15,638 results on '"Information seeking"'
Search Results
102. Identifying Opportunities and Priorities for Energy Extension
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Schiavone, Drew F.
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An online survey was administered to all educators and specialists within the University of Maryland Extension to assess client-driven opportunities and priorities for energy-related programming, while in-service training evaluations were used to further assess programmatic needs. Results indicate the need for information related to energy conservation and clean energy technology for agricultural and residential clientele. Primary barriers were perceived as the insufficient understanding and high costs associated with clean energy, while experiential participation and firsthand observation were reported as preferred learning methods. These results provide an understanding of how energy-related programming can expand the role and relevancy of Extension.
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- 2022
103. Crowd Context-Based Learning Process via IoT Wearable Technology to Promote Digital Health Literacy
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Nittayathammakul, Vitsanu, Chatwattana, Pinanta, and Piriyasurawong, Pallop
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The crowd context-based learning process via IoT wearable technology [IoTW-driven Crowd context-based learning (CCBL)] is a new learning paradigm that integrates Technological Cybergogical Content Knowledge (TCACK) based on connectivism, cognitive tools and information processing theories to promote digital health literacy. In this study, the IoTW-driven CCBL was designed by incorporating content, cybergogical, and technological elements, which can become a sustainable solution in educational settings during the global COVID-19 pandemic. The researchers collected qualitative data by confirmatory focus groups from 12 experts who hold doctoral degrees or equivalent and have at least 3 years of relevant experience. The results of these studies found that the IoTW-driven CCBL involves three specific learning contents (healthcare, disease prevention and health promotion); five dynamic learning steps (context-aware alerting step; observing and questioning step; social information-seeking step; action step; and self-reflection step as all cognitive tools embedded in IoTW devices help promote all digital health literacy components); and four cognitive tools (notification tool; communication tool; searching tool; and monitoring tool). The IoTW-driven CCBL will allow learners to respond to real-life situations by utilising IoT devices to access, apprehend, appraise and apply health information from digital technologies in daily life for well-being, especially in educational settings.
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- 2022
104. Parent Engagement and Information Use. Policy Brief
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University of Delaware (UD), Partnership for Public Education (PPE), Bailes, Lauren P., and Vitale, Meaghan N.
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In 2015, the Wilmington Education Improvement Commission, now known as the Redding Consortium for Educational Equity, emphasized the importance of parent and family engagement to the effectiveness of public education. The complex task of navigating educational systems has become further complicated by the pandemic over the past two years. It is more critical than ever to ensure that parents and families have timely, complete, and meaningful access to information from their students' schools. This brief shares how 150 Wilmington parents and guardians of school-aged students get, use, and circulate information. Dr. Lauren Bailes and Meaghan Vitale inform schools about ways that they can make information about schools more accessible to more families so that families feel empowered to engage with their students' educational processes.
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- 2022
105. Personal Management of Digital Information in University Students from a Gender Perspective
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López Vicent, Patricia, Serrano, José Luis, and Gutiérrez Porlán, Isabel
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The purpose of the present study is to delve into the process of personal management of digital information among Spanish university students in their final year and to analyze whether there are similarities or differences regarding students' gender. A non-experimental methodological design has been implemented of an exploratory type and based on a questionnaire as a single data collection instrument. The instrument was validated by means of experts' judgement, cognitive interview, and construct validity. A total of 2,054 students' surveys were collected, sourced from all areas of knowledge, in 75 public and private universities. These surveys made it possible to obtain information about the information search, selection, organization, processing, and creation processes. The results revealed that university students have a positive self-concept about their own competence for personal management of information. However, they fail to take advantage of all the possibilities that the digital world offers them. Women search the Internet for more diverse resources than men. They have better judgment when it comes to selecting and processing the information they need. Male students rely more often than female ones on digital mediums when organizing and creating information and choose to publish the information in less complex and more popular formats than their female counterparts. The conclusions of the present study match those of the majority of reviewed studies, namely regarding the organization of information, contextual and social factors which influence the management of information, such as third-party support, and also in relation to the increasing implementation of digital technologies in information management processes.
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- 2022
106. 21st Century Tools for Researchers and Practitioners: Using Automated Tools for Knowledge Curation
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Abt Associates, Inc.
