Keynote presentation given by Sheila Webber at the ReDMIL doctoral summer school, UCLouvain, Louvain la Neuve, Belgium, on 14 September 2018

1. Sheila Webber
ReDMIL2018
Exploring people’s conceptions and
experience of information literacy using
phenomenographic & case study
approaches

2. Outline
• Snippets from my past
• Disciplinary background & view of the world
• Definitions
• Two research approaches: phenomenography and
case study
Sheila Webber, 2018

3. Snippets from my past
• Practitioner, marketing and training in the very early day of online
information services and videotex (working with The British Library
1980-1992), specialising in health information and then business
information
• Academic from 1992, regular posts to the web from 1995,
identifying what I was interested in as “information literacy” from
about 1997
“So - practitioners - I am aware of my own journey from being a
practitioner, then gradually feeling (for quite a long time) I was
neither researcher/academic nor practitioner, and now feeling
comfortable that I am a researcher. However, I still position myself
as a researcher who has BEEN a practitioner” (2016 , reflection for
a collaborative autoethnography (Grace et al, 2018) Sheila Webber, 2018

4. Disciplinary background
• Information Science (an
ex-discipline in the UK…)
• Information behaviour
(major IS research field:
focus on people engaging
with, or not engaging with,
information)
• Information Literacy
Heavily involved in the
Institute of Information
Scientists (Webber, 2003)
Sheffield iSchool history of
IB research (e.g. Wilson,
Ellis, Ford)
In Johnston & Webber
(2003) & Webber &
Johnston (2017) argued
case for IL as a discipline
Sheila Webber, 2018

5. Disciplines: a contemporary
definition
“Reservoirs of knowledge resources shaping regularized
behavioural practices, sets of discourses, ways of thinking,
procedures, emotional responses and motivations. These
provide structured dispositions for disciplinary practitioners
who reshape them in different practice clusters into
localised repertoires. While alternative recurrent practices
may be in competition within a single discipline, there is
common background knowledge about key figures,
conflicts and achievements. Disciplines take organizational
form, have internal hierarchies and bestow power
differentially, conferring advantage and disadvantage”
(Trowler, 2014, 9)
Sheila Webber, 2018

6. Overlapping and invisible cities
Using John Potter’s metaphor from Wednesday*….
I think you can
create your
own map of the
city, but you
need to connect
it to other
people’s, and
be open to
treading new
paths Sheila Webber, 2018
Of China Miéville’s: two cities in the same place, with citizens ignoring each other (The City & the City)

7. Non-dualist approach
• Influenced by phenomenography
• That there is not a mind/body nor a person/world split/opposition
• We exist as part of the world and phenomena in the world,
related to it through our conceptions and experience of the world
“being located neither in [the research] subject nor in the
world, being neither psychological nor physical, being
neither mind nor matter, experiences comprise an internal
relationship between the subject and the world, and that
is their fundamental characteristic: experience is of its
essence nondualistic”
(Marton and Booth, 1997, 122)
Sheila Webber, 2018

8. Variations in experiences of being at a
conference meal
Sheila Webber, 2018
The ReDMIL
conference
meal, Louvain
la Neuve,
September
2018
We
experienced
the world
socially, but
there was also
physical stuff

9. Pondering possible
connection with
posthumanism
“To simplify, posthuman
involves us in making an
ontological shift from
understanding “the human” as
an individuated separate
entity separate from and
observant of the world and its
(human and non-human)
inhabitants, to one which is
inextricably connected to the
world and only conceivable as
emergent with and through it”
(Bayne, 2018) Sheila Webber, 2018

10. Conception of information
Bates’ (2006) definition is “the pattern of organization of matter
and energy” (Bates 2006, my emphasis): with this typology:
• Genetic information
• Experienced information “the feeling of being in life” - includes
memories
• Enacted information “the pattern of organization of actions of an
animal in, and interacting with, its environment”
• Expressed information (communicated through gestures, scents,
language)
• Exosomatic information (information stored externally to the
body)
• Embedded information “the pattern of organization of the enduring
effects of the presence of animals on the earth” (deliberate or not)
• Recorded information “Communicatory or memorial information
preserved in a durable medium”
• Residue Sheila Webber, 2018

