The role of uncertainty in the information seeking behaviour of first year students at Tshwane University of Technology, Polokwane Campus

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of uncertainty in the information-seeking behaviour of first-year students at the Polokwane Campus of the Tshwane University of Technology. Many students in South Africa, particularly those who come from rural backgrounds, enrol at universities and other institutions of higher learning without the requisite information-seeking and searching skills. Students experience the library and other academic information resources for the first time at a university or an institution of higher learning. A comprehensive literature review revealed that due to a lack of experience and knowledge, feelings of uncertainty arise, which in turn causes anxiety and a lack of confidence. Literature further suggests that uncertainty and anxiety in information seeking is the reason students submit work that lacks a theme, perspective and a particular point of view. The study was guided by the Information Search Process (ISP) model of Kuhlthau (1991; 2004), as well as the four levels of information needs that were identified by Taylor (1968). Fifteen students with a background of a dysfunctional school system that does not provide libraries and other academic information resources and systems participated in this study. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews. The findings reveal that the participants, due to their uncertainty-associated feelings, would submit work without a perspective or a point of view. Due to a lack of the required skills to search for information effectively, the participants experienced feelings of uncertainty and discomfort. The Internet and Google emerged as a platform for students to deal with their uncertainty. In addition to uncertainty, three information barriers that affect students who had no prior experiences of using academic information were identified. These are a lack of knowledge, information systems and cognitive information barriers. Through this study, a model that could be used as a framework for institutions to minimise the affective aspects of uncertainty that students experience during their information seeking and searching activities could be developed. The envisaged application of the model could assist students and other researchers in enhancing their information-seeking and searching outputs.

Xikongomelo xa ndzavisiso lowu i ku lavisisa hi ndzima ya ku kala ntiyiseko hi matikhomelo ya ku lava vutivi eka machudeni ya lembe ro sungula eKhempasi ya Polokwane ya Tshwane University of Technology. Machudeni manyingi eAfrika Dzonga, ngopfu ngopfu lama ya humaku eka tindhawu ta le makaya, ya tsarisa etiyunivhesiti na le ka tiinstituxini tin'wana ta dyondzo ya le henhla, handle ka ku na vutivi lebyi lavekaka lebyi faneleke na swikili swa ku secha vutivi. Machudeni ya hlangana na tilayibrari na swihlovo swin'wana swa vutivi ro sungula eyunivhesiti kumbe eka instituxini ya dyondzo ya le henhla. Ku hlaya hi vuenti literechara kumbe matsalwa swi kombise leswaku hikokwalaho ko pfumala ntokoto na vutivi, ku va na tintwa to kala ku tiyiseka, leswi swi vangela ku karhateka no pfumala ku titshemba. Literachara kumbe matsalwa ya tlhela ya pimanyeta leswo ku kala ntiyiseko na ku karhateka hi ku lava vutivi i xivangelo lexi endlaka leswo machudeni ma nghenisa ntirho wo kala nhlokomhaka, mavonelo na tipoyinti to kongomisa miehleketo ko karhi. Dyondzo leyi ya ndzavisiso yi leteriwa hi Information Search Process (ISP) modlele ya Kuhlthau (1991; 2004), xikan'we na tilevhele ta mune ta swilaveko swa vutivi leswi swi nga voniwa hi Taylor (1968). Machudeni ya khume ntlhanu lama ya humaku eka swikolo swa sisteme leyi yi nga tirheku kahle, leswi swi nga hava tilayibrari na swihlovo swin'wana swa vutivi na tisisteme, ma nghenele dyondzo leyi ya ndzavisiso. Ku hlengeletiwe vutivi hi ku tirhisa ti-semi-structured interview. Vuyelo lebyi kumekeke eka vakhoma-xiavo, hikokwalaho ko kala ntiyiseko, leswi fambelanaka na tintwa, va nghenise mitirho ya vona leyi nga hava ku langutana na mavonelo yo karhi ku nga perspective kumbe tipoyinti ta mavonelo yo karhi ku nga point of view. Hikokwalaho ko pfumala swikili leswi lavekaka ku secha vutivi hi mfanelo na hi ndlela ya vuyelo lebyi tirhekaka, lava nga va na xiavo va ve na tintwa to kala ntiyiseko na ku ku va nga khomeki lahle. Inthanete na Google swi vonake swi ri platfomo ya machudeni ya ku langutana na ku kala ntiyiseko ka vona. Na le henhla ka sweswo swa ku kala ntiyiseko, ku ve na swihingakanyi swinharhu eka vutivi leswi swi nga khumba machudeni lama a ya nga ri na ntokoto wo tirhisa vutivi bya xiakhademiki leswi swi nga voniwa. Leswi i ku kala noleji, tisisteme ta vutivi na swihingakanyi swa vutivi bya miehleketo. Hi ndzavisiso lowu, modlele lowu a wu ta tirhisiwa tanihi rimba eka tiinstituxini ku hunguta swiyenge swa nkala ntiyiseko leswi machudeni ya hlanganaka na swona eka nkarhi wa ku secha vutivi na migingiriko ya ku secha swi nga hluvukisiwa. Ku tirhisiwa ka modlele loku ringanyetiwaka hi xa mundzuku, ku nga pfuna machudeni na valavisisi van'wana eka ku entswisa vuswikoti bya vona bya ku lava vutivi na vuyelo bya ku secha ka vona.

