Information Search Skills Research Articles

Peculiarities of developing deaf and hard-of-hearing students’ study skills in the digital learning environment based on gamification

Introduction. The article focuses on the problem of designing educational procedures aimed at developing skills of information searching on the Internet for deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) technical university students. The purpose of the research is to reveal the peculiarities of developing deaf and hard-of-hearing students’ study skills in the digital learning environment based on gamification. Materials and Methods. The authors used theoretical (analysis, comparison) and empirical methods including observation; V. K. Gerbachevsky’s survey to evaluate the level of aspiration after the game; a questionnaire designed for this study. Experimental study was conducted with the use of the original game. The Wilcoxon test was chosen as a statistical criterion for verifying the reliability of data matches and differences. Results. The results showed positive dynamics in the target skills, and the feedback received from the students was positive. The analysis of the personality motivational structure that arose during the game allowed the authors to identify factors that positively influenced the use of gamification for teaching DHH students. Observation identified challenges in conducting a group game for this category of students. Conclusions. The obtained results proved gamification to be effective to develop DHH students’ information search skills in a digital environment.

Factors influencing the use of e-library resources by postgraduate engineering students at Kyambogo University in Uganda

The aim of this study was to investigate the factors influencing the use of e-library resources among postgraduate engineering students at Kyambogo University in Uganda to make suggestions on how to improve access to and use of e-library resources. The study adopted a survey research design to collect data from postgraduate engineering students. Following a census sampling strategy, data was obtained from 58 out of 80 registered postgraduate engineering students using online self-administered questionnaires. The findings revealed that the use of e-library resources by postgraduate engineering students was influenced by ease of use, convenience, level of awareness, and information search skills. However, access restrictions and high internet costs negatively affected e-library resources usage. It is the conclusion of the study that the use of e-library resources was largely influenced by personal factors. This study has implications on e-library resources collection development, policy development, and service delivery in academic libraries. The study bridges the knowledge gap in the use of e-library resources among postgraduate engineering students.

Digital Literacy Skills of Elementary School Teachers on the North Coast of East Java

The purpose of this study was to assess the proficiency of teachers in the northern coastal region of East Java in the area of digital literacy. The researchers employed a qualitative research methodology, specifically utilising a phenomenological study design. Elementary school instructors are the target audience for studying digital literacy. The findings of this study concerning the digital literacy of primary school educators are highly favourable. The study found that there are eight indicators of digital literacy for teachers. These indicators include proficiency in operating digital media, creativity in digital spaces, collaboration in digital space, effective communication, information search and selection skills, critical thinking and content evaluation abilities, alignment of social and cultural understanding with digital spaces, and implementation of internet security measures.

Biti medijski pismen u Hrvatskoj

This paper combines social practice theory, new literacy studies, and critical media literacy. Media literacy allows citizens to participate in society through traditional and digital media. Using existing survey instruments such as the News Literacy Scale and the Internet Skills Survey with originally developed items, we observe media literacy as a social practice encompassing the dimensions of critical thinking, content production, and technical skills. The three dimensions were further operationalised into additive scales of the Critical perception of traditional news media (CPTNMS), Critical perception of digital tools (CPODTS), Media and social justice issues (MSJIS), Content production (CPSS), and Internet information search skills (IISSS). The results from a stratified survey conducted on a sample of adult Croatian citizens (n=1033), representative of gender, age, region, and education, show that age is the main predictor for all scales. The relation between scales shows a positive correlation between CPTNMS, CPODTS, and MSJIS. At the same time, CPTNMS, CPODTS, and MSJIS correlate negatively with the IISS. Those less skilled in internet search are less critical of traditional media and digital tools and are less convinced that media should cover social justice issues. Additionally, being more skilled in content production does not imply any other attitudinal relationship except for a negative association with the lack of IISSS. This paper contributes to the operationalisation of media literacy for sociological research and a better understanding of media literacy in the general population of Croatia.

Hypertension literacy: Concept analysis.

Analysis of the concept of hypertension literacy to ensure clarity, reduce ambiguities and promote consistency in usage. Walker and Avant's concept analysis method was adopted. Searched four electronic databases using keywords combined with the appropriate Boolean operators. After removing duplicates, thirty titles were identified, and ten articles met the basic criteria for inclusion. The analysis was done using a convergent synthesis design to integrate results and transform them into qualitative descriptions. Hypertension literacy's defining attributes were hypertension information search skills, comprehension of numeracy associated with blood pressure and medication and utilization of hypertension prevention information. The identified antecedents were formal education and improved cognitive, social, economic and health-related experiences. Consequences of hypertension literacy included improved self-reported and increased health awareness. Hypertension literacy allows nurses to assess and accurately improve knowledge and facilitate people to adopt prevention behaviours.