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Internet search engines have empowered citizens in their quest for seeking insights on a multitude of issues. Knowledge curation and evidence review requires systematic and rigorous fact-finding, baseline subject matter expertise, and the right tool to work at scale. Finding and summarizing knowledge has a direct impact on the research and dissemination of evidencebased practices and novel approaches, and on improved outcomes of interest. Literature reviews are the most common methodology for knowledge curation but are limited by lack of human resources and the sheer number of publications available. It is estimated that there are approximately 30,000 scientific journals publishing upwards of two million articles every year (Wagner et al., 2021). In this context, subject matter experts benefit from the support of automated tools to provide customized, iterative, and replicable processes. Many of the world's most challenging problems need solutions that move beyond a Google search.
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- 2022
107. Information-Seeking Behaviour of Parents of Students with NDD: A Case Study of Parents of Students with Intellectual Disability
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Eseadi, Chiedu, Amedu, Amos Nnaemeka, and Victor-Aigbodion, Vera
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Information is extremely vital for human existence, however, searching for the right information at a particular point in time is quite challenging. In the context of this research, information-seeking behaviour of parents entails the kind of behaviour that parents exhibit in order to have access to the required information for their child with intellectual disability (ID). There is a paucity of literature with respect to information-seeking behaviour of parents of children with ID. The present study intends to close this lacuna by exploring the information-seeking behaviour of parents of students with ID in the Nigerian context. Through a qualitative research approach, six (6) participants who were selected using a purposive sampling technique were studied. The instrument for data collection was a semi-structured interview. Three themes emerged from the data analysis. The study showed that information-seeking behaviour of parents of students with ID is characterised by consulting close family members, friends, professionals, reading books and surfing internet. Therefore, the study established the framework of information-seeking behaviour of parents of students with ID in the Nigerian context.
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- 2022
108. Information Literacy for Mortals. PIL Provocation Series. Volume 1, Number 5
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Project Information Literacy and Caulfield, Mike
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In the academic imagination, depth and attention are the highest of virtues. But in pushing students to apply high-attention strategies to all incoming information, there is a risk of creating a new and dangerous shallowness. The author begins this article by talking about real-world decision-making. Looking at the structure of decisions can better illuminate how the information-seeking process works when up against constraints -- and, the author argues, it's an information literacy that is honest about constraints that must be must embraced. In the remainder of the essay, the author discusses information literacy, misinformation, and the fallibility of human reason.
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- 2021
109. International Comparison of the Sharing Content of Science Teachers in Facebook Groups: Sample of Turkey-Europe
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Orhan, Ugur and Genç, Murat
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Social media has become an important part of our lives with the widespread use of the internet. On Facebook, the largest social media platform, people with similar interests can establish a group and communicate with each other. There are Facebook collegial groups created by teachers in many countries. The research aims to identify the similarities and differences of science teachers' share content on Facebook groups. In the study, the case pattern was adopted which is one of the qualitative research methods. as a data source, two Facebook groups established by science teachers in Turkey and Europe which were determined through criteria sampling were analyzed for one-month shares. 341 posts of science teachers' group in Turkey were analyzed by analysis method, 396 posts in Europe were subjected to descriptive analysis. Analysis results are presented in tables and compared. Based on the research results we can say science teachers in Turkey focus on course content while the ones in Europe are more interested in professional and personal development, scientific developments, and academic activities. The research results were compared with the education systems of countries, teacher training policies, and other studies in the field, and various suggestions were made. [This article was presented as a summary at the International Conference on Science, Mathematics, Entrepreneurship and Technology Education (2nd, November 19-22, 2020).]
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- 2021
110. 'Informed', 'Active' and 'Engaged'? Understanding and Enacting Information Literacy from a UK Citizenship Perspective
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Cloudesley, Simon Paul
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Information literacy (IL) has been considered by Library and Information Studies (LIS) research and praxis to be vital in helping citizens be 'informed', 'active' and 'engaged' within society. LIS discourse has explored different conceptions of citizenship and its relationship with IL within the paradigm of liberal democratic societies. Critical IL approaches have in turn promoted a citizenship of personal agency, empowerment, challenging the status quo and the pursuit of social justice, as well as focusing on what has been termed 'political literacy'. However, critical information literacy has also problematised some of the approaches to citizenship found in LIS discourse. Despite the complexity of the subject, empirical study into these issues is still severely lacking. This research moves to start addressing this need by investigating how IL is understood and enacted from the perspective of UK citizenship. Using a qualitative approach of semi-structured interviews with five UK citizens based in Oxford, UK, in the summer of 2019, it set out to establish the relationship between IL and citizenship in a personal context. It was found to be understood and enacted through the development of socially-constructed "personal citizenship information landscapes," oriented to a personal sense of citizenship, agency, motivation and empowerment. These personal landscapes challenge some of the established IL paradigms of 'informed', 'active' and 'engaged' citizens, as well as related concepts of information 'wealth' and 'poverty'. They also raise questions of the role of personal ethics in decision making as citizens and potential tensions with 'acceptable' norms. These findings help to further problematise the dynamic between IL and citizenship, and challenge LIS research and praxis not just to promote specific values and goals, but also to work towards a greater understanding of the personal contexts shaping that dynamic.