Maikemišetšo a dinyakišišo tše e bile go nyakišiša tema yeo e kgathwago ke go hloka bonnete ka maitshwarong a go nyaka tshedimošo ga baithuti ba ngwaga wa mathomo ka Khamphaseng ya Polokwane ya Tshwane University of Technology. Baithuti ba bantši ka Afrika Borwa, kudukudu bao ba tšwago dinagamagaeng, ba ingwadiša ka diyunibesithing le ka dihlongweng tše dingwe tša thuto ya godingwana ba hloka bokgoni bja go nyaka tshedimošo. Baithuti ba itemogela bokgobapuku le methopo ye mengwe ya tshedimošo ya tša thuto la mathomo ka yunibesithi goba ka sehlongweng sa thuto ya godingwana. Tekodišišo ya dingwalwa ka bophara e utollotše gore ka lebaka la tlhokego ya maitemogelo le tsebo, go tšwelela maikutlo a go hloka bonnete, gomme ka go le lengwe maikutlo a a baka letšhogo le go hloka boitshepo. Dingwalwa di tšwela pele go šišinya gore go hloka bonnete le letshogo ge go nyakwa tshedimošo ke lebaka leo le dirago gore baithuti ba romelele mošomo wo o hlokago morero, dikgopolo le maikutlo a moithuti. Dinyakišišo tše di hlahlilwe ke mokgwa wa Tshepedišo ya go Nyaka Tshedimošo (ISP) wa Kuhlthau (1991; 2004), gotee le magato a mane a dinyakwa tša tshedimošo ao a utollotšwego ke Taylor (1968). Baithuti ba lesomehlano bao ba tšwago dikolong tšeo di bego di sa šome gabotse tšeo di hlokago makgobapuku le methopo ye mengwe ya kabo ya tshedimošo ya thuto ba kgathile tema ka mo dinyakišišong. Tshedimošo e kgobokeditšwe ka go diriša dipoledišano tšeo modiradinyakišišo a sego a ngwala lenaneo la dipotšišo. Dikutollo di utolla gore bakgathatema, ka lebaka la maikutlo a bona a go hloka bonnete, ba tla romela mošomo wo o hlokago dikgopolo le maikutlo a bona. Ka lebaka la tlhokego ya mabokgoni ao a nyakegago a go nyaka tshedimošo gabotse, bakgathatema ba itemogetše maikutlo a go hloka bonnete le go se lokologe. Inthanete le Google di tšweletše bjalo ka mafelo ao baithuti ba ka rarollago maikutlo a bona a go hloka bonnete. Godimo ga go hloka bonnete, makala a mararo ao a šitišago go hwetša tshedimošo ao a amago baithuti bao ba hlokago maitemogelo a peleng a go šomiša tshedimošo ya thuto a utollotšwe. Wona ke lepheko la tlhokego ya tsebo, la mananeo a tshedimošo le la go kwešiša tshedmošo. Ka mo dinyakišišong tše, mokgwa wo o a šomišwago bjalo ka motheo wa dihlongwa wa go fokotša diabe tša go hloka bonnete fao baithuti ba itemogelago gona ge ba nyaka tshedimošo le ge ba nyaka mešongwana o ka hlangwa. Tirišo ye e lebeletšwego ya mokgwa wo e ka thuša baithuti le banyakišiši ba bangwe go maatlafatša bokgoni bja bona bja go lebelela le go nyaka tshedimošo.