E-Health information literacy of health science university students: actual situation and Improvement strategies

The present study aimed to measure the e-health information competencies for health science students in finding, evaluating and judging e-health information. Adapted measurement tools were used to assess the e-health information literacy. A total of 151 students accepted to participate. Few students (25) were able to locate the appropriate information using the necessary keywords and commands. Only 33.1% of the participants could distinguish between scholarly and non-scholarly sources of information. A very weak correlation was registered between the actual and the self-evaluation skill levels. Students intended to improve many health information search skills such as library database through different methods.

The impact of CIE education integrated with the BIG 6 teaching strategy on students’ innovative motivation, creativity, metacognition, and self-perceived employability

Facing the issue of a lack of talents with innovative competitiveness and entrepreneurial ability, the creative, innovative, and entrepreneurial ability has been regarded as a crucial factor in enhancing national competitiveness. Through establishing Creativity, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship (CIE) educational skills and activities, this study used the BIG6 information search skills as a teaching strategy to cultivate students' entrepreneurial mindset and behavior, such as skills needed to start a new business that is beyond the currently available controllable resources. This study attempted to integrate creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship education with the Big Six (BIG 6) Information Stages teaching strategy, and explore its effectiveness on students’ innovative motivation, creativity, metacognition, and self-perceived employability. The subjects were 64 junior students from the Department of Design at a university of science and technology in Taiwan. They were divided into the experimental and control group, each group with 32 students. The results indicate that the experimental group shows significant improvement in innovative motivation, creativity, and metacognition in the Special Projects courses. Based on the findings, specific suggestions are proposed for reference in education.

Information literacy and recent graduates: Motivation, self-efficacy, and perception of credit-based information literacy courses

The present study aimed to explore graduate students' motivation, self-efficacy, and perceptions of credit-based information literacy (IL) courses at a research university in China. A mixed-methods approach was employed, with 405 questionnaires and ten follow-up interviews conducted. The findings indicated that graduate students displayed high levels of intrinsic motivation and self-efficacy toward the IL course. In other words, they were conscious of the importance of IL in their future academic pursuits. However, only a small portion (18.76 %) of students perceived librarians as the most appropriate person for the course. Moreover, in terms of the format of course format, the majority of participants preferred a blend of lectures and group activities over online learning. There was also agreement among the participants that the focus of IL courses should go beyond basic information search skills and include training in learning strategies. The study also found that gender played a role in shaping motivation and perception levels, with female students generally scoring higher. The findings of this study provide valuable insights for librarians to enhance their credit-based IL courses, catering to the specific needs and preferences of graduate students.

THEORETICAL AND METHODOLOGICAL BASIS OF FORMING THE ORGANIZATIONAL SKILLS OF THE SCIENTIFIC LYCEUMS STUDENTS

The article substantiates the relevance of students' organizational skills in learning and research activities and shows that their formation determines productivity and work efficiency. The essence of the approaches to considering the problem of forming the student’s organizational skills is characterized: neuroscientific, psychological, sociological, phenomenological and pedagogical. It is noted that education in scientific lyceums has a research-oriented character and is aimed at forming of students’ research competence. Students’ organizational skills in project-technological activities are determined. Ways of forming students' organizational skills are indicated: trial and error method, systematic cognitive and creative activity in the learning process, special training. The importance of the use of information and communication technologies in the students’ educational-research activities is substantiated. The reasons for insufficient formation of students' organizational skills are defined: sociocultural, pedagogical, ergonomic and organizational. A students’ survey of the educational-pedagogical field of knowledge was conducted regarding the level of their readiness to perform research activities in a higher education institution. Questionnaires "Self-assessment of the level of organization", "Organizational research skills" are used. Based on the results of the survey, 88,1% of people indicated the difficulties of forming organizational research skills: lack/insufficiency of experience in research activity; lack of organizational skills; insufficiency of information search skills; low-quality allocation of your time; inability to determine priorities. The essence and components of students' organizational research skills are defined. The conditions and methods of their formation in students based on the activity approach are specified. Prospects for further research are defined: to develop criteria for the selection of educational-training tasks and exercises for the development of organizational skills of scientific lyceums students.

