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網路盛行與科技創新帶動一條嶄新的教育改革管道，提供多感官、多面向的學習情境，運用網路作為媒介、擷取學習資訊的數位學習模式應運而生。數位學習充分利用現代資訊科技、打造全新溝通機制與豐富資源的學習環境；不僅改變傳統教學中教師的功用和師生間關係，也帶來資訊尋求行為的變遷。而圖書館充分瞭解使用者的資訊需求與資訊尋求行為，將有助於建置更完善的服務體系，落實以使用者為導向的服務理念。而成功的數位學習需要學習環境與資訊資源相結合，圖書館作為學習支援的重要環節，必須重新檢視其角色扮演與定位。 本研究旨在辨識分析數位學習者的資訊需求與資訊尋求行為，探討其對於圖書館的認知與需求；進一步分析數位學習者的學習經驗與特質，作為數位學習資源整合與圖書館規劃資訊服務之參考依據，進一步擘化校方、老師與圖書館之合作途徑。在研究方法上首先採「文獻分析法」進行研究主題相關國內外文獻之蒐集與分析，而後運用質化的「深度訪談法」與量化之「問卷調查法」，以參與政治大學遠距學習課程之學生為研究對象進行研究，瞭解其資訊尋求行為並針對圖書館對於數位學習所能提供的資訊服務進行深入探討與分析。 □ 研究結果發現數位學習者對數位學習模式持正面態度，但面對龐雜之數位資源而擔憂個人資訊素養能力之不足，總結學習者展現下述特質：(1)為高度網路使用族群，資訊科技接受度高，並對電腦與網路能力具備高度信心；(2)善於分配時間，建構自我導向的學習歷程； (3) 樂於分享學習成果、主動參與學習社群；(4)具高度學習理解力、批判性思維能力；(5)善用各式資源。 數位學習帶來資訊尋求行為的變遷，學習者高度仰賴數位化資源，並習慣從網路出發，查找資訊；線上使用圖書館網站的頻率顯著增加，並遠高於實際到館的頻率。在資訊需求與資訊尋求管道上：(1) 數位學習者產生資訊需求之主因是課業活動、互動討論；(2)數位學習者仰賴的學習資源依序為搜尋引擎與網路資源、課程網頁、學習社群資源分享、圖書館；(3)搜尋引擎與分類目錄是數位學習者為建立對一主題背景資料時優先選擇的管道；(4)面對學術上的問題，學習者最常使用與信任的管道為圖書館；(5)課程網頁彙整豐沛的學習資源，是學生尋求資訊的起點；(6)透過互動討論與議題探討，暢通資訊尋求與知識分享的管道。 大學圖書館資源的豐富性、權威性與精確性對於學習者仍至為重要，學習者期望圖書館能提供更多的學習支援：(1)整合數位學習資源，包括數位教材、數位教師指定參考書與網路課程作連結；(2)提供全文資料庫與電子書、數位化多媒體視聽資料；(3)與老師合作發展數位學習課程或製作與課程主題資源導引；(4)提供數位參考服務；(5)協助數位學習者管理個人相關的資訊，存取個人學習歷程以及學習資源；(6)設計不同層次資訊素養教育課程；(7)建置校園學術資源典藏庫與數位圖書館；(8)參與互動討論以協助學習社群的建立與經營。 □ 本研究建議：(1)大學圖書館應重視支援教學服務之必要性，參與數位學習策略之規劃，與相關教學單位建立合作關係；(2) 大學圖書館員需主動出擊，提升對數位學習的認知，培養學科館員，打造專業團隊，與教師合作教學，協助整合教學資源並參與學習社群之推動，設計資訊素養融入專業學科之課程；(3)大學圖書館應持續研究數位學習者資訊尋求行為模式與資訊素養能力，以提升資訊服務品質，暢通行銷管道，；(4)大學校院應積極發展數位學習強化學習品質，提供學習者及教學者數位學習服務，並實施教學與服務評鑑，作為改進數位學習系統之參考，並協助教師建設數位教材資源庫；(5) 大學校院應整合校園資訊服務入口與課程管理系統，進一步提供個人化的服務機制；(6)數位學習教學者應提升資訊素養能力，擬定完善的學習活動設計與教學運用策略，強化課程網頁學習資源的建置與維護，落實學習社群的互動與經營。 / The internet and technological innovation brought a brand-new educational reform, resulting a multi-dimensional learning atmosphere. E-learning apply modern information technology, and builds a learning environment of abundant internet resources. Not only did e-learning change traditional teaching methods and teacher-student relationships, but also brought changes to the information seeking behavior of e-learners. Only when libraries thoroughly understand the users’ information needs and behavior, can they provide a better information services, therefore fulfilling the ideal of user-oriented services. Successful e-learning requires the synergy of the learning environment and information resources. Being the vital link to learning support, library must reexamine its position and role played. The purpose of this study is to analyze the e-learners’ information needs and information seeking behavior, and further analyzing the e-learner’s learning experience and characteristics, providing guidelines for the integrated resources and the library’s information service planning, further promoting collaboration among the university, teachers and the library.Using the in-depth interview and the survey questionnaire for the students participating in distance learning courses at National Chengchi University. The study found e-learners had demonstrated the following characteristics: (1) e-learners are frequent internet user community, with high level of acceptance over information technology and possess great self-confidence concerning their computer and internet skills; (2) apt in time management and build their own self-oriented learning progress; (3) tend to gladly share with others and participate actively in the learning community; (4) possess high level of learning comprehensiveness and abilities for critical thought; (5) make good use of all kinds of resources. E-learning has brought changes to