In the past four decades considerable efforts have been taken by higher education to understand learner’s differences and learning. Learners have different levels of learning ability associated with their different learning motivations, attitudes and thoughts which are built through years of studying at university. The more the researchers understand the learner's differences the better results they will achieve in covering all levels of learning abilities providing the effective learning for learners. The focus of this study is about studying learning thoughts of academic learners which are scientifically called as the epistemological beliefs. Studying the epistemological beliefs from different angles is important to explore its vital role in learning development. The main aim of this study is to investigate the general and specific epistemological beliefs of undergraduates who study information literacy modules as part of information science. The study focuses on the influence of the independent variables (gender, major and academic level) and the interactions between the independent variables and information literacy on undergraduates’ epistemological beliefs. Two questionnaires are used to measure the general and specific epistemological beliefs of the undergraduates; the Schommer Epistemological-Beliefs Questionnaire (SEQ) and the Discipline-Focused Epistemological Belief Questionnaire (DFEBQ). The participants in the study are undergraduates from the College of Education at Kuwait University. SPSS is used to test the internal consistency of the data against the questionnaires. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) is used in order to analyse the data. The study confirms that undergraduates hold both general and specific-domain beliefs while they hold more general beliefs in their first year in the college they develop toward more specific domain beliefs in the fourth year. A final result shows that the undergraduates specific domain beliefs – rather than their general beliefs – are more affected by the variable of previous knowledge of information literacy, as well as a clear impact of the interaction between the independent variables but is not so clear on the general beliefs.

This study aims to describe the interaction of the final course in information literacy at Linköpings university library with the information practice in the environmental profession. The investigation is based on five interviews and one document that is used as educational material in the course. In the study an investigation is carried out of the information practice in the environmental science as well as of the curriculum in the course. The study use a qualitative method and the analysis is based on Annemaree Lloyd’s model of information practice in a work context. The analysis is also founded on Vygotskijs zone of proximal development.  The results shows that there is a similarity between the educational and the work practice where the alumni don’t get the opportunity to share the corporeal information. This has a negative effect on the development of the shared identity in practice and the confidence to act within the individuals. This study also discuss the need of an education in practice in the course, to make a transfer of knowledge possible for the students between an educational and a work context and shows the benefits with Problem-based learning as a method.

This research study investigates the concept of workplace information literacy (IL) theoretically and empirically, focusing on the connections between information literacy and knowledge management (KM). This dissertation examines the relevance and applicability of current IL frameworks in a workplace environment by means of a review of the literature, a review of NHS Scotland documentation on its KM initiatives, and a phenomenographic study undertaken with frontline staff at NHS24, a nurse-led, 24/7 service of NHS Scotland that provides over-the-phone consultation and health information. For that study, a working definition of IL as ‘effective information use’ was employed. The concept of information literacy has been developed mainly within librarianship, researched mainly within educational contexts and focused on individual competence in information use. While its application to workplace environments has been assumed, comparatively little research has been done into workplace situations. On the other hand, the concept of knowledge management is directed at a wider organizational level. However, while there is a clear focus in the KM literature on the value of information and its importance for organizations, little attention has been paid to the theoretical and empirical developments of Library and Information Science (LIS) relative to information behaviour and effective information use. The findings of this research identified limitations in the current IL frameworks, notably the lack of consideration for people’s exchanges of knowledge and information and of the social sense making that influences information interpretation and application. The findings endorse views of learning and information use grounded in socio-constructive perspectives and a consideration of context as situated practice. The conclusions suggest the need for more collaboration between studies of IL and information behaviour, and for LIS research to focus more on workplace studies and knowledge management.

<p>This analysis is about the fourth basic competence and how you can define it, what it includes and if it is possible to find it in the new curriculum for the Swedish high school; Gymnasiereformen -07. The analysis was focused on the following subjects; Mathematics, Social science and Swedish. The aim with this analysis has been to create a summary in the field of information literacy and to define the fourth basic competence. The analysis were focused on and delimited by the following conceptions; information literacy, digital competence and the information search process. The sources of information has primarily been taken from the field of information literacy and statements from professionals in the fields of information literacy and education. The analysis concludes that you can find the fourth basic competence in the new curriculum for the subjects, Mathematics, Social science and Swedish.</p>

The behavior and patterns of recovery and processing of digital information by users is a recurring theme in the literature. The study of these behaviors are carried out through observation techniques and analysis of processes, actions and decisions undertaken by users in different situations. This paper presents the data resulting from the study of patterns of recovery and management of reference information of three consecutive courses of a specialized subject. The findings obtained showed a clear difference between patterns of information retrieval and obtained prior to the end of the training process, but there has been a significant change in the ultimate goal of users or appreciable changes in their prospects for application in other environments.

