Asia-Pacific Library and Information Conference 2018, 30 July - 2 August 2018 Gold Coast: Roar Leap Dare
This conference poster presentation looks at the concept of Digital Thinking application in libraries, with a human-centered focus on how the digital future may impact the ways information and library professionals work.
In the modern world, thinking skills are analysed for application to our current (and future) environments. Digital Thinking emerges as a concept of thinking relevant to our digital future. When thinking about digital futures, much discussion centres on the gear. The shiny and new software and hardware that will transform our lives. The next app, the next update, the next release, the new smartphone, the new system, the glasses, the robots, and the chips. Together with this view is the question of speed at which this gear will change, and the idea that the only constant will be change.
The rapid release of new technology will require constantly updated digital capability.The proliferation of technologies during the digital era confronts individuals with situations that require the utilisation of an ever-growing assortment of technical, cognitive, and sociological skills that are necessary in order to perform effectively in digital environments. However, Digital Thinking as a concept is more than just tech! Digital Thinking begins not with examinations of technology, but with deep reflection upon the human goals and social contexts within which we are operating.
Digital Thinking takes a human-centered approach where previous analogue ways of thinking are questioned and new ways of thinking are adopted. Siloes become connections, closed becomes open, controlled becomes empowered, hierarchies become networks, and plans become experiments. Digital Thinking provides the space for critical assessment to ensure the adoption of new technology use adds value to existing frameworks. This human-centered lens can be applied to determine balanced and purposeful uses of emerging technologies, making space for discussions on digital habits, digital literacies, and digital ethics, and digital identities.
