Information behaviour Research Papers - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

As more and more information is available on the Web finding quality and reliable information is becoming harder. To help solve this problem, Web search models need to incorporate users ’ cognitive styles. This paper reports the... more

As more and more information is available on the Web finding quality and reliable information is becoming harder. To help solve this problem, Web search models need to incorporate users ’ cognitive styles. This paper reports the preliminary results from a user study exploring the relationships between Web users ’ searching behavior and their cognitive style. The data was collected using a questionnaire, Web search logs and think-aloud strategy. The preliminary findings reveal a number of cognitive factors, such as information searching processes, results evaluations and cognitive style, having an influence on users ’ Web searching behavior. Among these factors, the cognitive style of the user was observed to have a greater impact. Based on the key findings, a conceptual model of Web searching and cognitive styles is presented.

Cossham, A. (2013). Introduction. The IFLA functional requirements for bibliographic records model has had a major impact on cataloguing principles and practices over the past fifteen years. This paper evaluates the model in the light... more

Cossham, A. (2013).
Introduction. The IFLA functional requirements for bibliographic records model has had a major impact on cataloguing principles and practices over the past fifteen years. This paper evaluates the model in the light of changes in the wider information environment (especially to information resources and retrieval) and in information seeking behaviour online, rather than in terms of library catalogues per se.
Approach. Using a critical analytic approach, it reviews a range of literature across library and information science, and analyses the implications of the changing information environment and information behaviour on usefulness of the model.
Conclusion. The paper argues that although the functional requirements for bibliographic records model may be useful in terms of thinking about the bibliographic universe as constituted when the model was first developed, there have been major changes in the form, format, nature, publishing, and relationships of information resources, along with significant developments in users’ information seeking behaviour, understanding and expectations. The model may no longer be sufficient as a theoretical and conceptual basis for cataloguing rules and hence for library catalogues, nor for understanding the bibliographic universe.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to historicise research conducted in the fields of Information Seeking and Learning and Information Literacy and thereby begin to outline a description of the history of information in the context of... more

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to historicise research conducted in the fields of Information Seeking and Learning and Information Literacy and thereby begin to outline a description of the history of information in the context of Swedish compulsory education. Design/methodology/approach Document work and documentary practices are used as alternatives to concepts such as information seeking or information behaviour. Four empirical examples of document work – more specifically informational reading – recorded in Swedish primary classrooms in the 1960s are presented. Findings In the recordings, the reading style students use is similar to informational reading in contemporary educational settings: it is fragmentary, facts-oriented, and procedure-oriented. The practice of finding correct answers, rather than analysing and discussing the contents of a text seems to continue from lessons organised around print textbooks in the 1960s to the inquiry-based and digital teaching of toda...

This study investigated the psychometric properties of Information Seeking Anxiety Scale (ISAS) using postgraduate students in a Pakistani university. A 47-item ISAS was administered to 297 students, selected through stratified convenient... more

This study investigated the psychometric properties of Information Seeking Anxiety Scale (ISAS) using postgraduate students in a Pakistani university. A 47-item ISAS was administered to 297 students, selected through stratified convenient sampling procedure, by visiting each department. An eighty-five percent (85%) response rate was achieved through usable returned questionnaires. The principal component analysis (PCA) using varimax rotation yielded six-factor solution to the Information Seeking Anxiety Scale (ISAS), namely, (1) Resource Anxiety; (2) ICT Anxiety; (3) Library Anxiety; (4) Search Anxiety; (5) Mechanical Anxiety; and, (6) Thematic Anxiety. This six factors corresponded to those of Erfanmanesh, Abrizah, and Karim (2012) but differed somewhat with regard to the statements loaded on each factor. Moreover, these six-factors combined together accounted for 52.7 % of the total variance explained. Seven item were dropped as a result of reliability analysis resulting 40-item instrument. Also, the values of Cronbach’s internal reliability coefficient alpha for overall ISAS and its sub-scales were found satisfactory as recommended by Nunnally and Bernstein (1994). These results demonstrated the psychometric soundness and stability of ISAS when tested with Pakistani postgraduate students recruited from a research-intensive institute of higher learning. More psychometric studies are required before drawing any sound conclusions regarding adequacy of ISAS in assessing information seeking anxiety in Pakistani information users.

