Information Literacy Based on Epistemic Cognition and Its Learning Environments Design in Post-Truth Era

Abstract

In today’s “post-truth” era, lay citizens have difficulty trusting and judging what is true based on their integrated comprehension of various information. The amount, diversity, and complexity of information has increased dramatically causing rampant conflicting information originating even from reliable sources in topics such as vaccines, diets, educational methods, and so on. This paper reviews research in epistemic cognition that explores new ways of information literacy in order to improve the abovementioned situation. Based on the AIR model for epistemic cognition, which places particular emphasis on evidential practices, we explain the Grasp of Evidence framework which captures competencies that include evaluation, interpretation, and integration of evidence, as well as evaluation of testimonies of experts who provide such information. Our three projects that explore innovative forms of information literacy education based on the framework are also described in this paper.