Current Status and Associated Factors of Health Information Literacy Among the Community Elderly in Central China in the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study.

COVID-19 posed a threat to the public's physical and mental health, and under outbreak control, the opportunities to go outside of the elderly have been reduced and making it more difficult to access health information and detrimental to their health management. This study aims to assess the current status of health information literacy (HIL) among older adults in the community in the context of COVID-19 and to identify its associated factors. A cross-sectional survey was conducted from April to July, 2021, for which 617 community elderly members were recruited in Chenzhou, China. Data were collected through a general information questionnaire, The Chinese residents' HIL self-rated scale and a reliability evaluation form. The average score of HIL was 75.87 ± 9.85, and after processed by the 100-point system, we found 84.12% (519/617) of the participants scored less than 60 points, which indicates that the overall level of HIL among the community elderly is low. Multiple linear regression showed that age, gender, education, annual family Income, living arrangement, and chronic disease status (β = -0.341, -0.296, 0.384, 0.327, 0.296, 0.356, respectively; all P < 0.001) were significantly associated with the level of HIL found among the community elderly, out of which education was the most important associated factor. The overall HIL level among the community elderly was low in Central China during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our results further prove the need for tailor-made health education programs for this group, with particular attention paid to the low-educated and low-income among them. Those measures must highlight on three aspects of health information search, evaluation, and application skills to offer useful experiences that improve the HIL level of the elderly and strengthen their ability to cope with emerging public health events.

Information-seeking Barriers Encountered by MTN Asonge Shareholders Residing in the Capricorn District, Limpopo, South Africa

Little seems to be known of the information-seeking behaviour of investors. This is despite the fact that investors, in order to determine the risks and opportunities underlying any investment business, are expected to seek information before making an investment decision. Various information behaviour studies have shown that a combination of personal and contextual factors could act as barriers to information. The purpose of this article is to report on a study that explored the information-seeking barriers that black investors in the MTN Asonge Scheme, Capricorn District in Limpopo, South Africa, encounter when they seek information while using electronic resources. A qualitative, phenomenological research approach was followed. Purposive snowball sampling was applied to sample the study respondents, who were later interviewed. Semi-structured, face-to-face interviews were conducted with six investors to collect data, which were subsequently analysed thematically. The findings indicated that the major barriers that affect MTN Asonge investors when using electronic information sources, are of a personal and contextual nature. Personal barriers include a lack of information search skills, inadequate investment literacy and an inability to interpret investment information. The contextual barriers they encountered include internet search costs, poor internet connectivity and a lack of active email accounts. This study significantly adds to the limited existing body of literature on challenges faced by black investors in an everyday life context, particularly in rural settings, when seeking information by using electronic resources.

The Using Communicative Language Teaching in the Online Class through Soundcloud, Zoom, and Google Classroom Applications

The schools have been implementing online learning during the pandemic. Teachers are required to be able to do online learning where these activities require the role of information and communication technology (ICT). Teachers cannot ensure that every student will understand the material taught during online learning. Therefore, the teacher must make several effective learning methods and approaches which can make students enthusiastic in learning and understanding the material presented. One approach that can be used by teachers is CLT (Communicative Language Teaching). Social interactions used in communicative language teaching can be done through dialogue, discussion, role-playing, etc. Nowadays, teachers implement many applications to support the online learning process, such as SoundCloud, Zoom, and Google Classroom. The use of those applications is to assist students in improving their skills. CLT can be used to teach many things such as vocabulary development, communication among instructors and learners, use of specialist language to a minimum, use of language (in the context of communication in general), use of Information Technology, information search skills, personal viewpoint argumentation abilities, nonverbal skills, and group networking skills.

HIV/AIDS Information in Tanzania

The study examines HIV/AIDS information research conducted in Tanzania for the period of 20 years between2001 and 2020.Specifically, the study identifies studies’ settings and focus, and the HIV/AIDS information challenges reported in them. The study used metadata analysis design where 20 studies on HIV/AIDS information carried in Tanzania were reviewed. Microsoft Office Excel 2010 was used to analyse the data quantitatively. The study has found that most of the reviewed studies were conducted in urban areas. The studies were mostly set in communities and health centres and targeted people living with HIV/AIDS and health workers. Topic-wise the studies focused on access to and use of HIV/AIDS information and HIV/AIDS information dissemination. The most common challenges that affect HIV/AIDS information access based on reports made by the reviewed studies are inadequate information systems and structure, lack of information search skills and lack of information and library services. Evidently, there is a gap in HIV/AIDS information research in the country. As such, information science researchers should conduct more studies on HIV/AIDS information to increase data availability. Information professionals should come up with a research agenda that will direct researchers’ attention to HIV/AIDS matters that will enable policy makers to have enough accurate and up-to-date baseline data to aid HIV/AIDS information management.