This study investigates the information use (IU), information needs (IN), and information behavior (IB) of graduate students at Kuwait University (KU) to gain deeper understanding of the supporting role of KU libraries for research.... more

This study investigates the information use (IU), information needs (IN), and information behavior (IB) of graduate students at Kuwait University (KU) to gain deeper understanding of the supporting role of KU libraries for research. In-depth semi-structured interviews, a thematic analysis, and a cross-case analysis were used in the second phase of a mixed methods study to gain insight into the information activities of 48 graduate students studying in four colleges: Engineering, Arts, Science, and Law. Whitley's theory was used as a framework to help understand the influence of disciplinary cultures in shaping the IU and IB of graduate students along their research process. Factors related to the contextual culture of the discipline were found to influence the students' IU and IB. This study provides a domain analytic approach to the IU and IB of graduate students in a KU situation.

This paper traces the historical developments using selected literature related to ‘library anxiety’, ‘information seeking anxiety’ and ‘information anxiety’. These concepts existed independently and parallelly and attracted much... more

This paper traces the historical developments using selected literature related to ‘library anxiety’, ‘information seeking anxiety’ and ‘information anxiety’. These concepts existed independently and parallelly and attracted much attention from the researchers of their respective fields. The existing literature lacked a study establishing a relationship among these three concepts which led to the idea of a general model of information anxiety to inform researchers as well as professionals dealing with policy and practice. This model represents information anxiety as the general and broader concept nesting information seeking anxiety as its sub-set and library anxiety as a further sub-set. It highlights the development of library anxiety, information seeking anxiety, and information anxiety over time. It also outlines the theoretical and practical implications of information anxiety for information services, especially information literacy (IL) instruction, as previous research reported it as a potential determinant of lower levels of information anxiety. The researchers emphasize the necessity for a need-based IL curriculum for the alleviation of users’ anxiety related to information related tasks. The future directions for research on the proposed area considering the contemporary information environment have been discussed towards the end.

This article is based on a study that examined library services provision for people with visual impairments and in wheelchairs in academic libraries in Tanzania. The article looks at access to the information resources available and the... more

This article is based on a study that examined library services provision for people with visual impairments and in wheelchairs in academic libraries in Tanzania. The article looks at access to the information resources available and the layout of library buildings in five universities in Tanzania. The broader issues in this study were grounded in the importance of access to information as a fundamental right and, particularly, in university studies. The study drew on a pragmatism paradigm and the social model of disability of Oliver which emphasises universal access as the norm. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were used to conduct survey and observation-based research. The findings reveal that academic libraries provide services to people with visual impairments and in wheelchairs but these services are not inclusive or universal.The study therefore recommends that academic libraries, as manifest in the social model, should strive to provide inclusive services to all users including people with disabilities. To achieve this universal access requires the formulating of policy regarding provision of library services to people with disabilities, providing adequate budgets and staff training. In addition, practical measures are needed such as constructing library buildings with ramps and maintaining working lifts, acquiring Braille and large print information resources, as well as providing assistive equipment.

Purpose/Thesis: The article contains theoretical and conceptual reflection and analysis of how emotions and other affective phenomena are defined and understood in contemporary research on human information behavior. The article draws... more

Purpose/Thesis: The article contains theoretical and conceptual reflection and analysis of how emotions and other affective phenomena are defined and understood in contemporary research on human information behavior. The article draws attention to the interdisciplinary nature of research into affective information activities. Approach/Methods: The reported research employs a qualitative approach, relying on critical literature review, and conceptual and thematic analysis. The analyzed material came from select publications from 2014-2020. Results and Conclusions: Information science studies the role of emotions in information behavior. However, the application of the affective paradigm remains very limited. The affective understanding of information activities should be constantly expanded on an interdisciplinary basis with reference to theories and methods of other disciplines, such as psychology. Originality/Value: The article studies the development of the theoretical affective phenomenon paradigm and presents the most important approaches psychology takes to emotions. By analyzing the latest trends in the study of affective information behaviors, the study joins the collaborative effort to develop an agenda providing a theoretical and practical basis for the development of interdisciplinary research within the affective paradigm. Keywords Affective paradigm. Emotions. Information behavior. Interdisciplinary approach. Psychology of emotions. Qualitative analysis. Qualitative content analysis.

