{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,24]],"date-time":"2026-04-24T22:12:04Z","timestamp":1777068724350,"version":"3.51.4"},"reference-count":33,"publisher":"Emerald","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2011,3,8]],"date-time":"2011-03-08T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1299542400000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/www.emerald.com\/insight\/site-policies"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":[],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2011,3,8]]},"abstract":"<jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Purpose<\/jats:title><jats:p>The purpose of this paper is to report findings from an investigation into the conceptions and characteristics of geo\/spatial information (GI) to demonstrate how exploring academics and students' conceptions of GI facilitated illumination of information literacy (IL) in the Geographic Information Science\/Systems (GIS) discipline.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Design\/methodology\/approach<\/jats:title><jats:p>Adopting an embedded exploratory case study, the data were gathered from semi\u2010structured interviews, an open\u2010ended questionnaire and students' reflection in an online distance learning (ODL) GIS programme. The data were analysed in light of the Grounded Theory approach. Drawing on the conceptions of GI which emerged from the study, this paper highlights several characteristics of GI and discusses their implications for IL. In particular, it compares the emergent IL competencies in the GIS discipline with those in the SCONUL model.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Findings<\/jats:title><jats:p>GI was identified as geo\/spatial, temporal, geo\/spatially contextualised, and geo\/spatially technology\u2010mediated. According to these conceptions, GI is a constructive concept; it has multiple components which need various operations and user inputs to become geo\/spatially meaningful and usable. These characteristics uncovered new aspects of IL in the GIS discipline which influence the depth and breadth of the SCONUL model.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Research limitations\/implications<\/jats:title><jats:p>Unlike exploratory studies of IL which focus on the IL and IL competencies to explore this phenomenon, the methodological approach taken in this study provides IL researchers with a new approach whose primary focus is on the concept of information as a key contextual element of IL. This helps one to gain a deeper insight into IL in disciplinary areas.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Practical implications<\/jats:title><jats:p>The emergent aspects to the SCONUL model can be taken into consideration when designing and delivering IL programmes in the GIS discipline. Likewise, the emergent picture of IL in this study can be used by GIS educators to develop information\u2010literate GIS learners.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Originality\/value<\/jats:title><jats:p>This study is original in terms of both its methodological approach and its outcomes. These can be of value to IL researchers, educators and practitioners.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1108\/00220411111109502","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2011,2,26]],"date-time":"2011-02-26T08:25:14Z","timestamp":1298708714000},"page":"334-354","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":9,"title":["What do the conceptions of geo\/spatial information tell us about information literacy?"],"prefix":"10.1108","volume":"67","author":[{"given":"Maryam","family":"Nazari","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Sheila","family":"Webber","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"140","reference":[{"key":"key2022020820265402300_b1","unstructured":"Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) (1989), \u201cALA presidential committee on information literacy: final report\u201d, available at: http:\/\/ala.org\/ala\/mgrps\/divs\/acrl\/publications\/whitepapers\/presidential.cfm (accessed 18 November 2009)."},{"key":"key2022020820265402300_b2","unstructured":"Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) (2000), \u201cInformation literacy competency standards for higher education: introduction\u201d, available at: http:\/\/archive.ala.org\/acrl\/il\/toolkit\/intro.html#highered (accessed 18 November 2009)."