Web Information Seeking Behaviour of Students and Staff in Rural and Urban Based Universities in South Africa: A Comparison Analysis

Abstract

Today’s online experience has literally added a new dimension to our information seeking activities, presenting users with a vast array of options. A considerable amount of information has migrated from the print world and is now available electronically. Thus, a lot of people immediately associate the World Wide Web (WWW) with information and its related activities. This association partly prompted this study of the Web-based information-seeking behaviour of students and staff at the University of Zululand (rural based) and the Durban University of Technology (urban based). The selected institutions were assumed to be at different levels of development because of the country’s history and the institutions’ locations. Both quantitative and qualitative research methodologies were employed in a survey. The main research instrument was a questionnaire, supported by limited interviews. The results show that the Web is a platform that people in academia have come to rely on, although only a few of its many channels are used significantly. A number of challenges were identified, chief among them being connectivity problems. Bandwidth was particularly problematic and made worse by the two institutions’ large student populations. Relevant infrastructure (computer laboratories, computers, etc.) seemed available, although inadequate. The study recommends comprehensive training programs that address the skills’ deficiencies noted. It is also necessary to institute mechanisms that improve both physical and intellectual access to Web resources.