The main argument behind this paper was to determine the awareness and utilization library resources by library users' of NIMS Central Library, Jaipur India. In this study, a descriptive survey method was used, using a questionnaire as a... more

The main argument behind this paper was to determine the awareness and utilization library resources by library users' of NIMS Central Library, Jaipur India. In this study, a descriptive survey method was used, using a questionnaire as a data collection tool. 60 library users were selected randomly from the NIMS University Central Library and managed by a questionnaire, of which 52 copies were completed and returned. The research questionnaires were analyzed by the frequency counts and simple percentages. The findings showed that participants surveyed disclose that female preferred the library more than their male counterparts less than 30 years of age. It was also noted that the majority of respondents indicated that 34 (65.3%) of library resources, indicated that gazetteers were not available. Users of the NIMS Central Library use more books / e-books, journal/ electronic journals, newspapers / magazines, and Internet /computer. It concluded that for the proficient and effective use of the library for teaching, learning and research, the academic institution must provide a live library of updated library resources to get together the information requirements of the library users'. It recommended that the management of the library or university should bring in the use of library literacy education to teach users how to properly manage the library. This will encourage more users who are not aware of the library resources. Finally, Board Display Services should be expanded sufficiently to reflect the available resources to users' and thus representing all library resources.

The purpose of the study was to explore the newspaper reading behaviour of university students of the Kumasi campus of the University of Education Winneba (UEW-K) and the Wa campus of the University for Development Studies (UDS). The... more

The purpose of the study was to explore the newspaper reading behaviour of university students of the Kumasi campus of the University of Education Winneba (UEW-K) and the Wa campus of the University for Development Studies (UDS). The study made use of the survey design. A total questionnaire of 730 was self-administered to randomly selected students yielding an overall response rate of 558 (76.4%). Among others, the findings of the study showed that most students have a positive attitude to reading in the library; most students have a positive attitude to reading newspapers in the digital format; and most students believe reading newspapers can improve their current awareness of national issues and vocabulary. In respect of challenges, the study found inadequate copies of newspapers as the main challenge when students are reading newspapers in the library. Recommendations for academic libraries include adjusting newspaper collection development policies to include electronic newspaper subscriptions; conducting needs assessment to drive newspaper collection development; and setting up separate newspaper services unit with reading rooms.

ABSTRAK Tulisan ini bermaksud untuk mengupas teori Fenomenografi karena pengetahuan, pengalaman dan penalaran yang dimiliki oleh setiap orang berbeda-beda maka kebenaran dan realitas yang diyakini orang-orang tersebut adalah relatif. Oleh... more