the information seeking behaviors, in which learners rely greatly on digitalized resources, and depend on the internet to start off for information search. The frequency of online usage of library websites has increased remarkably, and it has surpassed the frequency of physical library visits. In regard to the channel of information needs and information seeking: (1) the main reason why e-learners come up with information needs is due to learning activities and course discussions; (2) the learning resources which e-learners most rely on are search engines and internet resources, course website, learning community resource sharing, and the library; (3) search engines and subject directory are the first channels e-learners use to establish background information on a given topic; (4) when encountering academic problems, the library becomes e-learners’ most often used and trusted channel; (5) the course website is organized with abundant learning resources, becoming the starting point for students’ information seeking; (6) course interaction and topic discussion facilitate the information retrieving and knowledge sharing. The abundance of resources, authoritativeness and precision in academic libraries are still very important to the e-learners, who expects the library to provide the following learning supports: (1) Integrating e-learning resources, including digital course materials, instructors’ reserves and links to online courses; (2) providing with the full text of database and e-books, and digitalized multimedia audio information; (3) working with teachers to develop an e-learning course or produce informational guidance to the courses; (4) providing digital reference services; (5) assisting e-learners in managing related information of their own, saving their portfolio and learning resources into the system; (6) designing information literacy courses for different levels; (7) establishing a institutional repository and digital library; (8) participating in interactive discussions to assist in the establishment and operation of a learning community. The suggestions include: (1) academic libraries should stress on the importance of teaching service, participate in the planning of e-learning strategies, establish team work with related education units; (2) academic librarians need to reach ahead and increase e-learning knowledge, train department members, forge a professional team, work with teachers on teaching, help integrate teaching resources and participate in the facilitation of the learning community, design courses for information literacy to fit into professional subjects; (3) academic libraries should constantly research on the e-learners’ information seeking behavior model and information literacy ability to elevate the quality of information service, and effectuate the marketing channel; (4) University should actively develop e-learning to strengthen the learning quality, provide learners and educators with e-learning services, and implement teaching and service evaluation as to improve references for the e-learning system, and help teachers set up a learning objects database; (5) University should combine campus information service access and course management system, further provide personalized service mechanisms; (6) e-learning educators ought to promote the information literacy ability, formulate learning and teaching strategies, strengthen the establishment and preservation of the course websites’ learning resources, facilitate the interaction of the learning community.