11. (on the right) Screenshot from the cat game Neko Atsume (TM of HitPoint). In understanding this screen
we may be drawing on our memory of what different icons etc. mean (e.g. what the numbers denote, the
name and toy preferences of each cat) or memories of similar games. Thus the same screenshot may
contain varying amounts of information depending on factors such as whether you have played the
game, previous experience of Japanese popular culture
SheilaWebber,2018
In experiencing the conference meal we are
probably engaging with information of all
these types (e.g. reading the name of a
dish, memories of how the dish tasted,
which we share verbally with someone who
never tasted it)

12. Information Literacy
"the adoption of appropriate information behaviour to
identify, through whatever channel or medium, information
well fitted to information needs, leading to wise and ethical
use of information in society."
(Johnston & Webber, 2003)
This is a definition that we use as a “marker” in our publications,
since we have been writing about information literacy for some time
“Appropriate” means – appropriate to your context e.g. knowing
whether your information need is more appropriately served by
asking a friend, looking on Youtube, searching Google, doing a
systematic review, consulting a medical expert etc. An information
literate person has situated awareness of their needs and of the
options open to them to meet their needs (or to choose to ignore the
need) Sheila Webber, 2018

13. Two research approaches
• Research approaches – i.e. affecting whole research
design
• Phenomenography – because it was whilst working on a
phenomenographic project I first felt like a real researcher
• Case study – a useful and flexible approach that can be
followed in different ways, and which can be used
together with other theories and methods
• Will mostly give examples from my PhD students
Sheila Webber, 2018

14. Phenomenography
Sheila Webber, May 2016

15. "Phenomenography is the empirical
study of the differing ways in
which people experience,
perceive, apprehend, understand,
conceptualise various
phenomena in and aspects of the
world around us.” Marton (1994)
Sheila Webber, 2018
Marton at the SIG
Phenomenography
conference in 2016

16. The research question will be in the form of:
What are the qualitatively different ways in which
[the population] conceive of/ experience [the
phenomenon]
Started with investigating learning, but wide variety of
phenomena have been investigated in different
disciplinary contexts (e.g. the operating theatre; the
environment; solubility; research; healthy aging; e-
assessment)
Sheila Webber, 2018

17. Phenomenon
?
Interviewee
Interviewer
Interviewees chosen
purposively, usually to
maximise potential variation
The interview circles
around the central question:
discovering the key focus of
Interviewee’s conception of
the phenomenon
Interviewers empathetic,
and aiming to bracket their
own views Sheila Webber, 2018

18. Categories
Pool of interview
transcripts
Analysis
e.g.
describing
different
ways of
experiencing
the
phenomenon
A descriptive ‘snapshot’ + Outcome Space (structure)
Holistic view
Variation not
communality
Not looking for
causal
relationships
Focus only on
transcripts
Sheila Webber, 2018

19. Analysis has to reveal...
• Referential aspect (what is being experienced; what
it means): Categories of description, each
category describing one experience/ conception
• Structural aspect (how the phenomenon is
experienced): Outcome space showing how the
categories are related, including the dimensions of
variation that link and separate the conceptions
• Also other aspects, notably the internal and external
horizon
Sheila Webber, 2018

20. 3 criteria for categories
• They must be qualitatively distinctive
• They should be structurally linked (possibly
hierarchically)
• There should be the minimum number of categories
that can capture the variations in experience or
conception
(Marton and Booth, 1997, 125)
Also: one person may hold more than one conception; how many
people hold a conception (i.e. one or many) does not signify
importance Sheila Webber, 2018

21. Wheeler & McKinney (2015)
Example: Categories from Emily Wheeler’s Masters
research into librarians’ conceptions of themselves as
teachers of information literacy
(6 participants: academic librarians in the UK)
Sheila Webber, 2018
Dimensions of variation are: identity (teacher/ not a teacher)
and perception of practice (I teach/ do not teach)