},{"key":"key2022020820265402300_b3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Bawden, D. (2001), \u201cInformation and digital literacies: a review of concepts\u201d, Journal of Documentation, Vol. 57 No. 2, pp. 218\u201059.","DOI":"10.1108\/EUM0000000007083"},{"key":"key2022020820265402300_b4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Boon, S., Johnston, B. and Webber, S. (2007), \u201cA phenomenographic study of English faculty's conceptions of information literacy\u201d, Journal of Documentation, Vol. 63 No. 2, pp. 204\u201028.","DOI":"10.1108\/00220410710737187"},{"key":"key2022020820265402300_b5","unstructured":"Bruce, C. (1997), Seven Faces of Information Literacy, Auslib Press, Adelaide."},{"key":"key2022020820265402300_b6","unstructured":"(The) Chartered Institute of Information and Library Professionals (CILIP) (2006), \u201cA short introduction to information literacy\u201d, available at: www.cilip.org.uk\/policyadvocacy\/learning\/informationliteracy\/definition\/introduction.htm (accessed 18 November 2009)."},{"key":"key2022020820265402300_b7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Cutcliffe, J.R. (2000), \u201cMethodological issues in grounded theory\u201d, Journal of Advanced Nursing, Vol. 31 No. 6, pp. 1476\u201088.","DOI":"10.1046\/j.1365-2648.2000.01430.x"},{"key":"key2022020820265402300_b8","unstructured":"Denscombe, M. (2003), The Good Research Guide: For Small\u2010scale Social Research Projects, Open University Press, Buckingham."},{"key":"key2022020820265402300_b9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"DiBiase, D., DeMers, M., Johnson, A., Kemp, K., Taylor Luck, A., Plewe, B. and Wentz, E. (2006), Geographic Information Science and Technology: Body of Knowledge, UCGIS, Alexandria, VA.","DOI":"10.1559\/152304007781002253"},{"key":"key2022020820265402300_b11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Eisenhardt, K.M. (1989), \u201cBuilding theories from case study research\u201d, The Academy of Management Review, Vol. 14 No. 4, pp. 532\u201050.","DOI":"10.5465\/amr.1989.4308385"},{"key":"key2022020820265402300_b12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Glaser, B. and Strauss, A. (1967), The Discovery of the Grounded Theory: Strategies for Qualitative Research, Aldine de Gruyter, New York, NY.","DOI":"10.1097\/00006199-196807000-00014"},{"key":"key2022020820265402300_b13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Jablonski, J. (2004), \u201cInformation literacy for GIS curricula: an instructional model for faculty\u201d, Journal of Map & Geography Libraries, Vol. 1 No. 1, pp. 41\u201058.","DOI":"10.1300\/J230v01n01_03"},{"key":"key2022020820265402300_b14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Leckie, G.J. and Fullerton, A. (1999), \u201cInformation literacy in science and engineering undergraduate education: faculty attitudes and pedagogical practices\u201d, College and Research Libraries, Vol. 60 No. 1, pp. 9\u201029.","DOI":"10.5860\/crl.60.1.9"},{"key":"key2022020820265402300_b15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Lloyd, A. (2005), \u201cInformation literacy: different contexts, different concepts, different truths?\u201d, Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, Vol. 37 No. 2, pp. 82\u20108.","DOI":"10.1177\/0961000605055355"},{"key":"key2022020820265402300_b16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Lloyd, A. (2009), \u201cInforming practice: information experiences of ambulance officers in training and on\u2010road practice\u201d, Journal of Documentation, Vol. 65 No. 3, pp. 396\u2010419.","DOI":"10.1108\/00220410910952401"},{"key":"key2022020820265402300_b17","unstructured":"Lupton, M. (2008), \u201cInformation literacy and learning\u201d, unpublished PhD thesis, Faculty of Information Technology, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane."},{"key":"key2022020820265402300_b18","unstructured":"Massey, M. (2002), \u201cNational collaborative projects for information and spatial literacy\u201d, Information Technology and Information Literacy Conference, University of Glasgow, available at: www.iteu.gla.ac.uk\/elit\/itilit2002\/papers\/ab18.html (accessed 18 November 2009)."},{"key":"key2022020820265402300_b19","unstructured":"Nazari, M. (2009), \u201cInformation literacy for online distance learning GIS programmes\u201d, unpublished PhD thesis, Department of Information Studies, University of Sheffield, Sheffield."},{"key":"key2022020820265402300_b20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Nazari, M. (2010), \u201cDesign and process of a contextual study of information literacy\u201d, Library and Information Science Research, Vol. 32 No. 3, pp. 179\u201091.","DOI":"10.1016\/j.lisr.2010.02.003"},{"key":"key2022020820265402300_b33","unstructured":"Nazari, M. and Webber, S. (2008), \u201cConceptions of geo\/spatial information in online distance learning GIS programs\u201d, in Nunes, M.B. and McPherson, M. (Eds), MCCSIS'08: IADIS Multi Conference on Computer Science and Information Systems: Vol. 1. E\u2010learning, IADIS Press, Amsterdam, pp. 161\u20108."