ABSTRAK Tulisan ini bermaksud untuk mengupas teori Fenomenografi karena pengetahuan, pengalaman dan penalaran yang dimiliki oleh setiap orang berbeda-beda maka kebenaran dan realitas yang diyakini orang-orang tersebut adalah relatif. Oleh karena itu, maka setiap kasus yang ada akan berdiri sebagai sesuatu yang unik untuk diteliti. Keunikan ini sulit untuk dirangkum agar menghasilkan pola-pola tertentu tanpa menggunakan suatu perangkat analisis yang tepat. Asumsi yang dapat membantu untuk menghasilkan pola-pola tersebut adalah terdapat bilangan yang terbatas dalam perbedaan individu saat mengalami dan memahami fenomena yang sama. Asumsi ini merupakan suatu asumsi dasar yang dianut dalam pendekatan fenomenografi. Dimana pendekatan fenomenografi ini merupakan bagian dari penelitian kualitatif. Penelitian kualitatif yang ditujukan untuk memahami fenomena-fenomena sosial dari sudut pandang partisipan. Dengan demikian, arti dari penelitian kualitatif tersebut adalah penelitian yang digunakan untuk meneliti pada kondisi objek alamiah dimana peneliti merupakan sebuah instrumen kunci. Adapun tujuan dibuatnya tulisan ini yaitu untuk mengetahui pengertian dari teori fenomenografi dan mengetahui apa saja karakteristik teori fenomenografi, serta mengetahui ilmuwan siapa saja yang meneliti tentang teori fenomenografi ini. Sedangkan manfaat yang didapat dari tulisan ini yaitu sebagai tambahan wawasan dan informasi untuk memahami kemampuan berpikir setiap individu. Kesimpulan dari makalah teori Fenomenografi ini menunjukkan bahwa fenomenografi dapat diartikan sebagai suatu metode untuk mengetahui pemahaman masing-masing individu dalam memahami dan mengkonseptualisasikan yang bertujuan untuk mengidentifikasi cara-cara berbeda secara kualitatif (atau variasi dalam cara) orang mengalami, mengkonseptualisasikan, mempersepsi, dan memahami beragam fenomena. Tujuan umum dari kajian fenomenografi ini adalah mengembangkan secara kualitatif sebuah pemahaman terhadap cara-cara yang berbeda dalam berpikir dan mengkoseptualisasikan suatu fenomena.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate student information literacy skills in the Technological Education Institute (TEI) of Thessaloniki, Greece, and examine whether courses and/or library seminars make any difference and contribute... more

The purpose of this paper is to investigate student information literacy skills in the
Technological Education Institute (TEI) of Thessaloniki, Greece, and examine whether courses and/or
library seminars make any difference and contribute to the development of information literacy skills.

Social network communities (SNC’s) are seen as a potential technology enabler to share knowledge around difficult and sensitive topics. Identity information disclosure in SNC can be evaluated to understand the capability of this... more

Social network communities (SNC’s) are seen as a potential technology enabler to share knowledge around difficult and sensitive topics. Identity information disclosure in SNC can
be evaluated to understand the capability of this technology in breaking down social barriers, engendering trust and enabling wider learning. This pilot study is to evaluate the identity-sharing behaviour in SNC’s by presenting the quantitative analysis of the disclosure as well as subject opinions regarding identity information sharing in SNC’s identified. Recommendation for research in this area of study centres on methodological issues, including a wider scope of subject opinions such as trust and learning attitude within SNC’s.

This qualitative study extends our earlier research on what we have learned about the information needs of Malaysian male juvenile offenders. This study explores the extent to which the prison library is used as the environment for... more

This qualitative study extends our earlier research on what we have learned about the information needs of Malaysian male juvenile offenders. This study explores the extent to which the prison library is used as the environment for information seeking of male juvenile delinquents. Data were collected using participants' observation with 27 juveniles (13 to 21 years old) living in five correctional schools in Malaysia. Our observation at all research sites has led us to conclude that the prison library does not play much role in addressing the participants' information needs. The findings in this research are useful for the purpose of designing and delivering the best possible library services to this group. findings add to the limited literature on juvenile offenders' information needs and how the prison libraries meet the needs of this people.

The Fishscale of Academicness, inspired by the work of Dr Claire Penketh, is a visual learning idea employed to engage undergraduate students in questioning the provenance of information sources. This is an intellectual endeavour which is... more

The Fishscale of Academicness, inspired by the work of Dr Claire Penketh, is a visual learning idea employed to engage undergraduate students in questioning the provenance of information sources. This is an intellectual endeavour which is often absent from student researchers' academic practice (Hepworth & Walton, 2009). Developed by Dr Alke Gröppel-Wegener, the activities linked to the Fishscale concept aim to reduce the over-reliance on non-peer reviewed internet-based information for literature review purposes. This has been called information discernment (Walton & Hepworth, 2013) or digital judgement (Bartlett & Miller, 2011). This work was originally used with art, media and design students, who are almost by definition visual learners, but we believe this approach can be used for all learners in any context.