22. Dr Joseph Essel’s
research
Research Question: What are
the qualitatively different ways in
which teacher trainees in Ghana
conceive of the Information
Literate Teacher?
Site: University of Education
Winneba, Ghana, dedicated to
teacher training.
Sample: 25 2nd year students,
varied as regards age, gender,
teaching experience, subject of
teaching
Sheila Webber, 2018

23. Categories
Being an information literate teacher is conceived as:
A. Linguistic competency (knowing & using English)
B. ICT and information retrieval
C. Critical awareness (quality and relevance of
sources)
D. Knowledge building (for self and others)
E. Professional growth (using information to extend
professional capacity)
Sheila Webber, 2018

24. Dr Shahd Salha’s research
• Research questions:
• What are the varying ways in which Syrian school librarians conceive
of information literacy?
• To what extent would participating in an IL programme change those
conceptions of IL?
• Site: Syria (pre 2010)
• Sample:10 qualified librarians and 10 who had been teachers
and assumed the job of school librarian: varied in age, gender,
economic status of area
• Design: Phenomenographic interviews/analysis; Intervention;
(after about 6 months) 2nd round of interviews/ analysis
Sheila Webber, 2018
Shahd Salha (l) & Eva
Hornung

25. The 2nd phase findings (Salha, 2011)
SheilaWebber,2018
Dimensions of Variation

26. Salha (2011)

27. Combinations?
• Can’t have research with just “a phenomenographic
texture”
• Data collected using some other approach may
sometimes be suitable for phenomenographic analysis
• Depending on the sample, might be able combine with
another approach e.g. ethnography, case study: very
likely to need to collect more data, and at some point will
have to do specifically phenomenographic analysis
Sheila Webber, 2018

28. Applications of phenomenographic research
• Variation theory: having identified how learners’
conceive of a subject, you design learning that
enables them to experience the variations
• Workplace training & education e.g.
– Masters students at the Sheffield iSchool use Wheeler’s
framework when reflecting on their own development as
teachers of information literacy
– Medical staff having a better understanding of how their
patients experience an illness
Sheila Webber, 2018

29. Case Study
Sheila Webber, 2018

30. A definition
“Case studies are analyses of persons, events,
decisions, periods, projects, policies, institutions, or other
systems that are studied holistically by one or more
methods. The case that is the subject of the inquiry will
be an instance of a class of phenomena that provides an
analytical frame – an object – within which the study is
conducted and which the case illuminates and explicates”
(Thomas, 2011b, 513)
See also Thomas (2011a)
Sheila Webber, 2018

31. Characteristics
• Investigating a “bounded context” i.e. you can tell
whether something is inside or outside the context
you are focusing on
• In order to “study holistically” you normally collect
multiple sources of evidence to get different
perspectives on the problem; would also expect
holistic insights
• Prominent case study scholars have different
epistemological positions (e.g. Yin more positivist,
Merriam constructivist, see Yazan, 2015)
Sheila Webber, 2018

32. • Sometimes a casually or ambiguously used term e.g.
– just describes an example or anecdote
– medical case
– appears in article title but never mentioned again
– not clear from description of findings in what way it is a
case study
Sheila Webber, 2018
Some poor practices in the research
literature

33. Dr Phussadee
Dokphrom
Dokphrom (2013)
Research questions:
• What is the perception of
information literacy (IL) among
academics, students and
librarians in the Faculty of Arts,
Silpakorn University, Thailand ?
• What is the existing state of IL
education in the Faculty of Arts,
Silpakorn University, Thailand?
“System” = the faculty
“Object” = IL (with existing
frameworks as a starting point)
Sheila Webber, 2018

34. Embedded case study with four units of analysis
Documents
10 Librarians
Focus groups
IL of Undergraduate Students: Faculty of Arts,
Silpakorn University
Academic
Lecturers
4th year
Students
Documents
Department of Modern Eastern Languages
Department of Thai
Department of History
Department of Geography
Central Library
23 interviewed in
total
35 in total, using
focus groups
Sheila Webber, 2018

