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This review is by Dr Allen Foster from Aberystwyth University and is hosted at the Higher Education Subject Centre Information and Computing Science Suibject Centre site at:
http://www.ics.heacademy.ac.uk/publications/book_reviews-
/full_review.php?id=594
Review Summary:
A solid exploration of global media and information literacy issues from the perspective of education, practice, and pedagogy.
Review
This is an edited work by Marus Leaning, and forms part two of a 2 volume set. Published in 2009 this second volume is organised around 12 chapters organised in 4 sections. An extensive list of contributing authors drawn from around the world has helped make this an interesting and challenging read. As with volume one the content has been reviewed by a large editorial review board and the quality of writing and polish reflects this process. Intended audience: the book aims to be something for policy makers, education managers, teachers and educational practitioners, and students. Largely the book meets its aim, and will suit the needs of the readership appropriately. This is no doubt helped by the tight focus of the sections and their respective chapters.
A global perspective throughout the volume is of huge benefit to the reader seeking an enhanced comparative view of global media literacy. Section 1 tackles the ominous subject of literacies in higher education. Papers by Pope and Walton and Chaka explore the nature of what literacy might mean, and the issues that arise in the higher education sector. Section 2 ‘Developing and Assessing Skills’ contains 5 chapters each offering aspects of interest to the problem of how to develop, and how to measure literacy skills. The chapters explore Web-Enhance learning, PoliCultura Competition, Metacognition, the development of ICT skills amongst special groups, the strategic use of technology, and the problem of assessing competence. Section 3 ‘Inside the Classroom and Out’ is set out as a challenge to educators to think not just about the skills, the ‘literacy’, but to think how this relates to the cultural life of the learner. As such the section examines the place of reading, writing and television watchin, of popular culture, and critical literacy as it applies to middle schoolers (Chapter 10 ‘Middle Schoolers, Media Literacy and Methodology’). Section 4, with the title ‘Users and Needs’ has a strange role in this volume, and to some extent spoils the focus of the book: yes users and their needs are important, but Chapter 11 ‘A survey of information and communication technologies and information needs in the eThekwini Municipality in South Africa’ is rather limited as a means of exploring users and their needs, and likewise chapter 12 ‘Security requires information literacy: a perspective on information security for business, human, social and systemic security’ appears out of place. These are valid subject areas for policy, but they have little real connection with the other chapters of this book, perhaps this is deliberate, but there is insufficient depth to allow understanding of users and their needs, and even less to consider the scope of potential needs as regards security. Overall this book is a useful addition to the shelf of a practitioner, educationalist or student in this field, but with the proviso that it is to be thought of a stimulant for thought rather than as a source of any answers: for that it should be praised as too many texts attempt to provide the definitive answer.
Rating:  [4 of 5 Stars!] |
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.jpg "The Evolution of Mobile Teaching and Learning (Retta Guy, ed)")
.jpg "Issues in Info and Media Literacy: Ed, Practice & Pedagogy")
