Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate how isolated immigrant adolescents seek and use necessary information when they are not able to use significant information sources--their peer groups--in the period of transition before new peer groups are established. Method: To achieve the study's purpose, sixteen recently arrived (three years or less) Korean immigrant adolescents (12 and 18 years old) were recruited through snowballing and convenience samplings. For data collection, a mixed method including survey and in-depth interview was employed through three research phases. First, participants' demographic profiles and their information use environments [IUEs] were described through survey and interview (Phase I: Survey/In-depth Interview). Second, participants' isolated status was measured with three measurement scales and the motivation and contextual backgrounds of the survey results were analyzed via interview (Phase II: Surveys/In-depth Interview). Third, isolated Korean immigrant adolescents' migration journey and their information needs and seeking behaviors were described in interviews (Phase III: In-depth Interview). Finding: In analyzing the study participants' everyday life information seeking and their contextual features, such as their isolated condition and motivation for migration, a preliminary understanding of isolated adolescents' information world was gained: how they interpret their current situations and daily hassles, seek (or do not seek), and utilize information to cope with their daily life problems, and evaluate their use of information, including library systems and interpersonal sources. In particular, three main information needs were found: ELIS Need 1--English language skills to facilitate learning activities in school in the United States; ELIS Need 2--Social skills to facilitate making friends and to become accustomed to American culture and normative behaviors; ELIS Need 3--Study skills to facilitate academic success in highly competitive educational environments in Korea. To fulfill their cognitive needs--ELIS Need 1 and ELIS 3--the participants usually sought parents, teachers, Internet sources, and DIY. For their socio-affective needs--ELIS Need 2, they used guidance or counseling from their parents or selected passive coping strategies, such as the ignorance of their reality or information-avoiding. Their main information needs were usually satisfied through the information sources provided by their family members--parents. Conclusion: Five main emergent themes were analyzed from the findings (six categories of findings) and pertinent theories/models to interpret these unique features were suggested and discussed: Parents attachment in information seeking and uses (Theme 1); Dependence on interpersonal information sources (Theme 2); Information Ground (Theme 3); Two-step flow (Theme 4); Passive information-seeking, information-avoiding and ignorance (Theme 5). Also, this study suggested some empirical alternatives and implications to improve isolated immigrants' information world: (1) Peer-mentoring program; (2) Immigrant parents' school involvement/parents' education; (3) Teachers' education of cultural competence skills; (4) Library PR; (5) Library outreach to whole immigrant family members as a unit. Finally, the contributions of the study in several key areas, the limitation of this study and future studies--to supplement the limitation of this study and to interpret the emergent unique social and information phenomena--were suggested and discussed. / A Dissertation submitted to the College of Communication and Information in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Summer Semester, 2013. / June 7, 2013. / Adolescent, Everyday Life Information Seeking, Information Behavior, Information-Seeking, Isolation, New Immigrant / Includes bibliographical references. / Melissa Gross, Professor Directing Dissertation; Jeannine Turner, University Representative; Mia Liza A. Lustria, Committee Member; Paul Marty, Committee Member.

This study investigated personal information behavior and information needs that 21 adults managing life with Type 2 diabetes identify explicitly and implicitly during discussions of item acquisition and use of health information items that are kept in their homes. Research drew upon a naturalistic lens, in that semi-structured interviews were conducted in participants' homes. The rich narratives provide insights into situational relevance associated with kept health information items, the uses thereof, and stated information needs. The descriptions of situational relevance were analyzed for themes of information keeping and use in context, as well as expressions of information need that were implicit to participants' situations. The study and its pre-test were conducted in a mid-sized city in the Southeast from April to September 2011. All pre-test (n = 3) and study participants were recruited from diabetes education classes, conducted at a diabetes center associated with a teaching hospital. The study participants were 38-79 years old (mean = 60 years, SD = 9.5) and the majority of participants were female (n = 15, 71%), white/Caucasian (n = 17, 81%), employed (n = 13, 62%), married (n = 11, 52%), insured (n = 18, 86%), and new to diabetes (diagnosis < 3 months n = 15, 71%). Participants kept 706 items in the home, but only a subset (n = 300) were used to manage life with Type 2 diabetes. The interviews focused on these kept and used items to guide the study, similar to the notion of critical incident, to address questions of personal context, information needs, and item uses. Results showed that participants primarily kept and used paper-based items, but digital items, e.g., bookmarked websites, were also used. Results also show that the categories found in literature for `Item Type' and for `Item Use' required expansion. Findings also revealed that individuals with Type 2 diabetes may keep and use health information items to manage life with diabetes within four primary contexts: activity, adjustment, challenge of living with diabetes, and emotion. Analysis of information keeping and use in context showed that kept information items, when examined within a lens of situational relevance, can provide insight into information needs that individuals with Type 2 diabetes may not readily identify. / A Dissertation submitted to the School of Library and Information Studies in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Summer Semester, 2013. / April 25, 2013. / health information technology, information behavior, information needs, Type 2 diabetes / Includes bibliographical references. / Melissa Gross, Professor Directing Dissertation; Ron Goldsmith, University Representative; Gary Burnett, Committee Member; Mia Liza Lustria, Committee Member.