Catastrophes like Katrina destroy a community's critical infrastructure-a situation that instigates several dilemmas. Immediately, the community experiences information disruption within the community, as well as between the community and the outside world. The inability to communicate because of physical or virtual barriers to information instigates instant isolation. Prolonged, this scarcity of information becomes an information poverty spell, placing hardship on a community accustomed to easily accessible and applicable information. Physical devastation causes the scarcity of what Abraham Maslow calls basic survival needs-physiological, security, and social-a needs regression from the need to self-actualize, to meet intellectual and aesthetic needs. Because needs regress, the type of information required to meet the needs, also changes-regresses to information regarding survival needs. Regressed information needs requires altered information behaviors-altered methods and means to meet the information needs of the post-disaster situation. Situational information behavior follows new mores-altered norms-norms constructed for the post-disaster situation. To justify the unconventional, situational social norms, residents must adjust their beliefs about appropriate behavior. Situational beliefs support situational social norms-and situational information behaviors prevail. Residents find they must trust strangers, create makeshift messaging systems, and in some cases, disregard the law to meet their post-disaster survival needs.

Master of Science / Department of Journalism and Mass Communications / Joye C. Gordon / This experimental research adopts a typology of frames by Levin, Gaeth, and Schneider (1998) and seeks to a) determine what combination of attribute and goal frames produces the strongest effect on vaccination behavior; b) ascertain to what extent personal relevance of vaccination moderates this framing effect; and c) explore how individual pre-existing characteristics, such as recent vaccination history, vaccine risk perception, vaccine dread, and general attitude toward vaccination influence the persuasive power of framed messages. The study, designed as field experiment 2 (+/- attribute frame) x 2 (+/- goal frame) x 2(involvement), recruited 476 adult female participants that were exposed online to four experimental framing manipulations and a control condition. The main effect is consistent with the typology of frames — the combination of the positive attribute and the negative goal frame was the only condition that was significantly more persuasive than the control condition. Participants who had children or were pregnant, for whom vaccination was more relevant and meaningful, have not reacted to message framing differently. However, general pre-existing attitudes towards vaccines, perception of vaccine safety, perception of vaccine efficacy, vaccine dread, and vicarious experience with vaccine side effects, appear to be associated with antecedents of vaccination behavior. Overall, this study has focused on ecological validity,aiming at the applicability of framing theory in the context of health communication.

In education today, self-directed learning is promoted as an ideal as opposed to teacher-led instruction. This approach is reflected in public inquiries, proposals, syllabi and grading criteria, as we... merll as in schoolwork in practice. The approach has implications for various stakeholders in education, for example, students, teachers and librarians. Students at different educational levels are expected to develop their understanding of how to seek and select information, access, critically examine and understand different texts and their relations to other texts as well as produce their own texts in different contexts. Information seeking and use are key aspects of schoolwork and learning, and students are assumed to develop competence in information literacy. The thesis aims to deepen our knowledge of information practices in municipal adult education, by exploring the information seeking and information use associated with a specific school assignment. The theoretical framework used is a socio-cultural approach. In the study the following concepts have been identified as particularly important: mediation, sense-making, learning, practice, tools, scaffolds and interaction. From a socio-cultural perspective, the thesis explores 1) how adult students, teachers and librarians interact in information seeking and use in the practice of working with a complex school assignment, 2) what tools and scaffolds are used, and why, 3) how information is used by adult students to construct knowledge and make sense, and 4) what elements of information literacy emerge in the interaction around the assignment. To answer the research questions, a qualitative case study was conducted. The case study included 43 interviews, 30 observations and 17 documents, which provided in-depth knowledge of the interaction between individuals, practice and tools. Study results reveal an absence of interaction in information seeking and use in the educational context, as well as a lack of common references in the form of tools and support, leading to difficulties for the participants in achieving the results that were expected, according to learning objectives. In the tension between the school's discursive practice and the participants' self-directed learning, several critical elements of information literacy emerged, including the distinction between quantitative and qualitative information seeking, critical approaches towards information, knowledge of genres, the ability to identify and use various tools, and the ability to communicate conceptually about information seeking and use. The self-directed learning approach entails a number of challenges for adult students, teachers and librarians. These challenges involve building bridges between the rhetoric and practice of information literacy, developing institutional and social structures that facilitate and benefit the quality of interaction, creating common frames of reference for school assignments and clarifying standards and rules in the school context. / <p>Akademisk avhandling som med tillstånd av samhällsvetenskapliga fakulteten vid Göteborgs universitet för vinnande av doktorsexamen framläggs till offentlig granskning kl. 13.15 fredagen den 19 mars 2010, i hörsalen Sappören, Göteborgs universitet, Sprängkullsgatan 25.</p>

