The International Scientific Production About Information and Informatic Competencies: Trends and Interrelationship

Abstract

In this work, the terms that best represent the training in information and computer competencies the last 30 years ("information literacy", "information skills" and "library skills" / "computer literacy", " internet literacy "," digital literacy "and" technological literacy") are considered as two clusters. After consulting three specialized databases (LISA, LISTA, ERIC) and three multi-disciplinary databases (ISI, FRANCIS and CINDOC) a quantitative and qualitative analysis has been done, considering as a first stage, the period 1997-2007, and as a second stage of update, the 2008-2009 period. The analysis has identified the increasing importance of the training and acquisition of information and computer competencies, given the increasing volume of such publications. However, when performing the cluster analysis, which upgrades and updates the previous work, it is shown how at different times there is a preference for certain terms or competencies. Also this type of analysis evidences that, although there are some studies that have defined, differentiated and classified the information skills and the information technology, presented as complementary and previous level the second, in many subject areas this differentiation is not so clear and there is less emphasis on information competencies from today's perspective ("information literacy" and/or "information skills"), which means for information professionals to continue working for the positioning, both at educational and entrepreneurial level, the need for continuous training in information competencies as the key to lifelong learning.