This study was conducted as a way to begin to fill a gap in the literature regarding young people and hobby pursuit. Through intensive exploratory research, the study sought to explicate the information behaviors of gifted young people related to their hobby pursuit. Focus groups and home visits were conducted and participants were given the opportunity to review the results for accuracy. Thirty two young people participated in focus groups, twelve in home visits, and three in review of data analysis. It was found that three different themes are commonly at play in the hobby pursuit of gifted young people: "Always Activated," or the idea that even when participants are not actively engaged in hobby pursuit, hobbies still play an important role in their everyday behavior; "Adult Facilitated Access," referring to the ways that adults facilitate hobby pursuit in young people's lives - this theme speaks to the mediating role that adults must play in order to introduce young people to potential hobby interests and to support hobby pursuit once it has germinated; and "Autonomy," or the ways that gifted youth make choices about what to do at any given time, how to solve problems, and who to consult when outside help is deemed necessary. It was also found that the participants are very independent, preferring to address challenges on their own. They use a variety of information sources and they make complex decisions about how to share information about their hobbies based on the recipient's level of expertise. In addition, they make decisions about the extent to which feedback should be heeded, based on the level of expertise of the person providing the feedback. As a result of the study, it was determined that Everyday Life Information Seeking, Serious Leisure, and theories of intrinsic motivation can be used effectively with younger subjects, although the idea of adult facilitation needs to be addressed. It was also determined that a large number of young people are introduced to their hobbies through school programs, either special classes held once or twice a week (such as chorus or art) or after-school activities like debate clubs. This provides an argument for retaining funding for these programs. Further research will replicate the current study with a wider range of ages and will examine such factors as race and family make-up to determine their potential impact on phenomena related to hobbies and information behavior. In addition, more attention will be paid to hobby genesis and hobby development over time. / A Dissertation submitted to the School of Library and Information Studies in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Fall Semester, 2013. / September 23, 2013. / Gifted, Hobby, Information Behavior, Intrinsic Motivation, Serious Leisure, Youth / Includes bibliographical references. / Don Latham, Professor Directing Dissertation; Diana Rice, University Representative; Marcia Mardis, Committee Member; Mia Lustria, Committee Member.

This study examines the effect of experiential place and local community on information access and behavior for two communities of parents of children with Down syndrome. It uncovers substantive issues associated with health information seeking, government and education-related information access, and information overload and avoidance within the two communities. It also explores the question of place of local community as a unit of study, and examines information behaviors on the community level. This multi-method study applies grounded theory analysis to a combination of interview and information horizons mapping data. A purposive sample of twenty-eight parent participants and seven service and information providers were selected from two communities in Florida - one in South Florida, and one in North Florida. Participants answered questions about information and service seeking, completed demographic surveys, and created community and social network maps. A grounded theory approach was taken toward interview data analysis. The study finds that local parent information networks served as the primary vehicle for information sharing among participants, and that place had a strong influence on information access and behavior. The Theory of Information Worlds is used to characterize differences in social norms, information values and actor roles between the two communities, and to explore how these differences affected information access and sharing among participants. / A Dissertation submitted to the School of Library and Information Studies in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Fall Semester, 2013. / October 14, 2013. / Community Health, Geography, Health Information Seeking, Information Access, Information Behavior, Information Worlds / Includes bibliographical references. / Michelle M. Kazmer, Professor Directing Dissertation; Frederick Davis, University Representative; Gary Burnett, Committee Member; Lorri Mon, Committee Member.

