Information needs and information-seeking behaviour : a case of university students

Abstract

This study was conducted to explore the information needs and information-seeking behaviours of students at the University of Cape Coast (UCC) in Ghana. Seven objectives were addressed. The study adopted an explanatory mixed method design where a quantitative sample was 366 students from a population of 6000 students. The qualitative part of the study employed a purposive sampling technique to select five students and five librarians for interviews. Quantitative data were subjected to descriptive analysis and inferential statistics, while qualitative data analysis followed conventional procedures according to Leedy and Ormrod (2001). The study yielded the following findings according to the objectives: Objective 1: Academic information is the basic information need of undergraduate students at UCC. Objective 2: Internet sources and electronic media are the main sources of information for students. Moreover, the results showed that discussions with colleagues, lecturers and teaching assistant are information resources utilised by students. Objective 3: Most students use ICT resources to search for information. These ICT resources include the use of computers and mobile phone internet service to search for academically relevant. Objective 4: The ICT resources available for students are adequate and effective. However, some did not find these ICT resources effective. Objective 5: Gender affects the information-seeking behaviour of student. In addition, the results show that age affects computer skills of students and the academic level of students affect library resource usage. Objective 6: The use of library resources has an influences on computer skills and information-seeking behaviour of students. Objective 7: The continuous and periodic training of students on computer skills can help improve the satisfaction of students’ information needs and information-seeking behaviour. The findings demonstrated that ICT resources are adequate for meeting the students’ information needs. The study revealed that the information-seeking behaviour of the students was partly influenced by the relationship which exist between them and the ICT laboratory and library staff. At a theoretical level, the research provided insights into the different concepts and theoretical models of information-seeking behaviour. It also deepened the understanding of different strategies employed by university students on campus. At an empirical level, the new knowledge and insights derived from the results add to a broader perspective on the interrelationships between the information-seeking behaviour and information needs of students. This study has also added to the body of knowledge on how information resources could be enhanced in the learning environments. The study recommended that the level of automation of the library should be improved alongside the provision of adequate and updated study materials to encourage the students’ patronage of the facility. The study was limited to the Faculty of Education students; therefore, the findings may not be generalised to all UCC students.