Web quest method in online teaching Ukrainian as a foreign language in higher educational institutions

Introduction. The research is topical due to the need to find effective methods ofteaching Ukrainian to foreign students. The development of information technologyurged the development of communicative competencies in foreign students. So, theweb quest method is becoming increasingly popular in the study of foreign languagesin higher educational institutions around the world. This method is an effective toolthat allows a full involvement of foreign students in learning Ukrainian as a foreignlanguage. Methods: testing students for the level of proficiency in Ukrainian as aforeign language, statistical and mathematical processing of results using Pearson’sformulas. Results: The results of the study showed the high efficiency of the webquest method in the experimental group in comparison with traditional teachingmethods. According to all the criteria studied, the students of the experimental groupshowed higher results than the students of the control group, which proves theeffectiveness of this method. Namely, the indicator of lexical skills of the experimentalgroup with the excellent grade exceeds the indicator of the control group by 10.2%.The indicator of grammar skills of the experimental group with the excellent gradeexceeds the indicator if the control group by 7.7%. And the indicator of phonetic skills of the experimental group with the excellent grade exceeds the indicator of thecontrol group by 8.4%. There were 55.74% of foreign students who showed a highlevel of information search and analysis skills. Conclusion: The study notes the highefficiency of using the web quest method in the development of variouscommunicative competencies in foreign students. Therefore, the expediency of usingthe web quest method in teaching Ukrainian as a foreign language to foreignstudents has been established. Prospects: further research will be aimed at studyingthe effectiveness of web quests for the development of professional communicativecompetencies for other subjects.

Educational Challenges of Higher Education: Validation of the Information Competence Scale for Future Teachers (ICS-FT)

The irruption of information and communication technologies has brought about an abrupt change in the demands placed on future professionals. In this sense, in recent years, information competencies have gained importance in university education from a cross-cutting perspective, which advocates as its main purpose the training of young people in information search, evaluation, processing and communication skills, especially through a digital network. Based on this idea, the present work aims to develop the Information Competence Scale for Future Teachers (ICS-FT), in order to measure the level of self-perceived skills in this area. For this purpose, a work design is presented below concerning an empirical validation, divided into different phases: the validation of content, construct and reliability, which has taken as a pilot sample a total of 259 university students studying the degree of Primary Education. The results of the validation determined the optimal conditions of content, construct and reliability that allowed the application of this scale as a generic approach to determine the level of competence in the information skills of future teachers.

Accessibility of Library Resources and Support Services by Distance Learners

The purpose of this paper is to explore the accessibility of library resources and support services by distance learners at the Open University of Tanzania (OUT). The study utilized a survey approach in soliciting information from distance learners. A total of 33 learners from OUT responded to the survey. The study revealed that OUT offered several library services as well as library resources to distance learners. The resources identified as accessible to distance learners were books, journals, internet services, past examination papers, dissertations and theses, research guides, computers, and electronic resources. The study found out that there were challenges that hindered effective use of the library resources and services including high data cost, information overload, inadequate skills to evaluate information sources, password and login frustrations, lack of comprehensive online tutorials from OUT library, lack of information search skills, lack of distance librarian assigned to support remote students, lack of free, full text, lack of instructional resources and lack of university’s account to access digital library resources from home. The study, therefore, put up recommendations to increase resource and service accessibility at OUT library.

Конкурс кинорецензий как форма организации медиаобразования студентов педагогического вуза

The paper examines a film review competition as a form of organizing pedagogical students’ media education on the basis of the aesthetically oriented approach. The authors analyse experience of School of Education of the Far Eastern Federal University (Branch in Ussuriysk) in organizing short film review competitions. Course and diploma works of film school students from Russia and the CIS countries served as material for review. Scientific originality of the study involves the aesthetically oriented approach to organizing a film review competition as an event that promotes students’ analytical, aesthetic, communicative and practical activities in the media environment. The findings indicate that a film review competition is a relevant form of young people’s media education. Competition activities help to develop students’ aesthetic taste, information search skills, skills of the media text perception and interpretation, skills to create the media content, presentation skills and critical thinking skills. Competition papers analysis allows identifying the level of future teachers’ artistic development.

