL contents and/or cognitive levels of IL. In the project framework the ILT-A is regarded as the starting point, leading to the development of materials and assignments based on the test results (High impact article 1).
WP2: Development, testing and validation of an information literacy test for educators (ILT-E).
Outcome 2: A new information literacy test (ILT-E) for assessment of the IL of educators (mostly digital immigrants). The test will help to evaluate the levels of educators’ IL, and to recognise those IL areas where additional training might be needed (High impact article 2).
WP3: Development, testing and validation of a questionnaires for identification of external and personal factors that affect the adolescents’ and teachers’ information literacy (ILQ-FACa and ILQ-FACt).
Outcome 3: A new questionnaires (ILQ-FACa and ILQ-Fact) for the identification of external and personal factors that affect the adolescents’ and teachers’ information literacy; a tested and validated questionnaire could help in efforts to prepare adequate intervention strategies for the improvement of information literacy of adolescents, or to be used as a correlate/predictor to other studies (High impact article 3).
WP4: Development, testing and validation of educational activities (tasks) and materials, improving information literacy of adolescents and supporting materials for educators.
Outcome 4: Tested and validated educational assignments (tasks) for the promotion / improvement of information literacy for adolescents for schools (educators) and /or other educational environments and self-education (High impact article 4).
WP5: Design, testing and validation of an autonomous, intelligent and adaptive e-learning system with assignments, tasks and exercises for the improvement of information literacy of adolescents and their educators.
Outcome 5: A tested and validated autonomous intelligent and adaptive e-learning system (High impact article 5).
To our best knowledge, we were not able to identify similar intelligent system promoting information literacy, so far.
Two universities (four faculties) and one higher educational institution were involved in project design. Project team is a combination of experienced older and young propulsive researchers. About a quality of the team speaks a fact, that seven from eleven project partners succeed tio publish their research in top A'' journals, and all in high quality A' journals.
Significance for science
The originality of the expected results
To the best of our knowledge, we have not been able to identify an existing integrated and validated system integrating identification (diagnosis) of information literacy levels at the secondary school level (For review see Boh Podgornik et al., 2016) and autonomous intelligent and adaptive e-learning system for improvement of information literacy of adolescents. The advantage over existing solutions lies in the proposed system’s flexibility for dual use as a classroom activity and a self-learning environment. Although some of the constituent parts have been developed (e.g. Dolenc & Aberšek, 2015), the expected results will be new, original, both in theoretical value and practical applicability.
The tests and questionnaires will reflect the latest Framework for Information Literacy in Higher Education (ACRL, 2016). The framework was not operationalized yet in suitable tasks and assignments, so the developed instruments (two tests and one questionnaire) will be absolute novelty in this arena. Additional value will be adaptation of the standards to the pre-university leveles.
Significance for the country
In the last month we witnessed two highly publiced news (e.g. Nature, the Guardian). The first one is, that the Oxford Dictionaries named ‘post-truth’ as their 2016 Word of the Year, and the second is that Stanford study on media literacy revealed that most students are not able to distinguish between true and fake news. Both news tags widelly accepted assumption that digital natives, recognized as a generation born in digital world, are because of general availability and use of digital media simultaneously computer, digital, media, and information literate. Nothing can be more wrong that this prediction. If the will of a society is to equip citizens with so called skills of the 21st century, and digital, media, and information literacy (IL) is a part of this skills, then education toward such skills should be provided as formal and informal education. And this is the aim of this project.
The purpose of the proposed project is threefold. At the first – indicative – levels tests and a questionnaire are to be developed allowing indicative, formative and summative testing of the levels of information literacy of adolescents. At the, second – operational – levels tasks transforming identified weaknesses should allow youngs to learn new IL skills or transform existing misconceptions. At the third – transformative - levels revelations from the first two levels, are to be merged in an autonomous adaptive intelligent system allowing school and out-of school education toward information literacy.
By the application of the latest innovative solutions in-line with state of the art in computer science, bibliography, education, and social sciences, respectively, an integrated system what can be applied in educational organizations, non-educational organizations and as self-learning systems is to be developed. By its use, as a whole system, or its constituent parts, improvement of IL can be a result of proposed work. Higher levels of IL can serve as a better base for prospective studies of adolescents, their professional career, and in functioning as an informed citizen, acting on a basis of best available and accurate information.
Most important scientific results
Interim report,
final report
Most important socioeconomically and culturally relevant results
Interim report,
final report
