This doctoral study sets out to investigate how Key Stage 2, primary school children (aged between 7 and 11 years) are being taught to develop information seeking skills and strategies that will allow them to become critical and literate users of information. The methodological approach adopted for this research study is that of interpretivist ethnography. This represents a move away from the traditional quantifiable approaches used in Library and Information Science (LIS) and focuses on gathering data in the natural setting in order to offer a rich picture of the information seeking behaviour of a small group of Key Stage 2 children. In order to become an integrated part of the natural setting it was necessary to become immersed in the school for an extended period of time, one academic school year. Taking a grounded theory approach meant that it was possible, right at the beginning of the fieldwork, to identify situations as they occurred. During the field research, a rich picture emerged of the information seeking strategies and skills of the group of children participating in the study. As the field research progressed, themes and patterns were identified which were then examined against previous research in order to identify similarities or differences in the findings of this study with other studies. The themes that unfolded from the data offered an information seeking model that was specific to the group of Key Stage 2 children. Within the model a further theoretical framework is offered that postulates that a zone of optimal learning exists. The theory suggests that there is an optimal cognitive zone that is the place where new information is assimilated so that it can become knowledge. The zone of optimal learning is the place where a child moves from incomprehension of new information to a cognitive understanding of that information. Investigatingth e influencesu pont he children'si nformations eekingb ehaviour served to highlight both strengths and weaknesses in the ways in which the children developed their information seeking skills and strategies and with this in mind a set of four suggestions are offered that aim to support the way in which information seeking strategies are delivered to Key Stage 2 children based on the children that participated in this study.

Este trabalho descreve a implantação da Gestão da Qualidade em Serviços de Informação no Brasil, com base na NBR ISO 9001, através de revisão de literatura nacional e internacional e da realização de pesquisa de campo (estudos de caso) em três Serviços de Informação brasileiros: Supremo Tribunal Federal, Clube Paineiras do Morumby e Instituto de Pesquisa Tecnológicas do Estado de São Paulo. A abordagem teórica contempla o estudo da Gestão da Qualidade, seus fundamentos e conceitos e sua perspectiva histórica, a implantação e certificação de Sistemas de Gestão da Qualidade com base na NBR ISO 9001, a Qualidade em Serviços, a Gestão da Qualidade em Serviços de Informação no Brasil e a Gestão da Qualidade em Serviços de Informação com base na série ISO 9000. A abordagem prática contempla o estudo da Metodologia de Pesquisa que descreve os objetivos da pesquisa de campo, os métodos e instrumentos utilizados e os critérios empregados para seleção dos casos, incluindo a apresentação dos três Serviços de Informação analisados. O principal objetivo da pesquisa é desenvolver e disponibilizar aos dirigentes de Serviços de Informação um modelo de referência, baseado na NBR ISO 9001, visando a apoiar o planejamento, a implantação e a melhoria de seus processos, principalmente no que se refere à elevação dos níveis de satisfação de seus usuários, fornecendo parâmetros para a implantação da Gestão da Qualidade em qualquer tipo de Serviço de Informação, independente de sua natureza, tipo ou porte. Além disso, o modelo prevê a apresentação de um planejamento padrão comentado, com as fases básicas de um projeto de implantação de Gestão da Qualidade com base na NBR 9001 em Serviços de Informação. / This paper describes the implementation of Quality Management on Information Services in Brazil based on the NBR ISO 9001, through both national and international literature review and through practical research (case studies) in three Brazilian Information Services: Supremo Tribunal Federal (Federal Supreme Court), Clube Paineiras do Morumby (Morumby Paineiras Club) and Instituto de Pesquisas Tecnológicas do Estado de São Paulo (São Paulo Technological Research Institute). The theoretical approach contemplates the study of Quality Management on those meaning: the fundamentals; concepts and its historical perspective; Quality Management’s implementation and NBR ISO 9001 certification; Services Quality; Brazilian Information Services’ Quality Management and the Quality Management on Information Services based on ISO 9000 series. The practical approach contemplates the study of research methodology, describing the field research objectives, the methods and tools utilized and the criteria employed for cases selection, including the presentation of three Information Services analysed. The main objective of this research is to develop and make available to Information Services’ managers a reference model, based on the NBR ISO 9001, supporting the planning, the implementation and improvement of these processes, mainly regarding the increase in the users satisfaction levels by offering parameters that can support the Quality Management implementation in any Information Service, independently of its nature or size. Besides that, the model aims at the presentation of a common planning including comments with the basic phases of a Quality Management implementation project based on the NBR ISO 9001 in Information Services.