Is there a relationship between work role and information seeking behavior? Three behaviors were examined: choice of information channel, choice of method for information retrieval, and choice of method for storing retrieved information. The Protestant clergy was selected as a profession with clearly identified work roles, including preacher and administrator. Questionnaires were mailed to 150 randomly selected ministers in Tarrant County, Texas. Sixty-four responded. Additionally, fifteen ministers selected at random were interviewed for additional data. The data collected through the questionnaires were analyzed using nonparametric statistical techniques.

The purpose of the present study is to examine the pathways between gender and behavioral intention to engage in sexual HISB through application of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). It was found that feminine and masculine gender role stress differentially influence perceived behavioral control and behavioral attitudes, and that intention to engage in HISB was higher among women than men. Attitudes and PBC significantly predicted behavioral intention in this model. Further, women in the sample were more likely to search for sexual health information, with online sources being the most frequently reported resource. Additionally, past HISB was a significant predictor of sexual health literacy, eHealth literacy, and sexual health knowledge. These findings indicate that gender role stress may play a role in the maintenance of attitudes and perceived behavioral control about sexual health information seeking behaviors, and that HISB in general is higher among women.

The current period of rapid technological change, particularly in the area of mediated communication, has combined with new philosophies of education and market forces to bring upheaval to the realm of higher education. Technical capabilities exceed our knowledge of whether expenditures on hardware and software lead to corresponding gains in student learning. Educators do not yet possess sophisticated assessments of what we may be gaining or losing as we widen the scope of distributed learning. The purpose of this study was not to draw sweeping conclusions with respect to the costs or benefits of technology in education. The researcher focused on a single issue involved in educational quality: assessing the ability of a student to complete a course. Previous research in this area indicates that attrition rates are often higher in distributed learning environments. Educators and students may benefit from a reliable instrument to identify those students who may encounter difficulty in these learning situations. This study is aligned with research focused on the individual engaged in seeking information, assisted or hindered by the capabilities of the computer information systems that create and provide access to information. Specifically, the study focused on the indicators of completion for students enrolled in video conferencing and Web-based courses. In the final version, the Distributed Learning Survey encompassed thirteen indicators of completion. The results of this study of 396 students indicated that the Distributed Learning Survey represented a reliable and valid instrument for identifying at-risk students in video conferencing and Web-based courses where the student population is similar to the study participants. Educational level, GPA, credit hours taken in the semester, study environment, motivation, computer confidence, and the number of previous distributed learning courses accounted for most of the predictive power in the discriminant function based on student scores from the survey.

This study applied social disruption as a concept that highlights factors responsible for the breakdown of social relationships in societies. Social disruption has many forms, however, the focus in this study was on strikes, which create constant social disruption in Nigerian public universities and could have serious impact on students' information behavior. Two universities – Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO) and Imo State University Owerri (IMSU) – were chosen for the study, and data was obtained through an online survey across sample of approximately 250 participants from the two selected public universities in Nigeria. The study applied the principle of least effort theory and the model of information search process to investigate the research questions of this dissertation which were: (1) what kinds of information do university students in Nigeria seek, and to what extent do strikes have implications on their information behavior?; (2) how do Nigerian students perceive the impact of strikes on their information source location and information resource usage?; (3) to what extent can information and communication technology (ICT) minimize the impact of strikes on students' information behavior?; and (4) how can universities in Nigeria prevent strikes from impacting students' information behavior? t-Tests were applied to test the hypotheses. Findings suggested that strikes negatively impacted students information behavior in certain areas of information needs, information use and information sources.