35. “An active, self-directed learner who is
knowledgeable and regularly acquires
new information with understanding, as
well as having the ability to research
and use information with an awareness
of a variety of formats”
An information literate person:
Sheila Webber, 2018

36. Personal attributes of the information
literate student
• As identified by staff and students, categorised into
–attitude
–research skills
–generic skills (including English language)
–knowledge
Dokphrom also developed a model of IL for
undergraduate students Sheila Webber, 2018

37. Attitudes
• Attitude towards obtaining information
– Enthusiasm
– Current awareness
– Being observant and curious
– Reading attitude
– Determination
– Open-mindedness
• Attitude towards creating knowledge
– Well-versed attitude
– Interdisciplinary approach
“IL refers to a person
who knows different
people and can
exchange information
liberally and diversely
with them” (MEL
student 1)
Sheila Webber, 2018

38. “If you are interested in this history, you watch a TV programme or
documentary about it and then you notice if there are any interesting
issues. So you can search for more details from the internet or
books. For example, when we watch a documentary, if you are not
observant, you may watch it as a whole, if you are observant, we
can observe that there are a lot of minor issues.” (History student 6)
“Being enthusiastic about learning is most important, if you
are willing to know, you will make an effort, if you want to
know from whatever medium, you will learn how to use them,
like if you want to know about this, you will try every way to
get the information.” (Geography Lecturer 2)
“For example, I have to submit coursework; I have to be
enthusiastic in searching for information, learning and doing it.
Otherwise, I won’t have any work to submit.” (Thai Student 2)
SheilaWebber,2018

39. Case study is “commonly used in
combination with a considerable number of
other research designs*. These combined
uses both strengthen the appeal of case
study and make clear its robustness as a
research design”
(Tight, 2017, 94, my emphasis)
* or other theories or epistemologies
May be integrated or sequential
Sheila Webber, 2018

40. Tight (2017) gives examples of ..
• CS + action research
• CS + critical realism
• CS + content analysis
• CS + Grounded Theory
• CS + evaluation
(etc.)
Sheila Webber, 2018

41. Dr Syeda Hina Batool
• “System”: primary
schools in Lahore,
Pakistan
• “Object”: information
literacy, including its
relationship to the
Pakistani curriculum and
to relevant IL frameworks
See: Shahid (2016); Batool &
Webber (2017)
Sheila Webber, 2018
Photographer:unknownUoSgraduate
Syeda Hina Batool (l) and Sheila Webber

42. Key objectives
• To explore IL classroom practices in the selected primary
schools of Lahore, Pakistan
• To seek teachers teaching methodology in terms of IL
instruction
• To analyze the students’ information behavior and IL skills
• To inspect the problems in the implementation of IL
instruction program in the selected schools
• To propose an IL model based on findings
Sheila Webber, 2018

43. Interviews with teachers
Focus
groups with
children
Observation,
photos and
field notes
Curriculum
documents,
handouts etc.
Each case
= 1 school
6 schools,
purposive
sample of
different
types Material
produced by
children in
focus groups
Data
analysis
Also: description of the state of education in Pakistan, and an
analysis of the Pakistani school curriculum, using James Herring’s
PLUS model (Purpose, Location, Use, Self-Evaluation)
SheilaWebber,2018

44. CS + Situational analysis
• Case summary & cross case analysis for themes
such as teaching methods, children’s practices
• Proposed framework for information literacy in
Lahore primary schools
• Situational analysis (Clarke, 2005) decided on once
analysis was in progress
– Enabled deeper analysis of the case findings in the
Pakistani context, surfacing socio-cultural elements,
sites of silence etc.
Sheila Webber, 2018

45. • Dr Jess Elmore: Case Study + Practice Theory +
theoretical concept of Information Grounds
(investigating information practice of ESOL learners
in the ESOL classroom)
• Evi Tramantza: Case Study + Action Research
(investigating information literacy needs of
mechanical engineering students in a Greek and a
UK university)
Sheila Webber, 2018