The aim of this paper is to assess information needs and information seeking behaviour of parents and caregivers of children with mental illness at the Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre (KCMC) in Tanzania. The study mainly assessed the... more

The aim of this paper is to assess information needs and information seeking behaviour of parents and caregivers of children with mental illness at the Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre (KCMC) in Tanzania. The study mainly assessed the information needs of parents and caregivers of
children with mental illness, their preferable sources of health information, and their constraints on
information seeking.
Design/methodology/approach – This study used a case study research design, where 168 structured questionnaires were distributed to parents and caregivers of children with mental illness at the Neurological Pediatrics Outpatient Clinic of KCMC. The rate of response was 89.3 per cent.
Findings – The study found that health information needs of parents and caregivers were mainly associated with health care (for example, nutrition, treatment) and health education. Parents and caregivers of children with mental illness used the internet as the main source of information about their
children’s health, which was followed by printed books and television. Health information seeking behaviour appeared similar across gender categories, but there were differences on the use of print and electronic information sources according to age and level of education. The main factors that
hindered access to health information included low level of education, lack of funds and health information illiteracy.
Practical implications – The paper provides useful suggestions that would facilitate information seeking and use among parents and caregivers of children with mental illness in Tanzania and other countries with similar conditions.
Originality/value – Previous studies on the topic are scanty and, therefore, the paper provides important insights into the information needs and information seeking behaviour of parents and caregivers of children with mental illness in a developing country setting.

This article aims to understand the adoption of e-books by academic historians for the purpose of teaching and research. This includes an investigation into their knowl- edge about and perceived characteristics of this evolv- ing... more

This article aims to understand the adoption of e-books
by academic historians for the purpose of teaching and
research. This includes an investigation into their knowl-
edge about and perceived characteristics of this evolv-
ing research tool. The study relied on Rogers’s model of
the innovation-decision process to guide the develop-
ment of an interview guide. Ten semistructured inter-
views were conducted with history faculty between
October 2010 and December 2011. A grounded theory
approach was employed to code and analyze the data.
Findings about tradition, cost, teaching innovations, and
the historical research process provide the background
for designing learning opportunities for the professional
development of historians and the academic librarians
who work with them. While historians are open to experi-
menting with e-books, they are also concerned about the
loss of serendipity in digital environments, the lack of
availability of key resources, and the need for techno-
logical transparency. The findings show that Rogers’s
knowledge and persuasion stages are cyclical in nature,
with scholars moving back and forth between these two
stages. Participants interviewed were already weighing
the five characteristics of the persuasion stage without
having much knowledge about e-books. The study find-
ings have implications for our understanding of the dif-
fusion of innovations in academia: both print and digital
collections are being used in parallel without one replac-
ing the other

This paper highlights the important role of cult media fans as gatekeepers of knowledge within fan communities. Based on a literature analysis and Delphi study, this work shows how the traditional role of the gatekeeper – a term... more

This paper highlights the important role of cult media fans as gatekeepers of knowledge within fan communities. Based on a literature analysis and Delphi study, this work shows how the traditional role of the gatekeeper – a term historically associated with academic subject areas – has been assumed by fans, who display an exceptional degree of information and digital literacy in their acquisition, organisation, storage, promotion and sharing of fanworks. This is manifested in unique practices such as fan-tagging, “tag wrangling”, beta-reading, rec-list writing, wiki-contributing, and so on. This key role underpins the ‘serious leisure’ discipline of fandom, as fanworks generally fall outside of the mainstream collections of libraries and archives. It also echoes a general trend in the digital world, where the crowdsourcing of dedicated enthusiasts and amateurs is powering an information explosion on sites such as Galaxy Zoo – except that fanworks are the cultural artefacts created and consumed by fans themselves.
The role of the fan-gatekeeper is therefore essential for the preservation of what is undeniably part of our cultural heritage, one that has been largely ignored by the mainstream. This work informs the library and information professions of the existence of fan expertise on which it could draw to improve understanding of and access to an enormous body of non-mainstream creative works. It also has potential implications for education (in harnessing the passion of fans to help pass on valuable, transferable skills) and publishing (in the movement from established to DIY forms of publication).