Apresenta um estudo inicial sobre a possibilidade de aproximar de forma integrada, a abordagem do coaching no contexto da atuação do Profissional da Informação em Serviços de Informação, como um método eficaz de planejamento e aperfeiçoamento pessoal e profissional que este pode trilhar em suas práticas de trabalho. Dessa maneira, na Sociedade da Informação e do Conhecimento e no agora emergente e mutável ambiente de informação, figura-se a aquisição de um \'novo olhar\' por parte desse profissional, no que se refere às novas formas de atuação, de novos saberes, bem como de aprendizagem vitalícia. Para tanto, buscou-se refletir sobre a aproximação do coaching à prática do Profissional da Informação em três grandes áreas: na reflexão e no planejamento de sua carreira profissional; na gestão e liderança de equipes de trabalho e na atuação em serviços de referência e informação, uma vez que a capacidade de planejar, tratar, organizar e gerir com eficiência esses ambientes surge quando este profissional adquire consciência e empoderamento de conhecimentos e habilidades necessários ao direcionamento, planejamento, funcionamento e avaliação relacionados ao seu campo de atuação. A pesquisa também pretende inserir uma nova compreensão social e humana a esse profissional em sua atividade de trabalho, seja na promoção ou na ressignificação do potencial humano individual e coletivo de seus colaboradores, bem como de si mesmo, através da adoção do coaching ou apenas objetivando suscitar discussões sobre este tema para a ampliação e necessidade de outras pesquisas nas áreas de Biblioteconomia e Ciência da Informação. / It presents an initial study on the possibility of introducing and relating in an integrative way the coaching approach to the Information Professional\'s performance context in Information Services as an effective method of personal and professional planning and improvement for their work practices.Thus, it is necessary that such professionals gain a \"new perspective\" on new ways of performing, acquiring some recent knowledge, as well as continuous learning, in the current emerging and changing information environment of the information and knowledge society. Therefore, it was sought to reflect upon the relation between coaching and the information professional practice in three major areas: pondering about and planning their professional career; management and leadership of work teams and performance of reference and information services, since the capabilities of planning, dealing with, organizing and managing in an effective way arise when such professional becomes aware and acquires necessary knowledge and abilities concerning to the performance area. This research also intends to introduce a new social and human understanding to such professionals in relation to their working activities, whether promoting or conferring a new meaning to individual and collective human potential of their employees, as well as themselves, by means of adopting coaching or only aiming at giving rise to discussions on that theme in order to expand the scope and stimulate new researches in Librarianship and Information Sciences areas.

by Abdrew Pang Kin Kwan & Chan Yiu Nin. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1988. / Bibliography: leaves 104-106.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Alfred P. Sloan School of Management, 1981. / MICROFICHE COPY AVAILABLE IN ARCHIVES AND DEWEY / Vita. / Bibliography: leaves 454-459. / by Alan Francis Dowling, Jr. / Ph.D.

