A framework for understanding user requirements for an information service : defining the needs of informal carers

The aim of this research was to develop a conceptual framework that would help to collect and understand the information needs of a target community. Many information behaviour frameworks already exist, however; although they share some features, they tend to focus on different aspects of the person and their interaction with information. It was proposed that a synthesis of these frameworks could lead to a comprehensive framework. Previous research was analysed and an initial framework defined. This was piloted and adapted and then applied to data on informal carers. This led to further adaptation. Informal carers are people who care for another person, generally a relative, for more than fourteen hours per week and are not paid for this. The data stemmed from 2 sixty interviews that were transcribed and coded. This paper presents the data on informal carers and their information experience using the final framework. This serves to demonstrate how the framework sensitizes the researcher to certain types of significant data, enables the organization of the data, indicates the relationships between different types of data and, overall, helps to provide a rich picture of the target community’s information needs. In conclusion the paper discusses the differences and advantages of the framework in relation to previous work and also the limitations of the study and possible further research

Young people: a phenomenographic investigation into the ways they experience information

This paper reports on a phenomenographic investigation into the ways young people, aged between eleven and eighteen years of age, experience information in both their academic and everyday life. Experience here is interpreted as the relationship between the subject (the young person) and the object (information). This research builds on previous studies of people’s experience of information. However, other studies have had either a different focus, such as, focusing on information literacy, or, different respondents. Therefore this research addresses a gap in the knowledge. Three research questions are addressed in this paper: What are the qualitatively different ways young people experience information? What are the logical relationships between the categories of description? Can a holistic picture of young people’s relationship with information be composed from knowledge of the different ways young people experience information? The study used a phenomenographic research approach to elicit and describe the qualitatively different ways in which young people experienced information. A purposeful sample of forty-one young people aged eleven to eighteen years participated in the study. The data, which were gathered through drawings and semi-structured interviews, were subjected to a rigorous process of phenomenographic analysis. The outcome of phenomenographic analysis is an outcome space consisting of a finite set of categories of description which, with their relationships, explain the different ways people experience phenomena in the world. In phenomenographic research, the focus is on the collective rather than the individual experience. The purpose of the study was therefore to highlight differences within the sample. In this study, six ways of experiencing information were identified: knowledge of sources of information; receiving information; process of finding information; store of unprocessed information; processing information; and use of information. The findings demonstrate some broad similarities with other studies. However, there are significant differences. The paper, therefore, gives a new insight into young people’s experience of information. It also highlights the complex and multi- faceted way that young people experience information. These views help to understand what young people need to know and be able to do

An investigation of factors that may de-motivate secondary school students undertaking project work : implications for learning information literacy

This paper describes an exploratory, qualitative, study of the motivational issues associated with project work – a method intended to help encourage independent learning skills. The population studied were United Kingdom secondary school students who attended a state funded comprehensive school in Derbyshire. The study chose to explore why students, generally, did not engage in the project process and to determine those factors that either motivated or de-motivated them during this process. Questionnaires were completed by twenty-six Year 7 (11-12 year old) students and ten Year 13 (17-18 year old) students. Interviews were conducted with six Year 7s and ten Year 13 students. In addition six Year 7 students were involved in a focus group and nine Year 13 students in a separate focus group. Different methods, as well as previous research, enabled triangulation of the data and indicated the validity of the findings. Aspects of the students experience when undertaking a piece of research were found to be de-motivating. In general students did not have a clear understanding of the different elements of information literacy. The majority considered that their information skills were not well developed and they were not confident of completing the research process successfully. Specific factors that had significant impact on the students’ motivation included choice of topic, the amount of group work, the level of support and feedback during the process and the study environment. It was also found, in this case study, that educators did not utilise Library and Information Science (LIS) information literacy/information behaviour models or knowledge to teach and support project work. Nor was there any recognition of the attitudes and skills or motivational issues associated with the stages of the project process. This was in contrast to the teaching in school of data analysis and handling, using Information and Communication Technology (ICT), during subject based project work where there seems to be a more cohesive approach. Based on these findings recommendations for improving the project process and the learning experience are given

