Modelling information literacy for classrooms of the future

Recent years have seen the emergence of numerous ‘second generation’ concepts such as Web 2.0 and Pedagogy 2.0, which indicate a marked departure from educational and information practices of the past. In broad terms, Web 2.0 services and tools are designed to be participatory, as users no longer simply access knowledge, but play an active role in creating it. This has led to an expansion in what can be considered to be a source of information, as wikis, blogs and social media have become increasingly important, especially for highly current information. Likewise, Pedagogy 2.0 is also based on an, “architecture of participation” (O’Reilly, 2004) as learners become not only consumers, but also producers, of knowledge. Although the term itself may not be familiar to all, teachers are increasingly adopting Pedagogy 2.0 approaches, following “a model of learning in which students are empowered to participate, communicate, and create knowledge, exercising a high level of agency and control over the learning process” (McLoughlin and Lee, 2009, p.355) and encouraging their students to participate in learning communities and networks. The availability of new Web 2.0 technologies mean that teachers have access to resources which can “enhance reflective and dialogical learning, increase student autonomy and help create learning communities in the classroom” (Farkas, 2012 p.82). Such social constructivist approaches are resulting in changing roles for both teachers and students as traditional didactic instruction is replaced by discursive, experiential learning.