appropriate­


­for­the­report­writer­to­dis-


til from the results a series of principles that­should­underpin­any­programme­ of­information­literacy­(IL)­teaching.­ However,­if­the­writer­intends­these­ ideas­to­be­valuable­to­­librarians­in­a­ range­of­schools,­they­are­faced­with­ key­context-related­barriers.­Schools­ vary­hugely­in­ICT­provision;­some­ have­extensive­libraries,­others­have­ none­at­all;­any­programme­of­IL­ instruction­must­be­consistent­with­ the­wider­aims­and­objectives­of­the­ organisation­and­with­related­policies,­ pertaining­to­independent­learning,­for­ example.­These­will­obviously­differ from­one­school­to­another.­Given­so­ much­diversity,­researchers­may­justi- fiably­take­the­stance­that­they­cannot­ offer­a­“one-size-fits-all”­set­of­recom- mendations­unless­the­phraseology­is­ broadened.­If­this­is­done,­the­charge­ may­be­made­that­the­recommenda- tions­become­insufficiently­rooted­in­ the­study­data.­The­problem­of­“par- ticularity”­may­lead­to­other­concerns­ on the part of the researcher. Some qualitative­researchers­may­be­deterred­ from­publishing­their­work­at­all­by­ the­fact­that­they­may­consider­their­ findings­to­be­too­peculiar­to­a­certain­ setting­and­group­of­individuals.


52 INFORMATION PROFESSIONAL


2 Create a framework to facilitate good practice In­this­situation,­the­researcher­strips­ from­their­findings­the­underlying­issues,­ generates­a­series­of­questions­which­ each­reader­will­answer­in­relation­to­ their­own­organisation­and­sequences­ them­in­a­sensible­order.­This­course­of­ action is appealing to the researcher in that­the­problem­of­generalisability­or­ transferability­is­less­significant­than­in­ option­one­above.­Since­the­questions­will­ be­broad,­most­information­professionals­ will­be­able­to­apply­them­to­their­own­ situation.­Different­organisations­can­ use­the­questions­to­arrive­at­an­action­ plan­that­is­uniquely­theirs.­Nevertheless,­ the­danger­arises­that­readers­may­feel­ “short-changed”.­Some­may­say­that­it­ is­not­enough­for­the­researcher­to­end­ their­report­merely­by­asking­facilitat- ing­questions,­as­they­have­not­actually­ arrived­at­a­specification­for­a­solution­ to­the­problem(s)­involved.­Readers­and­ their­organisations­are­being­left­to­do­ that­for­themselves.­The­researcher­has­to­ have­some­knowledge­of­the­wider­world­ and­must­be­able­to­step­back­and­rec- ognise­that­the­position­which­applies­in­ their­organisation­may­not­be­universal.­ For­example,­if­the­researcher’s­school­ has­a­well-developed­virtual­learning­


environment­(VLE)­and­some­of­the­ implications­for­practice­that­they­have­ identified­relate­to­this­tool,­they­must­ appreciate­when­framing­their­facilitating­ questions­that­in­other­schools­the­VLE­ may­be­much­more­rudimentary­or­even­ non-existent.­


3 Construct a diagrammatic model The­term­“model”­is­ambiguous­in­ information­science­and­is­applied­in­this­ sense­to­an­ideal­that­guides­how­action­ should­take­place­in­the­area­involved.­ Frequently,­models­take­diagrammatic­ form­and­feature­the­interaction­of­key­ elements­


­associated­with­the­­phenomenon­


in­question.­Typically,­these­elements­are­ presented­in­an­abstract­fashion.­The­ diagram­is­usually­accompanied­by­text­ but­if,­in­writing­the­report,­it­becomes­ possible­to­explain­the­relevant­processes­ via­text,­then­the­illustration­becomes­ redundant­so­the­diagram­must­in­some­ way­add­value­to­the­written­account.­ The­most­fundamental­attraction­of­a­ model-oriented­approach­is­that­since­ the­­individual­components­and­pro- cesses­­featured­are­shown­in­a­highly­ generic­form,­the­overall­creation­should­ be­applicable­to­a­wide­range­of­organ- isations­and­in­many­contexts.­Models,­ are,­though,­cognitively­­demanding­


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