Apresenta um estudo inicial sobre a possibilidade de aproximar de forma integrada, a abordagem do coaching no contexto da atuação do Profissional da Informação em Serviços de Informação, como um método eficaz de planejamento e aperfeiçoamento pessoal e profissional que este pode trilhar em suas práticas de trabalho. Dessa maneira, na Sociedade da Informação e do Conhecimento e no agora emergente e mutável ambiente de informação, figura-se a aquisição de um \'novo olhar\' por parte desse profissional, no que se refere às novas formas de atuação, de novos saberes, bem como de aprendizagem vitalícia. Para tanto, buscou-se refletir sobre a aproximação do coaching à prática do Profissional da Informação em três grandes áreas: na reflexão e no planejamento de sua carreira profissional; na gestão e liderança de equipes de trabalho e na atuação em serviços de referência e informação, uma vez que a capacidade de planejar, tratar, organizar e gerir com eficiência esses ambientes surge quando este profissional adquire consciência e empoderamento de conhecimentos e habilidades necessários ao direcionamento, planejamento, funcionamento e avaliação relacionados ao seu campo de atuação. A pesquisa também pretende inserir uma nova compreensão social e humana a esse profissional em sua atividade de trabalho, seja na promoção ou na ressignificação do potencial humano individual e coletivo de seus colaboradores, bem como de si mesmo, através da adoção do coaching ou apenas objetivando suscitar discussões sobre este tema para a ampliação e necessidade de outras pesquisas nas áreas de Biblioteconomia e Ciência da Informação. / It presents an initial study on the possibility of introducing and relating in an integrative way the coaching approach to the Information Professional\'s performance context in Information Services as an effective method of personal and professional planning and improvement for their work practices.Thus, it is necessary that such professionals gain a \"new perspective\" on new ways of performing, acquiring some recent knowledge, as well as continuous learning, in the current emerging and changing information environment of the information and knowledge society. Therefore, it was sought to reflect upon the relation between coaching and the information professional practice in three major areas: pondering about and planning their professional career; management and leadership of work teams and performance of reference and information services, since the capabilities of planning, dealing with, organizing and managing in an effective way arise when such professional becomes aware and acquires necessary knowledge and abilities concerning to the performance area. This research also intends to introduce a new social and human understanding to such professionals in relation to their working activities, whether promoting or conferring a new meaning to individual and collective human potential of their employees, as well as themselves, by means of adopting coaching or only aiming at giving rise to discussions on that theme in order to expand the scope and stimulate new researches in Librarianship and Information Sciences areas.

Thesis (M.Inf.) --University of Limpopo, 2008 / The aim of the study is to investigate which of the information delivery systems (communication strategies) established at government level are used by rural clinics, and whether such information delivery systems are accessible to rural end-users. A literature review discussing and assessing the use of information delivery systems was conducted. The survey method and semi-structured interviews were used to collect data from all Clinics at Ga- Molepo. The study revealed that rural end-users cannot access HIV/AIDS information because clinics use information delivery systems which are not acceptable and accessible to them. Recommendations for further study on the subject under investigation are provided. The study assumes that with the identified barriers and recommendations at their disposal HIV/AIDS campaigners will be in a good position to identify, package and employ information delivery systems which are suitable for end-users.

The objective of the research is to identify how information can influence development in the developing countries, especially in Bangladesh. A variety of information gathering stages were undertaken including documentary analysis, interviews with key officials, structured interviews with individuals living in rural and urban slum areas and focus groups. Officials at the central planning level responsible for community development and information services in Bangladesh were interviewed to ascertain their views of the relation of information and development in Bangladesh. At the grassroots level both information providers and users were interviewed to collect information relating to the impact of information services on development in rural and poor urban areas of Bangladesh. Structured interviews which allowed for quantitative analysis were undertaken in four remote villages and two poor urban areas. Analysis of the data collected has led to the development of a model for community information centres which might become central to information dissemination and provide a focus for information policy in Bangladesh.

