Information literacy and social networking sites: challenges and stakes regarding teenagers’ uses

• Published in: ESSACHESS Vol. 9; no. 2; pp. 89 - 100
• Main Authors: Aillerie, Karine, McNicol, Sarah
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Les Arcs Institut Universitaire de Technologie 2016; ESSACHESS editors; Etudes Scientifiques Spécialisées Appliquées aux Communications Humaines, Economiques, Sociales et Symboliques
• Subjects: 21st century; 21st century skills; Adolescents; Collaboration; empowerment; Humanities and Social Sciences; Informal education; Information literacy; Information seeking behavior; information uses; Library and information sciences; Literacy; Motivation; Networking; School environment; social media; social networking sites; Social networks; Teaching; teenagers; Validity; empowerment; 21 st century skills; adolescents; information uses; information literacy; capacitation; teenagers; réseaux sociaux numériques; pratiques informationnelles; compétences du 21 ème siècle; social networking sites
• ISSN: 2066-5083; 1775-352X

Research has shown that information seeking can act as a motivation to use SNS. In this paper, we identify patterns of information uses of SNS among teenagers specifically.There is evidence to suggest that teenagers use SNS for information purposes both informally outside of the school environment and also as part of their academic studies. We explore three important implications of this phenomemon in terms of students’ information literacy: firstly, the evaluation and validation of information obtained via SNS; secondly, the significance of these practices for collaboration and other 21st century skills; and finally, the porosity of formal and informal learning contexts. We conclude by reflecting on the ways in which current IL models and teaching practices need to adapt to accommodation teenagers’ uses of SNS.