This paper offers an alternative approach to the study of information and religion by exploring information seeking practices in the context of religious conversion. Based on a search for peer-reviewed articles and conference proceedings... more

This paper offers an alternative approach to the study of information and religion by exploring information seeking practices in the context of religious conversion. Based on a search for peer-reviewed articles and conference proceedings in the major library and information science (LIS), religious studies, anthropology, and sociology databases, this paper includes what Marcia J. Bates has called a “rigorous systematic bibliography” (1976). I identify ways in which the concept of information seeking has been presented in the existing literature on religious conversion.

The attempt to establish a unified taxonomy for the field of Information Ethics is both unattainable and unwarranted. The categorization of Information Ethics as a defined discipline, an applicable practice, a philosophy and a worldview... more

The attempt to establish a unified taxonomy for the field of Information Ethics is both unattainable and unwarranted. The categorization of Information Ethics as a defined discipline, an applicable practice, a philosophy and a worldview remains constantly in flux due to, what Luciano Floridi terms, ‘philosophical naturalism’. As such, a broadening understanding of the field will only serve to further collapse categorization. The following paper will outline, using a discourse analysis methodology, how the nature of the field of Information Ethics at a foundational level must necessarily defy classification. The assumptions behind the current classifications of the field will be questioned. Beginning with the history of the inception of the field through Librarianship and Cybernetics and questioning the yet unresolved ontological debates between information philosophers such as Rafael Capurro and Floridi, this paper will explicate how any such attempt to develop an agreed upon taxonomy will and should always remain incomplete.

Abstract: This paper attempts to study the possibilities of establishing Institutional Repositories (IRs) in select Bangalore theological libraries. Open Access Repositories play an important role in dissemination of scholarly works. The... more

Abstract: This paper attempts to study the possibilities of establishing Institutional Repositories (IRs) in select Bangalore theological libraries. Open Access Repositories play an important role in dissemination of scholarly works. The benefit of IRs is huge, it helps preserve and disseminate the knowledge. Institutional repositories Theological institutions in India are yet to make their invaluable historical, cultural and resources accessible in open access repositories. Implementation of IRs at UTC and SAIACS open up the opportunity for theological community to be part of the global community of scholars and share their scholarly productivity. The success of IRs demands the cooperation and support of the heads of the institutions and a change of attitude of the faculty towards IRs as a potential place for making their scholarship visible and available to others. National and regional theological organizations, library associations and other theological fraternity should come forward to support this new initiative for the benefit of everyone.

This research sought to determine whether a blended information literacy learning and teaching intervention could statistically significantly enhance undergraduates’ information discernment compared to standard face-to-face delivery. A... more

This research sought to determine whether a blended information literacy learning and teaching intervention could statistically significantly enhance undergraduates’ information discernment compared to standard face-to-face delivery. A mixture of face-to-face and online activities, including online social media learning, was used. Three interventions were designed to develop the information literacies of first-year undergraduates studying Sport and Exercise at Staffordshire University and focused on one aspect of information literacy: the ability to evaluate source material effectively. An analysis was devised where written evaluations of found information for an assessment were converted into numerical scores and then measured statistically. This helped to evaluate the efficacy of the interventions and provided data for further analysis. An insight into how the information literacy pedagogical intervention and the cognitive processes involved in enabling participants to interact critically with information is provided. The intervention which incorporated social media learning proved to be the most successful learning and teaching approach. The data indicated that undergraduate students’ information literacy can be developed. However, additional long-term data is required to establish whether this intervention would have a lasting impact.