Thutopatlisiso e diretswe go tlhotlhomisa ditlhokego tsa tshedimosetso le mekgwa ya go batla tshedimosetso ya baithuti kwa Yunibesithi ya Lebopo la Kapa (UCC) kwa Ghana. Go samaganwe le maikemisetso a le supa. Thutopatlisiso e dirisitse thadiso ya mokgwa o o tswakaneng wa tlhaloso, go dirisiwa sampole e e lebelelang dipalopalo ya baithuti ba le 366 go tswa mo setlhophasegolong sa baithuti ba le 6000. Karolo e e lebelelang mabaka ya thutopatlisiso e dirisitse thekeniki ya go tlhopha sampole go ya ka maitlhomo a patlisiso go tlhopha baithuti ba le batlhano le balaeborari ba le batlhano go botsolodiwa dipotso. Go dirisitswe tokololo e e tlhalosang le dipalopalo tsa kakaretso mo dateng ya dipalopalo, fa tokololo ya data e e lebelelang mabaka e dirisitse dithulaganyo tsa tlwaelo go ya ka Leedy le Ormrod (2001). Thutopatlisiso e tlhagisitse diphitlhelelo tse di latelang go ya ka maikemisetso: Maikemisetso 1: Tshedimosetso ya dithuto ke tlhokego ya motheo ya tshedimosetso ya baithuti ba dithuto tsa pele ga kalogo kwa UCC. Maikemisetso 2: Metswedi ya inthanete le bobegakgang jwa eleketoroniki ke metswedimegolo ya tshedimosetso ya baithuti. Dipholo di bontshitse gore dipuisano le baithutimmogo, batlhatlheledi le bathusabarutabana ke metswedi ya tlaleletso ya tshedimosetso e e dirisiwang ke baithuti. Maikemisetso 3: Bontsi jwa baithuti bo dirisa ditlamelo tsa ICT go batla tshedimosetso. Metswedi eno e akaretsa tiriso ya dikhomphiutha le ditirelo tsa inthanete tsa difounu go batla tshedimosetso e e maleba mo dithutong. Maikemisetso 4: Ditlamelo tsa ICT tse baithuti ba kgonang go di fitlhelela di lekane e bile di bokgoni, le fa ba bangwe ba sa bone ditlamelo tseno di le bokgoni. Maikemisetso 5: Bong bo ama mekgwa ya go batla tshedimosetso ya baithuti. Go tlaleletsa, dipholo di bontsha gore dingwaga di ama dikgono tsa khomphiutha tsa baithuti mme le seelo sa dithuto sa baithuti se ama tiriso ya ditlamelo tsa laeborari. Maikemisetso 6: Tiriso ya ditlamelo tsa laeborari e na le tlhotlheletso mo dikgonong tsa dikhomphiutha le mekgwa ya go batla tshedimosetso ya baithuti. Maikemisetso 7: Katiso e e tswelelang le ya gangwe le gape ya baithuti ya dikgono tsa dikhomphiutha e ka thusa go tokafatsa go kgotsofadiwa ga ditlhokego tsa baithuti tsa tshedimosetso le mekgwa ya go batla tshedimosetso. Ka kakaretso, diphitlhelelo di bontshitse gore ditlamelo tsa ICT di lekane go ka fitlhelela ditlhokego tsa baithuti tsa tshedimosetso. Thutopatlisiso e senotse gore mekgwa ya go batla tshedimosetso ya baithuti e tlhotlhelediwa ka bontlhabongwe ke kamano e e gona magareng ga bona le badiri ba ICT, laboratori le laeborari. Mo legatong la tiori, patlisiso e bontshitse megopolo e e farologaneng le dikao tsa tiori tsa mekgwa ya go batla tshedimosetso. Gape e tiisitse go tlhaloganngwa ga ditogamaano tse di farologaneng tse di dirisiwang ke baithuti ba yunibesithi mo khemphaseng. Mo legatong la maitemogelo, kitso e ntšhwa le ditemogo tse di tswang mo dipholong di tlaleletsa mo xxi megopolong ka bophara e e malebana le dikamano magareng ga mekgwa ya go batla tshedimosetso le ditlhokego tsa tshedimosetso tsa baithuti. Thutopatlisiso eno gape e tlaleleditse mo kitsong e e ka ga ka moo go ka tokafadiwang ditlamelo tsa tshedimosetso ka gona mo ditokologong tsa go ithuta. Mmatlisisi o atlenegisa gore seelo sa tiriso ya thekenoloji mo laeborari se tokafadiwe, mme go nne le tlamelo ya dimatheriale tsa go ithuta tse di lekaneng e bile di ntšhwafaditswe, go rotloetsa baithuti go e dirisa. Thutopatlisiso e ne e lebeletse fela baithui ba Lefapha la Thuto; ka jalo, diphitlhelelo di ka se ke tsa akaretsa baithuti botlhe ba UCC.