A case study on the evaluation of discussion and debate learning effectiveness in a dental hygiene ethics class

This study introduces the curriculum of a discussion-based learning class for dental hygiene ethics education and evaluates the educational effect of discussion-based learning as applied to a dental hygiene ethics class. This study was conducted with 48 sophomores from the Department of Dental Hygiene who took dental hygiene ethics in the second semester of 2019. For the DBL class, the following steps were conducted: (1) a pre-class group activity (discussion); (2) a group presentation and team discussion; and (3) a discussion among all groups. To improve the ability to aggregate, organise, and prepare the learner's resources, data, information search skills, and opinions by the team and to improve communication skills by actively listening to other people's opinions, the presentation team's opinions were modified after the discussion, and the performance of rational opinions on topics was added. The professor provided feedback and summarised and ended the discussion. The survey was conducted before and after the DBL class. Concerning critical thinking ability, critical objectivity increased significantly from 8.88 before to 9.38 after the DBL class, and critical confidence also increased significantly. The change in professional attitude significantly increased from 3.21 out of 5 points before the DBL class to 3.53 after the DBL class in the logical and critical thinking skills category and significantly increased from 3.27 to 3.66 in decision-making skills. Teaching methods applied in DBL classes, not traditional lecture-style classes, consistent with changing educational paradigms, are very effective and should change gradually. These results will be particularly helpful to faculty members who are inexperienced in DBL courses and performance but interested in them.

Effects of Information Seeking Behaviour on Accessibility of Library Services by Students With Visual Impairment in Uganda Christian University, Mukono

The major aim of the study was to investigate the effects of information seeking behaviour on accessibility of library services by students with visual impairment. The study was carried out at Hamu Mukasa Library of Uganda Christian University in Mukono, Uganda. The study objectives were to weigh the needs of information to Students with Visual Impairment (SWVI) in UCU library, assess information seeking behaviors of SWVI at UCU library, to evaluate the library facilities and services currently available for SWVI, to interrogate the sources of information for SWVI and to analyze the challenges encountered by SWVI while seeking for information at UCU library. The researcher used a descriptive design confirming about the truthfulness of the matter of fact to give wright answers to the research questions in an understandable manner giving the exact picture of what transpires amidst the SWVI while seeking for information from the Library. The study applied the qualitative together with quantitative research methods venturing into and making use of questionnaires and extracting information from the documents. The target population in the study included SWVI and staff at Uganda Christian University (UCU) Hamu Mukasa library. The study targeted the visually impaired students plus library staff members who serve or train information search skills to the students. A sample size of 100 participants was chosen from the total population of 150 whereby sample size of library staff was 60 and a sample of 40 students with visual impairment. The findings revealed that the library staff have inadequacy skills to allow them understand the needs of SWVI and their information seeking behaviours, thus failure to serve SWVI diligently. In regard to this, the study is mandated to air out the services provided, the facilities available and showing how they are insignificant to suite the information requirements of these particular users of the library. The study was well-timed to handle the assessment on effects of information seeking behaviour while accessing library services by (SWVI) at Uganda Christian University. The study recommended to the government, academic libraries, Non-Government Organisations and other agencies serving visually impaired people; to work together on the strategies to improve library facilities and information services for the visually impaired students.

Using information problem-solving activities to teach: an exploratory study designed to improve teacher competencies related to internet use in the classroom

ABSTRACT Studies show that students and teachers frequently use the internet for learning and teaching, but that both lack the skills necessary to utilise it effectively. The authors designed an intervention to develop teachers’ information search skills and improve the information problem-solving using the internet (IPS-I) tasks that they implement with their students. Twenty-one Grade 7 teachers participated in a blended learning workshop and implemented IPS-I activities in their courses using a specially designed internet search engine. The results show that teachers improved certain search strategies and the IPS-I tasks that they implemented by conceiving of the internet as a tool for learning. They incorporated objectives associated with the development of students’ higher order skills, included question development steps in the tasks, and monitored students’ search activities and products. The authors highlight the aspects of the internet search software that contributed to these changes and opportunities for teacher training programmes.