انطلق البحث من تساؤل حول مشاركة الباحث التربوي العربي في التبادل العلمي في مجال اختصاصه، ومدى استخدامه للإنتاج العلمي في موضوع اهتمامه. فمن خلال مصادر المعلومات التي يستند إليها في دراسته، يعبّر الباحث عن علاقة بحثه بالأبحاث الأخرى، ويحدد... more

انطلق البحث من تساؤل حول مشاركة الباحث التربوي العربي في التبادل العلمي في مجال اختصاصه، ومدى استخدامه للإنتاج العلمي في موضوع اهتمامه. فمن خلال مصادر المعلومات التي يستند إليها في دراسته، يعبّر الباحث عن علاقة بحثه بالأبحاث الأخرى، ويحدد المرجعيات العلمية العربية والعالمية التي ارتكز إليها. وقد تعيق بعض العوامل المادية والمالية والثقافية واللغوية وصوله إلى مصادر المعلومات والاستفادة من التراكم المعرفي في مجال اختصاصه والمشاركة في هذا التبادل العلمي. وركّز البحث على موضوع الإدارة التربوية باعتباره يعني كافة أنواع ومجالات التربية، ورصد عينة من 113 مقالة علمية والصادرة في 31 دورية تربوية عربية من قاعدة معلومات شمعة، للاطلاع على ملامح التأليف والنشر في هذا الموضوع، ولوصف خصائص المراجع المعتمدة من حيث لغتها ونوعها ومصدرها وتوزيعها الجغرافي وتاريخ إصدارها. كما استخدم البحث الببليومتريك وتحليل الاستشهادات المرجعية الواردة في قائمة مراجع هذه المقالات، وخلص إلى أن هناك عوائق تحد من وصول الباحث التربوي العربي إلى الأبحاث العالمية والاستفادة منها. ويبدو أن الحواجز المادية قد تقلصت بينما ثمة عوائق لغوية وثقافية أمام انخراط الباحث التربوي العربي في حركة التبادل العلمي العالمي.

As more and more information is available on the Web finding quality and reliable information is becoming harder. To help solve this problem, Web search models need to incorporate users’ cognitive styles. This paper reports the... more

As more and more information is available on the Web finding quality and reliable information is becoming harder. To help solve this problem, Web search models need to incorporate users’ cognitive styles. This paper reports the preliminary results from a user study exploring the relationships between Web users’ searching behavior and their cognitive style. The data was collected using a questionnaire, Web search logs and think-aloud strategy. The preliminary findings reveal a number of cognitive factors, such as information searching processes, results evaluations and cognitive style, having an influence on users’ Web searching behavior. Among these factors, the cognitive style of the user was observed to have a greater impact. Based on the key findings, a conceptual model of Web searching and cognitive styles is presented.

A first-year undergraduate course in Information Systems in a South African university includes an opportunity for students to reflect on their own use of information and information systems. Their reflections provide data about the... more

A first-year undergraduate course in Information Systems in a South African university includes an opportunity for students to reflect on their own use of information and information systems. Their reflections provide data about the technologies and tools that they use to find and manage everyday life information as well as academic information, and about the sources of information they draw on. This paper analyses the data and reports on the technologies in use and the sources of information that students engage with. We make use of the ecological model of information seeking and use developed by Williamson [19] to make sense of the diversity of information sources and the relationships between students and these information sources. The study offers insights into the context and behaviour of undergraduate students that will be of interest to those involved in designing and delivering undergraduate programmes.

Library visits are based on Professional services by librarians with intent at meeting an information need. This study was aimed at Understanding Library Visits from Perceptions of Postgraduate Students on Information Services in Ahmadu... more

Library visits are based on Professional services by librarians with intent at meeting an information need. This study was aimed at Understanding Library Visits from Perceptions of Postgraduate Students on Information Services in Ahmadu Bello University Library. For the purpose of this study, two research questions were postulated. Qualitative research methodology was used to gather data necessary to answer the research questions, and a purposive sampling technique to select the seven (7) interviewees from postgraduate students. A thematic content analysis was done with the aid of Nvivo software which yielded one hundred and twenty codes, five major categories and two sub-categories. The findings from the study among others revealed that postgraduate students deem the information services provided at the library as inadequate, and furthermore behaviour of librarians had an effect on the visit to the library. It was recommended amongst others that Librarians should show professionalism in dealing with the patrons by getting involved in the information search process and librarians should be approachable so as to encourage postgraduate students to revisit the library.