Workplace information literacy for administrative staff in HE

A joint project carried out by Leeds University and Loughborough University, funded by JISC studied the information literacy of non academic staff in higher education. The in-depth, qualitative, study deployed an information audit, interviews and focus groups with eleven staff in the Finance and Research Departments at Loughborough University. The information literacy needs of staff were compared with the JISC iskills model. The hierarchical and collaborative nature of the workplace meant that people’s experience of information literacy in the workplace was more fragmented than in the academic context. Common labels could be used to describe information literacy in the different contexts but more emphasis was placed on data, internal information and information from other people in the workplace. Time had an impact on information literacy. Social networking skills were recognised as key information literacy skills. The need for staff to know how to organise information and develop information policies was identified

Modelling community engagement in public libraries

This paper explores core concepts relating to community engagement in public libraries. It offers a new conceptual framework to help understand collaborative, productive relationships between information service providers and service users. Fundamental to this framework are two underlying variables of ‘influence of authority’ and ‘willingness to learn’. This paper explores these variables and related elements that were shown to influence the success of community engagement in public libraries in the United Kingdom. The study has developed a model of essential elements of community engagement in public libraries, as a first step towards systematic research in this area. This paper focuses on the implications for practice and suggests a community engagement model that is grounded in the reality and perceptions of the community and the participants, rather than only from an institutional perspective

The design and implementation of an information literacy training course that integrated Information and Library Science conceptions of information literacy, educational theory and information behaviour research: a Tanzanian pilot study.

This paper reviews the implementation of an Information Literacy Training course at the University of Dar Es Salaam in Tanzania. The training lasted seven days and involved Masters students from the Faculty of Education. The course was created as part of a PhD research project on information literacy that was undertaken by the second author of this paper at the Department of Information Science at Loughborough University. The objective was to develop a training course that inculcated information literacy and could be implemented by staff in the library. The success of the course was therefore partly judged on whether it effectively enabled knowledge transfer. This was tested by involving librarians in the pilot, and who took the entire course, and then seeing whether they were able to effectively implement the course themselves. This paper explores the implementation of the information literacy training programme attended by Master students from the Faculty of Education at the University of Dar Es Salaam. The course was innovative in that it integrated knowledge from information behaviour research and educational theory with current perspectives of information literacy from Information and Library Science. The style of training was influenced by the pedagogical theories of Kolb and Vygotsky that stress the importance of experiential and reflective learning and mediated communication. The notion that learning information literacy is more akin to learning a culture rather than skills and that learners are active participants in the learning process further emphasised the need for communication and sharing of learning throughout the course. All stages of the course were evaluated using quizzes, exercises, group reflection and presentations that related to each stage in the course. Trainees’ knowledge of information literacy was evaluated before and after the course to provide an indication of changes in knowledge. A review of the course content and its rationale is given here, challenges are identified, and questions about future initiatives are raised. The course, judging from the various forms of feedback, was effective. It also enabled the librarians to run subsequent courses, including the training of Masters students described in this paper. Hence, the programme proved successful in terms of knowledge transfer

Research and practice: a critical reflection on approaches that underpin research into people's information behaviour

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide a critical discussion on the nature of research into people's information behaviour, and in particular the contribution of the phenomenological approach for the development of information solutions. Design/methodology/approach The approach takes the form of a conceptual analysis drawing on the research literature and personal research experience. Findings The paper brings to the foreground the relative value of different conceptual approaches and how these underpin and relate to the development of information solutions. Research limitations/implications The paper, due to the breadth and complexity of the subject, serves to highlight key issues and bringing together ideas. Some topics deserve further explanation. However, this was beyond the scope of this paper. Practical implications A conceptual framework is provided that indicates the value of the epistemic spectrum for information behaviour studies and provides support for action research and participative design. Social implications Taking a phenomenological approach, and consequently either a first person approach and/or a highly participative approach to research, challenges the relationship between researcher and respondent. It also raises questions about why the authors conduct research and for whom it is intended. Originality/value The paper makes explicit the underlying philosophical assumptions and how these ideas influence the way the authors conduct research; it highlights the significance of Cartesian dualism and indicates the significance of these assumptions for the development of information solutions. It supports the view that researchers and developers should be open to respondents leading the exploration of their needs

A discussion of the information needs of people with multiple sclerosis (MS) and the implications for information provision based on a national UK survey of people with MS

