Information literacy and Web 2.0: developing a modern media curriculum using social bookmarking and social networking tools

Abstract

The term 'Web 2.0' continues to prompt widespread discussion in terms of definition, impact upon society in general and relevance to library and information professionals in Higher Education. Web 2.0 has been described by Notess (2006:40) as '...a second wave of Web techniques to create more interactive and easy-to-use Websites using new technologies (or using older technologies in a new way)'. There has been debate in recent years concerning the importance of the adoption of Web 2.0 tools by librarians within information literacy teaching programmes. Godwin (2008:8) sees them as providing a vital link to the 'Google generation', which uses search engines effortlessly in a self-directed manner, placing complete faith in what they find on the web. He argues that Web 2.0 tools '...give us a whole set of new ways to reach our users, and tools with which to teach them.' Abram (2006) claims that librarians can guarantee the future of their profession by embracing and exploiting the potential of such technologies. Furthermore, Bradley (2006) argues that an understanding of the term Web 2.0 is unimportant, compared to an acknowledgement that librarians are in a position to do more than they could in the past and being open to it. Chad (2007) meanwhile, states that unless academic librarians embrace the Google generation they will become increasingly marginalised