This article describes a library workshop for freshman hospitality management students enrolled at New York City College of Technology, CUNY, which features a focus on critical thinking. An active learning experience uses an element of surprise. Students evaluate the website of a bankrupt company where information about the company’s situation is hidden or not present. When the instructor guides the class to find unbiased information from newspapers, many students begin to think critically about sources.

The concept of flipped learning has received significant attention in recent years. In a flipped learning methodology, students view instructional videos and complete related assignments before class, so that face-to-face time with the instructor can be spent applying the knowledge and skills they were introduced to in the pre-class assignments. This study aims to determine the effectiveness of a flipped learning method for teaching information literacy (IL) skills to undergraduate students compared to a traditional teaching method where the majority of face-to-face time is spent instructing. To evaluate this, a mixed methods research design was used, where results from qualitative interviews helped explain findings from test data, assignment completion data, and major paper rubric data. The IL tests resulted in a small but insignificant test score improvement for flipped participants. Interviewed flipped participants reported mainly positive feelings toward flipped learning, whereas all flipped ESL interviewees related strong positive feedback towards flipped learning. / Graduate / 0515 / 0727 / 0710 / rmccue@uvic.ca

M.Inf. / For centuries man has relied on agriculture to sustain human life. Farmers, as usual, were concerned with growing crops, vegetables and breeding domestic animals for transport, meat and milk supply. Success in farming, especially stock farming was a sign of wealth. Land area for cultivation of crops and pasture for livestock was ample. So, if land gets depleted and cannot meet the needs of all adequately, farmers moved to other parts of the land where soils were still fertile. So, agriculture and stock farming relied heavily on nomadic farmers to find fresh fertile soils. Specialized agricultural information which is prevalent today was not necessary. However, as the world population increased, land areas diminished and man’s migration stopped. Soils depletion of minerals had to be re-used and technology was developed to aid in improving the quality of the soils. Fertilizers, manure and irrigation were introduced as did pesticides and herbicides which assisted in improving the quality and quantity of agricultural output. Information is a powerful tool in addressing these agricultural needs and if it is used appropriately it could change a nation’s economy. The purpose of the research was to investigate agricultural information needs of agriculturists and farmers in Lesotho and resources that are available to satisfy these needs. Therefore, it will be argued that relevant and timely information has to be organized according to language and format understood by different categories of agriculturists and farmers. Agricultural information that might be useful to improve productivity should be appropriately disseminated to users who may benefit from the information. Specifically, the research project investigated different categories of agriculturists and farmers and their type of agricultural information needs. Resources that are available in Lesotho and in organizations were also investigated in order to identify those that could be utilized to meet agriculturists’ and farmers’ needs. In order to arrive at this, the researcher did a literature study on the status of agricultural information in the developed countries (DC), the less developed countries (LDC) and Southern African Development Community (SADC). The project also looked at both the positive and negative factors that affect agricultural development in order to select which methods and resources could be adapted to address the needs of local agriculturists and farmers. The researcher used the interview method to collect data on agricultural information needs of agriculturists and farmers, as well as resources that are available to them in Lesotho. The purpose of the structured interview was to gather information related to the use of information sources, sources of agricultural information, document and information delivery and IT connectivity. The findings showed that farmers interviewed were spread evenly in agricultural farming of maize, sorghum, beans and vegetables; and stock farming of cattle, cows, piggery and poultry. iii Agriculturists indicated that the purpose for which agricultural information was needed included marketing of agricultural produce, research information and information for selfimprovement. Farmers on the other hand indicated that they needed agricultural information for advancement of primary production, community education, self-improvement and sustainable agriculture. Other major findings included concern for which pest control and sustainable agriculture. Current awareness services were also rated highly and publications were the method of dissemination that was preferred. Agricultural information that is cost-effective and appropriate was considered for purchase. In terms of acquisition and accession of information, results showed that most users preferred surface mail, as it is reliable and cheap, even though it is sometimes slow. Through it, bulky packages like books and journals could be sent.