Developing effective self-care behaviors in college is an important factor affecting undergraduate students' academic achievement and overall adult health outcomes. To address the gap in both research and practice between information literacy and health education targeting undergraduate students, this study explores to what extent undergraduates demonstrate health information literacy (HIL) competency in their health information seeking and use for self-care. It employs Dervin's sense-making theory as a framework, which characterizes human information seeking and use as situation-gap-bridge-outcome occurring through different contexts within time and space. A three-phase design for data collection was used: 1) a group-administered survey, 2) a semi-structured interview, and 3) a follow-up observational study of online health information searches using think-aloud protocols. The study results provide a better understanding of how students' HIL competency shapes their health information-seeking behaviors and affects their self-care activities. Given that health information literacy is a multifaceted integrated skill set, contextual factors, such as information environment, health issues, and self-care situations, would not likely change the fundamental skill base that comprises HIL, but these different situations often demand different levels of HIL knowledge and skills. Many students in the study demonstrated insufficient HIL knowledge and skills in some specific contexts of seeking and using health information for self-care. This insufficiency can compromise the extent and usefulness of their health information seeking. Some of them were unaware of their insufficiency based on the inconsistency between their perceived and actual HIL competency as demonstrated in the interview and the observational study. Therefore, the study contributes both theoretical and practical knowledge to the currently limited body of research on undergraduate students' health information-seeking behaviors and health information literacy. Its results present important insights for the future development of more effective college HIL intervention strategies that can help in addressing current or potential student public health issues. Moreover, the results are useful to inform the development of an effective HIL measurement instrument without overemphasizing one or two components of the HIL skill set, such as educational level or computer skills. / A Dissertation submitted to the School of Information in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Spring Semester, 2014. / March 20, 2014. / Consumer Health Information, Health Information Literacy Competency, health Information seeking behavior, Health Literacy, Information Literacy, Self-Care / Includes bibliographical references. / Don Latham, Professor Directing Dissertation; Robert Glueckauf, University Representative; Melissa Gross, Committee Member; Mia Liza A. Lustria, Committee Member.

School librarians' essential function of providing access to information, and instruction and guidance in its evaluation, use, production, and communication has endured over a century of change in education, technology, and society's access to and use of information. What has changed is how school librarians perform their roles. As the rate of technological change has accelerated, perceptions of school librarians' roles have not always kept pace. School librarians may base their role perceptions on documentary sources, including professional standards, job descriptions, and performance evaluations. School administrators may have different perceptions of school librarians' roles, based on their past experiences with school librarians. When expected, perceived, and enacted roles differ, school librarians may experience role ambiguity and conflict. With the number of school librarians in decline, those who remain may experience job insecurity. Feelings of job insecurity combined with the pressure on schools to achieve more with fewer resources may cause school librarians to increase their role performance and experience role overload. This research was designed to analyze how the roles of school librarians were represented in the performance expectations in the professional standards found in Empowering Learners: Guidelines for School Library Programs as compared to the performance expectations found in the job descriptions of school librarians in Florida, to determine what kinds of role performance were expected of school librarians in Florida that were not represented in the professional standards, and to determine to what extent the performance expectations on Florida's school librarians' job descriptions compared to the performance measures on their performance evaluations. The researcher used qualitative content analysis to compared performance expectations from school librarians' professional standards to those in their job descriptions. Performance expectations on the job description that were not represented in the professional standards were open coded and categorized. The researcher used qualitative content analysis to compare the performance expectations on school librarians' job descriptions and the performance measures on their performance evaluations. The researcher found that while performance expectations from all of the roles and guidelines in the professional standards were represented in Florida's school librarians' job descriptions, the most frequently represented role was that of Instructional Partner, and the most frequently represented guideline was Collection and Information Access; the former speaks to the future of the profession, while the latter represents its past. Not all types of role performance expected of school librarians in Florida were represented in the professional standards. Of the open coded performance expectations, those related to Library Operations and Services were the most frequently represented. The analysis of agreement between school librarians' job descriptions and performance evaluations found that many of the evaluations had low rates of agreement with their corresponding job descriptions. The researcher discovered half of Florida's school districts are using instruments designed for instructional personnel or support staff to assess school librarians' performance, instead of differentiated evaluations designed specifically for school librarians; nearly all of these instructional personnel or support staff evaluations had low rates of agreement with their corresponding job description. The researcher also found that when the performance evaluation was newer and the job description was older, the evaluations tended to have lower rates of agreement. A few performance evaluations had a greater number of performance measures than the job description had performance expectations; these evaluations tended to have lower rates of agreement. The researcher proposed that school district officials may wish to implement several practices regarding job descriptions and performance evaluations, including establishing a revision cycle, where these documents are periodically reviewed and updated; changing revision practices, so that when either a job description or performance evaluation is updated, the other document is reviewed as well; and to ensure that there is a balance between the number of performance expectations and performance measures on the two documents. This study fills a gap in the research about school librarians' roles and performance evaluation, and creates a foundation for further research. / A Dissertation submitted to the School of Information in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Summer Semester, 2014. / June 23, 2014. / Job Descriptions, Performance Evaluations, Professional Standards, Qualitative Content Analysis, School Librarians / Includes bibliographical references. / Marcia A. Mardis, Professor Directing Dissertation; Juliann Woods, University Representative; Michelle Kazmer, Committee Member; Don Latham, Committee Member.

