The present study focussed on the information needs of the academic staff of
Batchelor College.* It examined their access to and the provision of adequate and
appropriate resources for the implementation of the Diploma and Associate Diploma
level courses offered through the College. Batchelor College, an institute of tertiary
education, is situated 100 kilometres south of Darwin, Northern Territory,
Australia.
The content and the modes of delivery of Batchelor College courses are specifically
designed to be culturally and socially appropriate to Aboriginal people, particularly
those from traditionally oriented and 'remote' communities. It can only be within
this framework that informed and sensitive research can be conducted.
The main purpose of the current study was to investigate the information needs of
staff delivering higher education courses to 'remote' Aboriginal students of
Northern Australia. Six distinct areas of study emerged: 1, to identify the
information needs; 2, to analyse the information-seeking behaviour; 3, to assess the
level of satisfaction with current information sources; 4, to identify inadequacies in
the existing information seeking processes; 5, to identify constraints experienced;
and 6, to explore how future information needs may be catered for.
A mailed survey instrument was specifically designed and implemented, and it
attracted a response rate of eighty-seven percent. The population under
investigation was the academic staff of Batchelor College, and the variables of: 1,
location; 2, sex; 3, academic school; 4, designation; 5, tenure; 6, length of service;
and 7, educational background were studied in relation to the questions asked.
Results of the survey were analysed using 'Mystat: Statistical Applications',
(1990). Frequency distributions were computed to determine the number of
respondents who selected each option. A number of questions that elicited a
written response were analysed, as were the many extra comments staff members
made throughout the survey.
The study found that the academic staff of Batchelor College are most affected by
the location variable. It appears that how staff members use, regard and value the
information sources used to inform their academic practice is affected by where a
staff member is located. That is, the more isolated a staff member was, both
geographically and professionally, the more significant were the findings of use of
information sources.
The study concludes with considerations of future planning strategies that could
improve the access to and use of information. The study also identifies areas for
further research. * Batchelor College, an institute of tertiary education, is situated 100 kilometres south of Darwin,
Northern Territory, Australia (see Appendix 3).
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ADTP/218808 |
| Date | January 1995 |
| Creators | Burgess, Andre, n/a |
| Publisher | University of Canberra. Information, Language & Culture |
| Source Sets | Australiasian Digital Theses Program |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Rights | ), Copyright Andre Burgess |
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