Lolu cwaningo lwenziwa ukuba luhlole okudingekayo uma kufunwa ulwazi kanye nezindlela zokufuna ulwazi zabafundi base-University of Cape Coast (i-UCC) eGhana. Kwadingidwa izimpokophelo eziyisikhombisa. Lolu cwaningo lwasebenzisa indlela engxube yokwenza ucwaningo, lwasebenzisa amasampula ezibalo zabafundi abawu-366 abathathwe enanini labafundi abawu-6000. Ingxenye elandisayo yocwaningo yasebenzisa ukwenza amasampula ngenhloso ethile ukuze kuhlungwe abafundi abahlanu kanye nabasebenzi bomtapowolwazi abahlanu ukuze kube nezinkulumongxoxo nabo. Ulwazi olungahlungiwe olusebenzisa izibalo lwabe selusetshenziswa ukuba kuhlaziywe ngendlela elandisayo kanye neyezibalo eziqondisayo, kanti uhlaziyo lolwazi olungahluziwe olulandisayo lwalandela izinqubo ezejwayelekile ngokusho kuka-Leedy no-Ormrod (2001). Ngokwezimpokophelo lolu cwaningo lwathola le miphumela elandelayo: Impokophelo yoku-1: Ulwazi olumayelana nokufunda luyisidingo esiyisisekelo kubafundi abenza amaqhuzu okuqala e-UCC. Impokophelo yesi-2: Imithombo ye-intanethi kanye nemithombo yezokwazisa esebenzisa ubuchwepheshe besimanjemanje iyona mithombo eqavile yolwazi kubafundi. Imiphumela ikhombise ukuthi izingxoxo nabalingani, othisha kanye nabalekeleli bezokufundisa bayizingqalasizinda zolwazi ezengeziwe ezitshenziswa ngabafundi. Impokophelo yesi-3: Abafundi abaningi basebenzisa izingqalasizinda ze-ICT ukuze bahlwaye ulwazi. Lezi zingqalasizinda zibandakanya ukusetshenziswa kwamakhompuyutha nezinsizakalo ze-intanethi yamaselula ngenhloso yokuhlwaya ulwazi olusemqoka ekufundeni. Impokophelo yesi-4: Izingqalasizinda ze-ICT ezikhona kubafundi zanele futhi ziyasebenza, nakuba abanye babo baveza ukuthi lezi zingqalasizinda azisebenzi. Impokophelo yesi-5: Ubulili buyayithinta indlela yabafundi yokufuna ulwazi. Ukwengeza nje, imiphumela ikhomba ukuthi iminyaka inomthelela ekusebenziseni izingqalasizinda zomtapo wolwazi. Impokophelo yesi-6: Izingqalasizinda, ekugcineni, zinomthelelela kumakhono ezekhompyutha kanye nasezindleleni zabafundi zokufuna ulwazi. Impokophelo yesi-7: Uqeqesho oluqhubekayo nolwangezikhathi ezithile kubafundi lungasiza ekwenzeni ngcono ukuba abafundi bagculiseke ngezidingo zokuthola ulwazi kanye nezindlela zokufuna ulwazi. Isiyonke, imiphumela ikhombe ukuthi izingqalasizinda ze-ICT zanele ukuba zihlangabezane nezidingo zabafundi zokuthola ulwazi. Ucwaningo luveze ukuthi izindlela zabafundi zokufuna ulwazi ziphazanyiswa kancane wubudlelwane obukhona phakathi kwabo namagumbi e-ICT kanye nabasebenzi bomtapowolwazi. Ezingeni le njulalwazi, lolu cwaningo luhlinzeke isithombe esithile mayelana namagama ahlukene kanye nemifanekiso yenjulalwazi yezindlela zokufuna ulwazi. Luphinde lwajulisa kakhulu ukuqonda amaqhingasu ahlukene asetshenziswa ngabafundi xxiii benyuvesi ekhempasini. Ezingeni elingasebenzisi isayensi kodwa elisebenzisa ukulinga nokubona, ulwazi olusha kanye nokupendeka kwesithombe esithile okuvelile emiphumeleni kwengeza embonweni obanzi omayelana nobudlelwano obuphakathi kwezinto ezimbili okuyizindlela zokufuna ulwazi kanye nezidingo zolwazi zabafundi. Lolu cwaningo luphinde lwangeza ulwazi olumayelana nokuthi izingqalasizinda zolwazi zingakhuliswa kanjani ezindaweni zokufunda. Umcwaningi uncoma ukuba izinga lokuzenzekalela kwezinto emtatshweniwolwazi lenziwe ngcono, luhambisane nokuhlinzekwa ngezinto zokufunda ezanele futhi ezintsha ukuze kukhuthazwe isithunzi sabafundi ngale ndawo. Lolu cwaningo lwenziwa kubafundi beFakhathi Yezemfundo kuphela; ngakho-ke, imiphumela ngeke ithathwe ngokuthi ibabopha ngabhande linye bonke abafundi base-UCC.