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- 2021
111. Recognizing the Role of YouTube in Medical Education
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Martin Gameli Akakpo and Patrick Kafui Akakpo
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YouTube is a popular source of educational and recreational videos. Evidence suggests that medical students consult YouTube regularly and use it to supplement information they receive from their medical educators. On the other hand, some medical educators discourage and even avoid YouTube and other internet sources due to ethical concerns. In this paper we assess the importance of YouTube in medical education and relate this to other fields of higher education. Emphasis is placed on how YouTube can be an important tool for self-paced learning and encourages its ethical use. Conclusions from the paper have implications for medical educators, medical curriculum developers and students. For educators, the paper recommends ways to address ethical concerns. Designers of medical education curriculum are advised to include information literacy training at the start of medical school. Students are encouraged to improve information literacy as a control mechanism against inaccurate information.
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- 2024
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112. Who Do College Students Turn to for Financial Aid and Student Loan Advice, and Is It Advice Worth Following?
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Harper, Casandra E., Scheese, Lisa, Zhou, Enyu, and Darolia, Rajeev
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In this article, we examine the sources of information that college students turn to as they make decisions related to financial aid and student loans. Based on interview data from 25 undergraduate students from one public, four-year institution, our results reveal a great amount of variation in the number and nature of sources on which students rely. Across nearly all cases, students believed their access to assistance to be insufficient. This was true even for students with parents who attended college--commonly considered to be a high-quality source of support for students, when available--as students often found their advice outdated, confusing, or unhelpful.
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- 2021
113. Predictors of Online Search Performance: A Uses and Gratification Perspective
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Thongmak, Mathupayas
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A study of online search, especially search performance, is vital because people heavily rely on the Internet nowadays. The purposes of this study are thus to examine the gratification needs affecting Internet users' intention to search information online, to explore the antecedents of online search performance, and to investigate online information-seeking behavior according to each search purpose. A survey of Internet users in Thailand is carried out. Data are collected extensively both from students and workers. Four hundred fifty-three questionnaires are collected online. Individuals use the Internet to search for information differently, for academic/ working achievement, problem-solving, and personal information needs. The main gratifications are information seeking and Internet ambiance. Internet search intention is a strong determinant of a user's online search performance and corresponding behavior. The theoretical implication is that researchers could apply the research framework to other contexts such as the specific information search. Information source providers could use the findings to modify online resources and their presentations for users effectively. Teachers/ managers could guide their students/ workers to search effectively. This study combines the U&G and the TPB theories. The novel aspects of gratifications i.e., antitraditional media sentiment and Internet ambiance are also explored.
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- 2021
114. Education Equity for Undocumented Graduate Students and the Key Role of My Undocumented Life
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Freeman, Rachel E. and Valdivia, Carolina
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An estimated 454,000 undocumented students are enrolled in higher education, with ten percent of these students (45,400 students) studying in graduate school. While the field of higher education has worked to develop equitable policy and practice for undocumented students at the undergraduate level, a focus on graduate school is imperative. In this article, we reflect on what we have learned working with undocumented students in graduate school through our work with My Undocumented Life (MUL), a website with almost two million views that provides up to date information and resources for undocumented immigrants. We discuss the challenges that undocumented students face in pursuing graduate school, such as charting pathways to graduate school in isolation, seeking information specific to undocumented students, decisions around whether to disclose one's immigration status, and lack of financial aid opportunities. We also provide recommendations for universities to build programs specifically for undocumented students in graduate school.
