The theory of mitigating risk: Information literacy and language-learning in transition Skrifter från Valfrid, 66 The theory of mitigating risk: Information literacy and language-learning in transition Alison Hicks 2018 The theory of mitigating risk: Information literacy and language-learning in transition Copyright 2018 © Alison Hicks Thesis for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at the Swedish school of library and information science, University of Borås Cover photo: Suss Wilén Printed in Sweden by Stema Series: Skrifter från Valfrid, no. 66 ISBN 978-91-983398-0-2 (Print) NMÄ NE RK A E V T ISBN 978-91-983397-1-9 (Digital PDF) S ISSN 1103-6990 Trycksak Available at http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hb:diva-15000 3041 0234 Table of Contents List of tables ........................................................................................................................ 4 Dedicated to the memory of List of figures ...................................................................................................................... 4 Nigel Graham Hicks (1958-2011) Abstract ............................................................................................................................... 5 Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................. 6 Chapter 1: Introduction ..................................................................................................... 7 1.1 Research problem and background .......................................................................... 8 1.2 Research aim and questions .................................................................................... 12 1.2.1 Research aim ...................................................................................................... 12 1.2.2 Research questions ............................................................................................. 12 1.3 Significance of the study .......................................................................................... 13 1.4 Thesis structure ....................................................................................................... 15 Chapter 2: Literature review ........................................................................................... 17 2.1 Chapter overview .................................................................................................... 17 2.2 Information literacy ................................................................................................ 17 2.2.1 Behaviourist approaches to information literacy.................................................. 18 2.2.2 Cognitive constructivist approaches to information literacy ................................ 19 2.2.3 Social constructivist approaches to information literacy ...................................... 21 2.2.3.1 New literacy studies ..................................................................................... 24 2.2.3.2 New literacy studies and information literacy ............................................... 26 2.3 Information behaviour ............................................................................................ 27 2.3.1 Cognitive approaches to information behaviour .................................................. 29 2.3.2 Social approaches to information behaviour ........................................................ 29 2.4 Second-language acquisition studies ....................................................................... 32 2.5 Chapter conclusion .................................................................................................. 34 Chapter 3: Theoretical framework .................................................................................. 35 3.1 Chapter overview .................................................................................................... 35 3.2 Symbolic interactionism .......................................................................................... 36 3.3 Constructionism ...................................................................................................... 37 3.4 Transitions theory ................................................................................................... 39 3.4.1 Approaches to transitions theory ......................................................................... 40 3.4.2 Change and time within transitions theory .......................................................... 41 3.4.3 Personal meaning within transitions theory ......................................................... 42 3.4.4 Social and community conditions within transitions theory ................................. 43 3.4.5 Human development within transitions theory .................................................... 44 3.4.6 Transitions theory and information research ....................................................... 45 3.5 Practice theory ......................................................................................................... 46 3.5.1 Approaches to practice theory ............................................................................. 47 3.5.2 Practice ............................................................................................................... 48 3.5.3 Activity and its organisation within practice theory............................................. 49 3.5.4 The body and knowledge within practice theory ................................................. 50 3.5.5 Materiality within practice theory ....................................................................... 51 3.5.6 Agency and power within practice theory ........................................................... 52 3.5.7 Practice theory and information research ............................................................ 53 3.6 Chapter conclusion .................................................................................................. 54 1 Chapter 4: Methodology and methods ............................................................................. 56 7.1 Chapter overview .................................................................................................. 154 4.1 Chapter overview .................................................................................................... 56 7.2 How do language-students enact information literacy practices during residence 4.2 Methodological framing .......................................................................................... 56 abroad? ........................................................................................................................ 154 4.3 Research methods .................................................................................................... 59 7.2.1 What shapes language-student information landscapes within a new setting? .... 157 4.3.1 Interviews ........................................................................................................... 60 7.2.2 What role do information literacy practices play during students’ intensive periods 4.3.2 Photo-elicitation ................................................................................................. 62 of language-learning abroad?..................................................................................... 159 4.3.3 Incentives ........................................................................................................... 66 7.3 How do language-students make sense of, transition into and come to know their 4.4 Participants .............................................................................................................. 67 new information landscapes? ...................................................................................... 160 4.4.1 Sampling ............................................................................................................ 67 7.3.1 What enables and constrains the ways in which language-students construct their 4.4.2 Inclusion criteria ................................................................................................. 68 information landscapes? ............................................................................................ 162 4.4.3 Recruitment ........................................................................................................ 68 7.3.2 In what ways does the enactment of information literacy practices shape language- 4.4.4 Demographics..................................................................................................... 69 student subjectivity? ............................................................................................... 164 4.5 Data analysis ............................................................................................................ 71 7.4 Chapter conclusion ................................................................................................ 165 4.5.1 Constructivist grounded theory analysis .............................................................. 71 Chapter 8: Conclusion .................................................................................................... 166 4.5.2 Situational analysis ............................................................................................. 72 8.1 Chapter overview .................................................................................................. 166 4.6 Credibility in qualitative research .........................................................................