46. but now I think they are
really rather exciting
I used to think research
methods were baffling,
Sheila Webber, 2018

47. Sheila Webber
Information School
University of Sheffield
s.webber@shef.ac.uk
Twitter & SL: Sheila Yoshikawa
http://information-literacy.blogspot.com/
http://www.slideshare.net/sheilawebber/
Pictures by Sheila Webber
taken in Second Life (a trademark
of Linden Lab) and the physical
world, except for on slide 41

48. References
• Bates, M.(2006). Fundamental forms of information. Journal of the American Society
for Information Science and Technology, 57(8), 1033-1045.
• Batool, S. H. & Webber, S. (2017). Conceptions of school libraries and the role of
school librarians: findings from case studies of primary schools in Lahore. Information
Research, 22(1), CoLIS paper 1606. http://InformationR.net/ir/22-1/colis/colis1606.html
• Bayne, S. (2018). Posthumanism: a navigation aid for educators. Journal for Research
and Debate, 1(2), 1-7.
• Clarke, A. (2005). Situational analysis: grounded theory after the postmodern turn.
London: Sage.
• Dokphrom, P. (2013). Information literacy of undergraduate students in Thailand: a
case of the Faculty of Arts, Silpakorn University, Thailand. In M. Hepworth & G. Walton
(Eds.). Developing people’s information capabilities. (pp.111-126). Bingley, England:
Emerald.
• Grace, D., Nunn, E., Chapman, E., Elmore, J., Webber, S. and Andrews, P. (2017)
Reflections on Running a critLIS Reading Group. In K.P. Nicholson and M. Seale. The
Politics of Theory and the Practice of Critical Librarianship. (pp.167-179.) Sacramento,
CA: Library Juice Press.
• Johnston, B. & Webber, S. (2006). As we may think: Information Literacy as a
discipline for the information age. Research Strategies, 20(3), 108-121.
• Marton, F. (1994). Phenomenography. In T. Husén and T.N. Postlethwaite. (Eds.), The
international encyclopedia of education. (2nd ed.). (pp. 4424-4429) Oxford, England:
Pergamon Press. Sheila Webber, 2018

49. • Marton, F., & Booth, S. (1997). Learning and awareness. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum
Associates.
• Salha, S. (2011). The variations and the changes in the school librarians' perspectives of
information literacy. (Doctoral dissertation). http://etheses.whiterose.ac.uk/1538/
• Shahid, S.B. (2016). Exploring information literacy (IL) practices in primary schools: a case
of pakistan. (Doctoral dissertation). http://etheses.whiterose.ac.uk/15534/
• Thomas, G. (2011a). How to do your case study: a guide for students and researchers.
London, England: Sage.
• Thomas, G. (2011). A typology for the case study in social science following a review of
defintion, discourse and structure. Qualitative Inquiry, 17(6), 511-521.
• Tight, M. (2017). Understanding case study research. London: Sage.
• Trowler, P. (2014). Disciplines and interdisciplinarity: conceptual groundwork. In P. Trowler,
M. Saunders & V. Bamber. (Eds.), Tribes and territories in the 21st Century: Rethinking the
significance of disciplines in Higher Education. (pp.5-29). London: Routledge.
• Webber, S. (2003). Information Science in 2003: a critique. Journal of information science,
29 (4), 311-330.
• Webber, S. and Johnston, B. (2017). Information literacy: conceptions, context and the
formation of a discipline. Journal of Information Literacy 11(1) 156-183, .
http://dx.doi.org/10.11645/11.1.2205
• Wheeler, E. & McKinney, P. (2015). Are librarians teachers? Investigating academic
librarians’ perceptions of their own teaching roles. Journal of Information Literacy, 9(2), 111-
128.
• Yazan, B. (2015). Three approaches to case study methods in education: Yin, Merriam and
Stake. The Qualitative Report, 20(2), 134-152. Sheila Webber, 2018