Who was Kurt Lewin and why are his theories important?

What is action research? Analysis of a qualitative exploratory

study of information literacy in the workplace

Born in Prussia (now Poland) From a Jewish family Concerned with equality and

democracy Taught psychology and philosophy University of Iowa 1935(Smith 2001)

Influenced by the war Social processes Minorities Inter-group relations Field theory(Lewin 1951, 188-190) (Smith 2001)

Cassier’s Philosophy of Science and the Social Sciences (1949)

What is considered “unscientific” or “illogical” is important for progress

Quantitative versus qualitative(Lewin 1951, xv-30)

Importance of group problems Experimenter does not determine

policy, but rather investigate and secure data

Data is important for policy determination

(Lewin 1951, 68)

Applied to modern culture Experiment outside the lab Integrate social science Focus on problems of group life instead

of description of group New techniques of social research(Lewin 1951, 188)

Social management Research of social action Effects of social action Research that leads to social action Collecting data just to collect data is

not enough Create change(Smith 2001)

Identify idea Find information Plan First action phase Evaluate Adjust plan if needed Second action phase(Smith 2001)

A Qualitative Exploratory Study Scottish Information Literacy Project Adult Literacies Interview based Need for information literacy training

programs through the public library(Crawford et al. 2009)

Lave and Wenger Community of practice Social dimension Social interaction(Crawford et al. 2009)

1. Learn from mistakes 2. Self education 3. Personal values 4. Theory and skill 5. Problem solving 6. Interaction 7. Planning 8. Advocate

9. Leadership 10. Training 11. Practice(Crawford et al. 2009)

Social learning and information literacy Pedagogic authorities Professional qualifications a factor Training programs can be important Multiple Learner Model Changing nature of work from manual

to literate(Crawford et al. 2009)

Interviews with Adult Literacy trainers Interviews with Tribunal Services staff Interviews with Scottish Government

Civil Service Staff Interviews with social work/health staff(Crawford et al. 2009)

Pedagogical implications People learn together in the workplace

through social interaction Need for information literacy Knowledge management systems Role of the public library(Crawford et al. 2009)

Traditional view of information and people as a source of information

Human relationships important Information Literacy training

opportunities Change public library image Skills audits(Crawford et al. 2009)

Contact chamber of commerce Information policy Assess staff information literacy skills Viability of developing IL programmes Private sector should be researched further Provision of IL programmes by public

libraries Developmental work with Adult Literacy

agencies

Further research is planned Health literacy Develop or utilize existing IL training

programs(Crawford et al. 2009)

Crawford, John, and Christine Irving. “Information Literacy in the Workplace: A qualitative Exploratory Study.” Journal of Librarianship and Information Science 41, no. 1(March 2009), http://lis.sagepub.com.

Lewin, Kurt. Field Theory in Social Science Selected Theoretical Papers. Edited by Dorwin Cartwright. New York: Harper & Brothers Publishers, 1951.

Smith, Mark K. “ Kurt Lewin: groups, experimental learning, and action research.” Infed. http://www.infed.org/thinkers/et-lewin.htm (accessed October 13, 2009).