Design Of Information Resources Research Articles

Students’ Information Seeking Behavior and Information Needs

"All around the world, universities and university libraries have faced the decline in the importance as a physical entity. This decline has multiple causes, such as the change of users' expectations and needs, the universities switch from exclusively on-site work and teaching to remote or more flexible schedules, the availability of alternative sources of information, the use of new technologies (social networks, mobile technologies), the preference for anytime and remote access from personal devices, the demand for greater compatibility and interoperability of systems, and the transformation of library user from consumer into content creator. Thus, this research aims to study the information-seeking behavior of college students in the context of traditional and electronic resources). Urquhart and Rowley's model of information-seeking behavior will be applied along with Wilson's model, to identify the factors that influence information-seeking behavior: the design of information resources, the educational infrastructure, the organizational culture, the availability and access constraints, the information culture, the search strategy, the support and training, the pedagogy, the behavior of teachers regarding information, and the study discipline and curriculum. Nonetheless, the article will explore information literacy skills and the barriers to accessing and using them: cultural aspects related to teaching and learning styles, language proficiency and digital culture. Methods. Initial stages of the project assess the current level of inclusion of industrial property topics into higher education curricula and labour market needs. Samples include Slovenian technical sciences faculties, and employers of technical profiles with needs for industrial property knowledge. Online surveys are used for data collection. Results. General, not positive, alignment was found in terms of expected competencies: Companies do not place high priorities on industrial property competencies of their non-law employees. Furthermore, many higher education institutions do not include these topics in their teaching. Industrial property teaching is needed, but not done, which implies the need for educators-employers dialogue. A relatively traditional image of libraries emerges, as they are usually not involved in teaching. This provides an excellent opportunity for libraries to evolve and become more proactive. Conclusions. Our findings offer a valuable contribution to the planning of a systematic and holistic intellectual property curriculum for technical studies within the European Union."

Identifying design guidelines for online information resources: a study of expectant and new mothers

PurposeThe purpose of this article is to identify design guidelines for online resources based on the subjective assessment criteria used by individuals to assess and process information resources. This method of creating design guidelines targeted at precise user groups has the potential to aid designers and developers to create more user-centred information resources.Design/methodology/approachThe authors gathered data using a prospective longitudinal study investigating the information behaviour of expectant and new mothers. Women were asked to report on their information-seeking activities in a series of semi-structured interviews covering pregnancy and early motherhood.FindingsThis research identified 15 assessment criteria that were utilised by women to assess and process information resources. The most popular resource criteria amongst participants were credibility and convenience, while completeness and relevance were the most popular information content criteria. The authors found that assessment criteria were not considered in isolation, with criteria such as formatting and search engine ranking impacting on participants' perception of other criteria.Practical implicationsThis research demonstrates the potential of linking a user groups subjective assessment criterion to design guidelines. The authors propose that these guidelines could be used to help design an online information resource. They could also be used to assess if an existing online resource met the needs of a user group. The methodology used in this study could be leveraged to create design guidelines for user groups.Originality/valueThis research uses subjective assessment criteria as a means of understanding how expectant new mothers process information resources. People use subjective judgements when processing information resources, and this should be incorporated into the design of information resources. Analysing longitudinal data allowed the authors to build a rich picture of how participants evaluated and compared different information resources.

Health information without borders: Foreign-trained health professionals and labor market integration

Foreign-trained health professionals (doctors, nurses, physical therapists, and others) arrive in the US and Canada every year to find a professional environment that is often unwelcoming and complex. In this work-in-progress poster we explore the experiences and information behavior of these professionals as they search for health- and career-related information to integrate into their new professional environments. Results from this research can in the future support the design of information resources and services to better serve foreign-trained health professionals.

Information-Seeking Behaviors of First-Semester Veterinary Students: A Preliminary Report

Although emphasis in veterinary education is increasingly being placed on the ability to find, use, and communicate information, studies on the information behaviors of veterinary students or professionals are few. Improved knowledge in this area will provide valuable information for course and curriculum planning and the design of information resources. This article describes a survey of the information-seeking behaviors of first-semester veterinary students at Purdue University. A survey was administered as the first phase of a progressive semester-long assignment for a first semester DVM course in systemic mammalian physiology. The survey probed for understanding of the scientific literature and its use for course assignments and continuing learning. The survey results showed that students beginning the program tended to use Google for coursework, although some also used the resources found through the Purdue libraries' Web sites. On entering veterinary school, they became aware of specific information resources in veterinary medicine. They used a small number of accepted criteria to evaluate the Web site quality. This study confirms the findings of studies of information-seeking behaviors of undergraduate students. Further studies are needed to examine whether those behaviors change as students learn about specialized veterinary resources that are designed to address clinical needs as they progress through their training.

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Understanding student information behavior in relation to electronic information services: Lessons from longitudinal monitoring and evaluation, Part 2

AbstractThis second part of a two‐part article establishes a model of the mediating factors that influence student information behavior concerning the electronic or digital information sources used to support learning. This part discusses the findings of the Joint Information Systems Committee User Behavior Monitoring and Evaluation Framework (1999–2004) and development of a model that includes both the individual (micro) and organizational (macro) factors affecting student information behavior. The macro factors are information resource design, information and learning technology infrastructure, availability and constraints to access, policies and funding, and organizational leadership and culture. The micro factors are information literacy, academics' information behavior, search strategies, discipline and curriculum, support and training, and pedagogy. We conclude that the mediating factors interact in unexpected ways and that further research is needed to clarify how those interactions, particularly between the macro and micro factors, operate.

On-line Learning For Abused Women and Service Providers In Shelters: Issues Of Representation And Design

The challenge and potential of Internet technology to deliver learning services to increasing numbers of diverse learners who may not be included in formal continuing education settings are beginning to be addressed. VIOLET (http://www.VIOLETnet.org), a web site for abused women and their service providers, is designed to provide relevant legal information, an on-line community for support and sharing of experience and information, and on-going updates of legal information and community services. The project emerged out of a unique collaboration among women in many local and national communities and organizations and the Legal Studies Program at the Faculty of Extension, University of Alberta. Together they developed a safe space on the Internet for abused women, inclusive of gender, language, cultural, and learning style issues.A technology that widens access to information may also present barriers to access. In this paper we explore some of these barriers and their implications for the design of information resources and learning environments for abused women. These issues are described using an account of the formative evaluation of the project's web site.