This research took place between January and October 2002. It was conducted by the Department of Information Science at Loughborough University and was commissioned and funded by the Multiple Sclerosis Trust (MS Trust). In this article the identified information needs are discussed and possible solutions explored including the use of Extensible Mark–up Language (XML) and Extensible Stylesheet Language (XSL). Qualitative and quantitative methods were used to study the information needs of people with multiple sclerosis (people with MS) in the United Kingdom. 103 people with MS were involved in focus groups that helped to identify significant situations that people with MS had experienced. 4100 people with MS were sent questionnaires (approximately 5% of the MS population). 2030 (49.5%) responded in the time specified. Categories of information need were identified. Their importance and difficulty in obtaining them quantified. The research highlighted how, although people shared many information needs, there were significant differences in terms of: ♦ people’s desire for the information (some people did not want apparently useful information); ♦ the topics they were interested in (due to their situation); ♦ how they wanted that information (due to the physical and psychological condition of the person). Information provision to people with MS was found to have improved dramatically over the last seven years. Out of those respondents who had been diagnosed in the last five years 71% thought they had received information whereas 29% did not, whereas only 29% diagnosed in 1980 stated that they received information. Taking the total surveyed population 43% thought they had not received information. Information provision was found to be inconsistent in terms of subjects covered. However it should be borne in mind that at the time of diagnosis, and also afterwards, it may be difficult for people to take on board information for a variety of reasons. Furthermore, as indicated above, different individual needs means that information provision is a complex task. Many intervening factors can make it fail. The research made it clear how access to relevant information, provided in an appropriate way, could significantly improve the quality of life of the person 2 with MS and that there is considerable scope for improving provision of information to people with MS

Knowledge of information behaviour and its relevance to the design of people-centred information products and services

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is first to highlight some of the social phenomena that are driving the design of people-centred information solutions; second, to develop a broad ontology of information behaviour research that serves to identify factors that should be taken into account when designing such solutions. Finally, the author illustrates how this knowledge is being applied in the design of people-centred inclusive information products and services. Design/methodology/approach – The author draws on the information behaviour literature to highlight key drivers and to develop and illustrate the ontological framework. The significance of this framework is then demonstrated by providing examples of how this knowledge has been applied in the design of people-centred inclusive information products and services. Research limitations/implications – This is a conceptual paper and based on the informed, subjective analysis of previous research. However, relating theory to practice does provide an indication of the validity of this conception of one’s knowledge of information behaviour to people-centred design. Originality/value – The paper helps to provide an overview of information behaviour research, the nature of the domain and the levels of abstraction. The article also makes a direct link between the theoretical world of information behaviour research and the empirical world of people-centred design. Hence, it also presents a case for the importance of the body of knowledge that people in information science refer to as information behaviour

A longitudinal study of changes in learners' cognitive states during and following an information literacy teaching intervention

Purpose – This paper seeks to identify the changes in cognition associated with becoming information-literate, specifically, in relation to the evaluation of information. Additionally, it puts forward a model for a teaching and learning intervention that engages the learner and leads to higher order information literacy (IL) thinking. From a theoretical perspective the research integrates ideas from the fields of IL, teaching and learning, e-learning and information behaviour (IB). Design/methodology/approach – Three interventions were designed to develop the information literacies of first-year undergraduates studying Sport and Exercise at Staffordshire University, to teach and test IL. Interventions took a blended approach and combined face-to-face and online social network learning (OSNL) – also referred to as social media learning (SML) – and focused on one aspect of information literacy: the ability to evaluate source material. Data were captured via interviews, focus groups and from the online discussion that was analysed thematically and categorised using task, behaviour, cognitive states, affective states, cognitive states and knowledge. This helped to evaluate the efficacy of the interventions and provided data for further analysis. This paper focuses on the cognitive data and their transitions during the interventions and, in particular, among those respondents who experienced OSNL. Findings – The changing cognitive states, associated with IL learning were modelled and made evident key cognitive states and transitions. This is represented in the paper in diagrammatic and mathematical notation. The findings indicate the complexity of the information behaviours associated with IL including the cognitive, behavioural, cognitive and affective elements. Although the cognitive transitions are the focus of this paper, an insight is also given into an IL intervention that fosters the capability to interact critically and reflectively with information. The pedagogy that underpins these changes is indicated. The intervention, which incorporated OSNL, proved the most successful. Research limitations/implications – Undergraduate students' IB can be changed and IL developed. Additional long-term data would have indicated whether this intervention had a lasting impact on the undergraduates. Practical implications – IL practitioners should consider incorporating OSNL and assessment in their interventions. Incorporating discussion, reflection and peer-to-peer assessment is likely to lead to deeper learning when teaching IL. Originality/value – The research adds detail to the understanding of the cognitive, behavioural, affective and cognitive states associated with IL and makes explicit how these may change, as the learner becomes information-literate