As an information intensive industry and as one of the most progressive industries in information technology adoption, travel and tourism provides an ideal context in which to investigate how new technologies such as interactive television challenge our understanding of media and media use. This research looks at how interactive television can be used by consumers and how it may be best applied by marketers in international holiday travel. Using the UK international traveller market to Western Australia as case in point, this research had three main research goals: 1) to understand how travellers use information sources with a focus on interactive television; 2) how an individual’s previous interactive media and travel experiences may pre-dispose them to using interactive television; and 3) to better understand why individuals interact and what impact the interaction has on the promotional effort. A travel ad and a travel show segment were used to explore these with impulse (brochure request) and telescopic (destination video) interactive opportunities. The treatments were deployed over a video-on-demand platform in greater London and participants took part in their homes via their televisions and a self administered questionnaire. This research has furthered the use of the multi-dimensional grid in understanding information sources in relationship to one another and updated the landscape with modern information sources such as television, teletext, the Internet and interactive television. Findings from this area of investigation suggest that current interactive television offerings cater better to short-haul destinations and although it currently plays a minor role, interactive television has the potential to significantly contribute to travellers’ long-haul holiday planning process. The finding that individuals understand interactive television through their experience with teletext rather than the Internet and are more likely to use interactive television if they are thorough and experienced planners supports the theory of knowledge transference. However, most importantly, if an individual has a positive experience with interactive television they will interact again in the future. Contributions were also made to a better understanding of the interactive television user and the use of interactive television applications to the travel and tourism industry in particular. Exploration of the differences between the Impulse and Telescopic approaches to interactivity highlighted that while interactivity generally enhances the promotional effort each approach has its own strategic applications.

This study focused on measuring the importance and contribution of information obtained from the library, particularly electronic information services (EIS), to success in solving clinical problems in hospitals. Three research questions with three main hypotheses were advanced and tested on clinicians in 44 hospitals in Hong Kong. The findings were tested against the framework from Wilson's (1996) existing general information behaviour model, from which a new extended model for clinicians was built. Measures of EIS were then derived from the new model. The research was broadly divided into a series of five studies in two stages: nominal group, quantitative survey, and interviews in the first stage, and randomized controlled study as well as the analyses of statistical data and computer transaction logs in the second stage. The key results in Stage I led to the studies in Stage 11. The randomized controlled study in Stage 11 attempted to reduce the barriers identified in the information environment, with a view to test the results of an educational intervention, and to confirm that the hypotheses were true given reduced barriers and the presence of enabling conditions. The effects of the interventions in this experimental study were validated and verified by statistical data and transaction logs. Corroborative evidence from the two-stage studies showed that the three main inter-connected hypotheses were supported: success in problem-solving is related to the information sources used; user satisfaction is related to success in problem-solving; and EIS use is an indicator of user satisfaction. EIS use is determined by a number of factors: the preference for EIS, the use of the library, the skills and knowledge in searching, the profession of the user and the characteristics of the work environment. Educational intervention was found to improve success in problem-solving, the attitudes, skills and knowledge in searching, the satisfaction with and use of EIS, and is an important enabling condition. The research rejected part of the first hypothesis posed that success in problem-solving is related to clinical question posed and suggests that further research is needed in this area. The study supported the extension of the general model to clinical information needs and behaviours and found new relationships. The study found an additional determinant of EIS satisfaction, the satisfaction with the information obtained. EIS satisfaction would not be changed by educational intervention alone if the information obtained was not satisfactory. On the other hand, education can improve EIS satisfaction regardless of whether the problem has been solved. Of critical importance is the time factor in determining the use (or non-use) of EIS. There is new evidence that the awareness of the user of an answer in literature is a determining factor for active searching. Borrowing the concept of opportunity cost from economic theory, the researcher relates it with the differing levels of self-efficacy and postulates a model for planning EIS and related library services. From the new extended model of information behaviour, sixteen main measures or indicators were tested on a proposed framework in developing performance measures to diagnose information behaviours and predict EIS use, satisfaction and success in problem-solving. In measuring EIS, the researcher suggested the holistic approach in assessing traditional (non-electronic) library and information services as part of information behaviours of clinicians. The study pointed to the imbalance between self-efficacy and the actual skills and knowledge of users in their searching mentality and activities and the implication for library practice. Qualitative aspects that require further research on measurement were suggested. The study has important ramifications for theory and practice for the information professional. The new extended model of information behaviour for clinicians establishes deterministic relationships that help explain why an information search is pursued actively, continuously, or not at all. Measures that have been derived from these relationships can help diagnose and predict information behaviours. The study highlights the flexibility and utility of the general model of information behaviour. Also, this is the first time that such a methodological approach has been adopted to derive EIS measures. The application of the randomized controlled study methodology in information science was proven to be feasible and yielded definitive results. The researcher proposes that further development of information behaviour model should incorporate the element of knowledge generation process in an organization.