},{"key":"key2022020820265402300_b21","unstructured":"Peters, J. (2004), \u201cLearning outcomes and information literacy\u201d, Society of College, National and University Libraries (SCONUL), available at: www.sconul.ac.uk\/groups\/information_literacy\/publications\/papers\/outcomes.pdf (accessed 18 November 2009)."},{"key":"key2022020820265402300_b22","unstructured":"Pickard, A.J. (2007), Research Methods in Information, Facet Publishing, London."},{"key":"key2022020820265402300_b23","unstructured":"SCONUL (1999), \u201cInformation skills in higher education: briefing paper\u201d, SCONUL Advisory Committee on Information Literacy, London."},{"key":"key2022020820265402300_b24","unstructured":"Seidman, I.E. (1998), Interviewing as Qualitative Research: A Guide for Researchers in Education and the Social Sciences, Teachers College Press, New York, NY and London."},{"key":"key2022020820265402300_b25","unstructured":"Stake, R.E. (1998), \u201cCase studies\u201d, in Denzin, N.K. and Lincoln, Y.S. (Eds), Strategies of Qualitative Inquiry, Sage, London, pp. 86\u2010109."},{"key":"key2022020820265402300_b26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Talja, S. and Maula, H. (2003), \u201cReasons for the use and non\u2010use of electronic journals and databases: a domain\u2010analytic study in four scholarly disciplines\u201d, Journal of Documentation, Vol. 59 No. 6, pp. 673\u201091.","DOI":"10.1108\/00220410310506312"},{"key":"key2022020820265402300_b27","unstructured":"Webber, S. (2008), \u201cThe seven headline skills expanded\u201d, available at: www.sconul.ac.uk\/groups\/information_literacy\/headline_skills.html (accessed 18 November 2009)."},{"key":"key2022020820265402300_b28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Webber, S. and Johnston, B. (2000), \u201cConceptions of information literacy: new perspectives and implications\u201d, Journal of Information Science, Vol. 26 No. 6, pp. 381\u201097.","DOI":"10.1177\/016555150002600602"},{"key":"key2022020820265402300_b29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Webber, S., Boon, S. and Johnston, B. (2005), \u201cA comparison of UK academics' conceptions of information literacy in two disciplines: English and Marketing\u201d, Library and Information Research, Vol. 30 No. 93, pp. 4\u201015.","DOI":"10.29173\/lirg197"},{"key":"key2022020820265402300_b30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Wu, Y.D. and Kendall, S.L. (2006), \u201cTeaching faculty's perspectives on business information literacy\u201d, Reference Services Review, Vol. 34 No. 1, pp. 86\u201096.","DOI":"10.1108\/00907320610648789"},{"key":"key2022020820265402300_b32","unstructured":"Yin, R.K. (1994), Case Study Research: Design and Methods, Sage, London."},{"key":"key2022020820265402300_b31","unstructured":"Yin, R. (2003), Case Study Research: Design and Methods, 3rd ed., Sage, London."},{"key":"key2022020820265402300_frd10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Dooley, L.M. (2002), \u201cCase study research and theory building\u201d, Advances in Developing Human Resources, Vol. 4 No. 3, pp. 335\u201054.","DOI":"10.1177\/1523422302043007"}],"container-title":["Journal of Documentation"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"http:\/\/www.emeraldinsight.com\/doi\/full-xml\/10.1108\/00220411111109502","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/www.emerald.com\/insight\/content\/doi\/10.1108\/00220411111109502\/full\/xml","content-type":"application\/xml","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/www.emerald.com\/insight\/content\/doi\/10.1108\/00220411111109502\/full\/html","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,24]],"date-time":"2025-07-24T23:38:19Z","timestamp":1753400299000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"http:\/\/www.emerald.com\/jd\/article\/67\/2\/334-354\/216539"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2011,3,8]]},"references-count":33,"journal-issue":{"issue":"2","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2011,3,8]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1108\/00220411111109502"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1108\/00220411111109502","relation":{},"ISSN":["0022-0418"],"issn-type":[{"value":"0022-0418","type":"print"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2011,3,8]]}}}