This research investigated the likelihood of computer technology adoption in Botswana, among school principals in secondary schools, who are assumed to be transformational leaders. The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) survey and an interview were used to determine the perceptions of the school principals about accepting and using computer technology. The survey was used to predict and explain the principals' acceptance of computers in relation to whether they find them useful, easy to use, and if they intended to adopt and use them. The in-depth follow up semi-structured interviews explored further the responses of the survey questionnaire. The results of the TAM survey based on the regression model with an R square of .273, show that there was substantial support that the participants who found computers easy to use and useful in their job intended to adopt and use them. The interviews addressed why principals rejected or adopted computers and how they intended to enhance computer use in the school. The results show that time constraints, phobia, lack of skills or training and the lack of practice with computers were identified as barriers to adoption in this study. The results of the study confirmed that the research population was not homogenous; there were early adopters, who showed characteristics of transformational leadership as well as late adopters and non adopters who were still learning how to use computers. Therefore training on the use of computers should include strategies to alleviate barriers to computer adoption. This study has implications for the Vision 2016 because Botswana has already made a significant investment in information technology and information technology infrastructure for its secondary schools (The Revised National Policy on Education, 1994). / A Dissertation Submitted to the College of Information in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Summer Semester, 2007. / June 15, 2007. / Computer Adoption And Principals, Computer Rejection, Computer Acceptance, Computer Anxiety, Transformational Leaders / Includes bibliographical references. / Kathleen Burnett, Professor Directing Dissertation; Alysia Roehrig, Outside Committee Member; Eliza Dresang, Committee Member; Darrell Burke, Committee Member; Gary Burnett, Committee Member.

Information poverty is a term frequently used to describe a condition associated with economic poverty. No comprehensive analysis exists determining the delimitations, definitions, or parameters of the phenomenon of information poverty. This study explores and critically analyzes the concept of information poverty through an examination of the literature, models, and theories used to further understanding of information poverty as used across the social sciences. This study reveals trends in information poverty research over the past thirty years, demonstrating that information poverty research has, for the most part, followed trends in poverty research. National information policy has focused on infrastructural components of information poverty during liberal administrations and cultural/behavioral components during conservative administrations. In the mid-1990s library and information science researcher Elfreda A. Chatman suggested a small world approach to information poverty. Her theory of information poverty is a notable addition to a more complex understanding of information poverty; however, there is still much to learn about information poverty. The study presents a model of information access that can be useful for further study of not only information poverty but also other aspects of information access. The model takes into account the three layers of information access described in the information poverty literature: the information infrastructure, the social sphere, and the small world. This work suggests that all three of these layers of information access should be considered when discussing information access in general and information poverty in particular. / A Dissertation Submitted to the College of Information in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Summer Semester, 2006. / June 26, 2006. / Social Information Behavior, Information Poverty, Information Theory, Information Access, Information Access Model, Digital Divide / Includes bibliographical references. / Gary Burnett, Professor Directing Dissertation; Stephen McDowell, Outside Committee Member; John N. Gathegi, Committee Member; Michelle Kazmer, Committee Member.