This paper explores how a foreign language librarian investigated workplace information environments of bilingual (Spanish/English) professionals in the United States in order to design more relevant information literacy (IL) instruction.... more

This paper explores how a foreign language librarian investigated workplace information environments of bilingual (Spanish/English) professionals in the United States in order to design more relevant information literacy (IL) instruction. Drawing from interviews and participant observations of professionals whose careers correspond with Spanish language student graduate opportunities, the primary goal of the paper is to provide an initial understanding of the information environments of professionals in bilingual workplaces. The paper will then describe how this data will be used to design appropriate learning opportunities for Spanish undergraduates. Through reflecting on these multilingual information experiences, the paper also considers the role of workplace IL within higher education as well as contributing more broadly to studies on cultural approaches to IL. Accordingly, this paper will be of interest to foreign language librarians, as well as librarians who work with global studies, international relations or bilingual and international populations.

Despite the urgent need to develop professional moral principles regarding information behavior, several obstacles exist in Japan and the greatest is the lack of individuals' moral principles of responsibility. Japanese core moral... more

Despite the urgent need to develop professional moral principles regarding information behavior, several obstacles exist in Japan and the greatest is the lack of individuals' moral principles of responsibility. Japanese core moral principles were established in the Tokugawa era as an amalgam of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Shintoism, providing the Japanese people with the idea that they were existential beings in society, and therefore, should carry out their social responsibility. However, the Japanese lost sight of these core moral principles in the early Showa era, and to restore and maintain them are key to developing professional moral principles that are effective in modern Japanese society. To overcome this difficulty, we must examine and reflect on the historical circumstances that led to the formation of Japanese core moral principles and on the sociocultural context that compensates for the lack of individuals' moral principles of responsibility.

During adolescence period, an adolescent undergoes physical, intellectual, emotional and psychological growth. An adolescent also experiences a social environment growth during that period. Out of all the problems regarding adolescent... more

During adolescence period, an adolescent undergoes physical, intellectual, emotional and psychological growth. An adolescent also experiences a social environment growth during that period. Out of all the problems regarding adolescent changes, the curiosity towards reproductive issue is enormous since during this period their reproductive organs already able to function as it should be. This study aims to create a model for reproductive health information dissemination thus adolescent will be able to find the proper reproductive health information. This is a qualitative study based on case study approach. The data collection incorporates observation, focus group discussion, interviews with the students of Library and Information Science Program Faculty of Communication Science Universitas Padjadjaran Bandung Indonesia class 2015 and literature study. Triangulation incorporates sources triangulation and theory triangulation. The results show adolescent in Bandung prefer to seek for reproductive health information through their significant others, such as mothers for female adolescent and friends for male adolescent. The model of reproductive health information dissemination in Bandung needs to involve parents and youth organizations or communities as the government representative to deliver information and government programs properly. This study may contribute in disseminating the reproductive health information for adolescent effectively.

Introduction. This paper problematises how children are categorised as a specific user group within information behaviour research and discusses the implications of this categorisation. Methods. Two edited collections of papers on... more

Introduction. This paper problematises how children are categorised as a specific user group within information behaviour research and discusses the implications of this categorisation. Methods. Two edited collections of papers on children's information behaviour are analysed. Analysis. The analysis is influenced by previous discourse analytic studies of users within information science and by the sociology of childhood and the discourse analytic concept of subject positions guides the analysis. Results. In the children­-focussed discourse of information behaviour research, children are described as being characterised by distinctive child-­typical features, which means that similarities between children and other groups, as well as differences within the group, are downplayed. Children are also characterised by deficiencies: by not being adults, by not being mature and by not being competent information seekers. The discourse creates a position of power for adults, and for children a position as those in need of expert help. Children are also ascribed a subject position as users of technologies that affect the group in various ways. Conclusions. It is suggested that information behaviour research would benefit from shifting the focus from trying to explain how children innately are and therefore behave with information, to creating understandings of various information practices which involve people of a young age.