Orientador: Regina Célia Baptista Belluzzo / Banca: Juliano Mauricio de Carvalho / Banca: Gabriela Belmont de Farias / Resumo: Apresentam-se reflexões e considerações resultantes de pesquisa exploratório-descritiva e qualitativa, estudando os a relação entre a competência em informação e midiática e o processo decisório, com ênfase ao ambiente industrial. Buscou-se realizar o mapeamento das variáveis essenciais que envolvem o acesso e uso inteligente da informação e sua aplicação à construção de conhecimento com a inter-relação ao processo decisório no setor industrial. A questão central de pesquisa foi estabelecida como sendo: É possível existir uma inter-relação entre a competência em informação e midiática e o processo decisório nas organizações industriais? Para tanto, realizou-se, inicialmente, uma pesquisa/revisão bibliográfica em fontes impressas e eletrônicas junto à literatura especializada a fim de construir referencial teórico de apoio à segunda etapa que envolveu um estudo de caso tendo como universo de pesquisa a empresa Duratex S.A., organização industrial brasileira, há sessenta e sete anos no mercado, com sede na cidade de São Paulo e que possui mais de doze mil colaboradores distribuídos entre as dezessete unidades estrategicamente alocadas em todo o país, mais sete unidades florestais e três fábricas na Colômbia. Para a realização da pesquisa, optou-se pela unidade de Agudos/SP. Esse estudo compreendeu uma pesquisa documental no site da empresa e em documentos e relatórios oficiais que foram disponibilizados e permitiu a caracterização do universo e a definição dos sujeitos a serem ... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Reflections and considerations resulting from exploratory-descriptive and qualitative research are presented, studying the relationship between information and media competence and the decision-making process, with emphasis on the industrial environment. The mapping of the essential variables that involve the intelligent access and use of information and its application to the construction of knowledge with the interrelationship with the decision-making process in the industrial sector was sought. The central question of research was established as: Is it possible to have an interrelationship between information and media competence and the decision-making process in industrial organizations? In order to do so, a bibliographical research / revision was carried out in printed and electronic sources along with the specialized literature in order to construct a theoretical framework to support the second stage that involved a case study having as a research universe the company Duratex SA, a Brazilian industrial organization, has been in the market for sixty-seven years, with headquarters in the city of São Paulo and has more than twelve thousand employees distributed among the seventeen strategically located units throughout the country, plus seven forest units and three factories in Colombia. In order to carry out the research, the Agudos / SP unit was chosen. This study comprised a documentary research on the company's website and official documents and reports that were made... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

Orientadora: Regina Célia Baptista Belluzzo / Co-orientadora: Márcia Cristina de Carvalho Pazin Vitoriano / Banca: Sueli Bortolin / Banca: Meri Nádia Marques Gerlin / Banca: Cláudio Marcondes de Castro Filho / Banca: Ieda Pelógia Martins Damian / Resumo: Identificar a inserção da temática Competência em Informação no cenário arquivístico é o eixo da presente pesquisa, considerando ser a Competência em Informação uma disciplina relevante para a sociedade diante dos avanços tecnológicos, da necessidade do indivíduo de desenvolver habilidades para lidar com a informação e usufruir dos recursos tecnológicos e a Arquivologia uma ciência cujo objeto é a informação. A pesquisa está calcada em três pilares da Arquivologia: a produção científica da área, os cursos de formação superior e a atuação profissional do arquivista. Por meio desses pilares foram elaborados os objetivos específicos que desencadearam o desenho do percurso metodológico dividido em três fases que propiciará alcançar o objetivo principal da pesquisa. A Fase 1 "Sistematização dos temas de pesquisa" foi construída por meio da Pesquisa Bibliográfica, com o intuito de sustentar teoricamente as fases seguintes e traçar um panorama sobre as áreas e suas inter-relações. A Fase 2 "Desenvolvimento do Estudo de caso" foi dividida em três etapas de acordo com os objetivos propostos: A primeira etapa desenvolvida por meio da Revisão Bibliográfica Sistemática, objetivou identificar a situação da Competência em Informação na produção acadêmico-científica da Arquivologia, cujos resultados apresentaram no cenário internacional pesquisas com os termos Archival Literacy, Archival Intelligence e Literacy with primary sources configurados teoricamente como uma vertente arquivística da... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Identify the insertion of Information Literacy in the Archival Science scenario is the focus of this research, considering that Information Literacy is a relevant discipline for society in the face of technological advances, the need of the individual to develop skills to deal with information and to enjoy of technological resources and Archival Science a science whose object is information. The research is based on three pillars of the Archival Science: the scientific production of the area, the courses of higher education and the professional performance of the archivist. Through these pillars were elaborated the specific objectives that triggered the design of the methodological course divided in three phases that will achieve the main objective of the research. Phase 1 "Systematization of research topics" was built through the Bibliographic Research, with the purpose of theoretically sustaining the following phases and outlining areas and their interrelationships. Phase 2 "Case Study Development" was divided into three stages according to the proposed objectives: The first stage developed through the Systematic Bibliographic Review, aimed at identifying the Information Literacy situation in the academic-scientific production of the Archival Science, whose the results presented in the international scenario researches with the terms Archival Literacy, Archival Intelligence and Literacy with primary sources, theoretically configured as an archival aspect of Information Lite... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Doutor