One of the classes I'm taking this summer is on repackaging information and I've been reading books and articles on information design, visual information, usability and accessibility, and web design. Our first assignment was to find some citations to books, articles, and websites appropriate to add to the readings selected by the instructor which dealt with how a specific user group used information. The user group I chose was Native Americans and this is what I found:
Patterson, L. (1995). Information needs and services of Native Americans. Rural Libraries 15(2), 37-44.
Native American artists use art and storytelling to bring cancer statistics to life. Retrieved May 27, 2007 from here
Simpson, L. (2000). Stories, Dreams and Ceremonies—Anishnaabe Ways of Learning. Tribal College: Journal of American Indian Higher Education, 11 (4), 26-29.
Patterson, L. (1992). Understanding and appreciating the unique needs of Native Americans. Multicultural Aspects of Library Media Programs. Libraries Unlimited, 54-60.
Model village/The University of British Columbia. Retrieved May 27, 2007 from
here
Marsden, D. (2004). Expanding knowledge through dreaming, wampum, and visual arts. Journal of Aboriginal and Indigenous
Community Health 2 (2), 55-74. Retrieved May 27, 2007 from
here
Rhodes, R.W. (1998). Holistic/teaching for Native American Students. Journal of American Indian Education, 27 (2). Retrieved May 27, 2007 from here
Native American information users tend to prefer to receive their information orally, through storytelling, as well as visually, through observation and through art, and from tribal (community) and holistic perspectives. There is also a preference for information that is presented through a spiral process, rather than through a lineal one, and in a way which allows one to have time to absorb it.