This study begins the endeavor to develop a middle range theory on the emergence of computing degree programs by investigating the social interaction factors that influenced the development of information technology (IT) curricula guidelines and skill standards in the United States (US). The major goal of this dissertation study is to identify and describe the social interaction factors that influenced the development of new curricula guidelines and skill standards for IT degree programs, and to determine how these factors relate to the purposes and missions of the educational institutions they serve. The two initiatives studied in this dissertation were pursued by the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) / Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) – Computer Society through the Special Interest Group in IT Education (SIGITE) and the National Workforce Center for Emerging Technologies (NWCET) The SIGITE developed the IT curricula guidelines and NWCET developed the IT skill standards. To develop the list of factors, documents produced and used during these initiatives were examined. The social interaction factors that triggered the development of IT curricula guidelines and skill standards for four-year degree programs were scrutinized. The method used to investigate this phenomenon was the grounded theory methodology (GTM) based on the work of Strauss & Corbin (1998). Interviews were conducted with representatives of the initiatives to confirm that the findings reflected their perceptions of the social interaction factors. The four major social interaction factors that influenced the development of IT curricula guidelines by the SIGITE include: birth of a professional organization, the need to nurture IT as a discipline, student interest in IT, and cultural and technical changes taking place at that time. The four major social interaction factors that were found to influence the development of IT skill standards by NWCET are partnerships, technology worker shortage, mobility, and qualification gap. There were six major differences between these two initiatives, including the use of alternative curriculum development strategies, the amount of funding available, the focus of their support systems, the party demanding IT education, their contribution to IT education and the focus on mobility. This study examined the differences between the products produced by these two initiatives to support the two institutional orientations that they serve: community colleges and four-year universities or colleges, thus providing useful indicators to both types. This study also provided a checklist of social interaction factors to be considered by individuals or organizations involved in the future development of newer versions of curricula guidelines and skill standards. The checklist also may facilitate cross-organizational learning and attention to factors that were not considered by the individual organizations. Some of the limitations of this study were addressed in the final chapter. Recommendations were provided to continue the study of the emergence of IT degree programs, the emergence of other computing degree programs, and emergence of new areas of inquiry by presenting a tentative research plan. / A Dissertation Submitted to the College of Information in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Fall Semester, 2007. / April 20, 2007. / Information technology education Computing Education, Computing degree programs, Grounded theory / Includes bibliographical references. / Kathleen Burnett, Professor Directing Dissertation; Stephen McDowell, Outside Committee Member; Gary Burnett, Committee Member; Kenneth Fleischmann, Committee Member.

This study asks the question: Does the motivational type of faculty leaders, including Chief Academic Officers (CAOs), affect the participation of academic librarians in shared governance in higher education. The literature reveals that librarians' participation in shared governance is minimal and may continue to be so for a variety of reasons including, but not limited to, obstacles from faculty and administration, self-exclusion, and academic credentials. The study surveys faculty leaders, including CAOs, from Alabama Council of Independent Colleges. Data collection includes part one of a commercially produced instrument, The Power Management Inventory (PMI,) and a modified University Shared Governance Survey (USGS) borrowed from a dissertation by Persson. The PMI investigates the motivational type of faculty leaders and groups them into one of three types ("affiliative," "personalized" or "socialized" power) as identified by motivational theorist, David C. McClelland. In this study, one (1) respondent ties two groups and is categorized as a "mixed" motivational type. The USGS asks opinions of faculty leaders regarding issue areas where academic librarians may be allowed to participate in shared governance. Issue areas include academic, financial and personnel, institutional, and student affairs. Demographic data is also collected. An Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was applied to determine if there are any statistically significant differences between faculty leaders' by motivational type and opinion. ANOVA testing revealed that there were no statistically significant differences between the faculty leaders' motivational groups and their opinions about academic librarians' participation in shared governance. Statistical significance was found when pairing opinion with gender on three questions from the institutional affairs issue area; question #2 F(1,40) = 4.08, p. / A Dissertation Submitted to the School of Information Studies in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Fall Semester, 2004. / October 1, 2004. / Shared Governance, Faculty Leaders, Decision Making, Academic Librarians, Motivation, Private Colleges / Includes bibliographical references. / Jane Robbins, Professor Directing Dissertation; Robert A. Schwartz, Outside Committee Member; Benjamin K. Belton, Committee Member; Marcella Genz, Committee Member.