Addressing the digital divide in teaching information retrieval: A theoretical view on taking students from ICT access to knowledge sharing

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this article is to help students to move from ICT access to knowledge sharing.

Design/methodology/approach

An overview of the literature on information literacy skills and the digital divide, an analysis of information seeking research, as well as experience in teaching a course in advanced information retrieval at the Department of Information Science, University of Pretoria, South Africa, inspired a theoretical model for addressing different layers of the digital divide.

Findings

The digital divide concerns more than just ICT access and information skills. Individual commitment, group work, and intellectual and academic support from the institution might contribute to bringing people to higher levels of knowledge generation and communication.

Research limitations/implications

At this stage it is a theoretical model that needs to be tested in practice.

Practical implications

The model should hold possibilities for information literacy programs, programs in information retrieval, collaborative learning, and the developments of communities of practice.

Originality/value

The proposed model allows for higher levels of knowledge sharing and should help society to bridge the digital divide.

Citation

Fourie, I. and Bothma, T. (2006), "Addressing the digital divide in teaching information retrieval: A theoretical view on taking students from ICT access to knowledge sharing", The Electronic Library, Vol. 24 No. 4, pp. 469-489. https://doi.org/10.1108/02640470610689179