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- 2021
115. Cook County & Grand Portage Early Childhood Needs Assessment
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Wilder Research, Valorose, Jennifer, and Miller, Julia
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Wilder Research supported the Sawtooth Mountain Clinic Hub Team in planning the future HUB Model with data collection and interpretation. This report provides demographic data for Cook County children and families, a list of programs available for families, families' awareness of programs and challenges accessing them, and family needs and supports. [This report was prepared for the Sawtooth Mountain Clinic Community HUB grant.]
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- 2021
116. Considering Communication Theory in Health Education and Behavior: Applying the Integrated Model of Advice-Giving in Friendship Sex Talks
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Fedd, Andre and Samp, Jennifer A.
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Background: Individuals may find it challenging and discomforting to communicate about sex because they may lack the skills and efficacy necessary to communicate their sexual desires. When individuals do have opportunities to have such discussions about sex in open and comfortable settings, they may seek informational support (i.e., advice) from a close friend because of knowledge sharing and past experiences navigating sex-related concerns. Aims: This research study used a communication theory-based quantitative analysis to examine how advice givers' prosocial behaviors influence their advice outcome messages during conversations about sex. Methods: A total of 264 participants completed a survey developed based on the Integrated Model of Advice-Giving (IMA). Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling. Results: Advice givers reported that their emotional supportive messages elicited better quality advice. Additionally, advice givers indicated that being attentive and understanding to others' feelings elicited better disclosures about their own sexual experiences. Structural equation modeling results suggested a good model fit for the theoretical model (comparative fit index [CFI] = 0.939, tucker-lewis fit index [TLI] = 0.931, root mean square error of approximation [RMSEA] = 0.056, 90% confidence interval: [0.049, 0.063], and standardized root mean square residual [SRMR] = 0.082). Conclusions: This study highlights the theoretical and pragmatic implications of communication theory in sexual health education interventions.
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- 2023
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117. Young Children Can Infer Information Preferences from Goals and Recommend Appropriate Sources to Others
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Chuey, Aaron, Lockhart, Kristi, Trouche, Emmanuel, and Keil, Frank
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As adults, we intuitively understand how others' goals influence their information-seeking preferences. For example, you might recommend a dense book full of mechanistic details to someone trying to learn about a topic in-depth, but a more lighthearted book filled with surprising stories to someone seeking entertainment. Moreover, you might do this with confidence despite knowing few details about either book. Even though we offer or receive such recommendations frequently as adults, we know little about how the ability to evaluate and recommend information sources to others develops. Two studies examined how children (6-9 years, Eastern U.S. residents, n = 311) and adults (U.S. residents, n = 180) select mechanistic and entertaining information sources for others depending on their goals. Participants recommended books containing mechanistic information to agents who wanted to learn and entertaining information to agents who wanted to have fun. In contrast to adults who strongly favored entertaining books, children recommended both kinds of books equally to a generally curious agent. These results suggest children can infer others' information-seeking preferences based on their goals and recommend appropriate information sources to satisfy those goals despite possessing little topical knowledge themselves.
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- 2023
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118. Unpacking Inequities in ADHD Diagnosis: Examining Individual-Level Race/Ethnicity and State-Level Online Information-Seeking Patterns
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Xin Zhao, Timothy Hayes, Adela C. Timmons, Wensong Wu, and Stacy L. Frazier
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Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a prevalent, persistent, and costly mental health condition. The internet is an increasingly popular source for information related to ADHD. With a nationally representative sample (2018 NSCH), we aimed to separate individual- and state-level effects to examine inequities in ADHD diagnoses. We extracted state-level relative search volumes using "ADHD," "ADHD treatment," "ADHD medication," and "ADHD therapy" from Google Trends, and sociodemographic and clinical variables from the 2018 National Survey of Children's Health (N = 26,835). We examined state variation in ADHD-related information-seeking and applied multilevel modeling to examine associations among individual-level race/ethnicity, state-level information-seeking patterns, and ADHD diagnoses. Online information seeking related to ADHD varies by state and search term. Individual-level racial/ethnic background and state-level information-seeking patterns were associated with ADHD diagnoses; however, their cross-level interaction was not significant. This study adds to the strong body of evidence documenting geographical variation and diagnostic disparity in mental health and the growing literature on the impact of the digital divide on population health, indicating an urgent need for addressing inequities in mental health care. Increasing public interest in and access to empirically supported online information may increase access to care, especially among people of color.
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- 2023
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119. Stressful Experiences and Coping Strategies of Parents of Young Children with Down Syndrome: A Qualitative Study
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Celik, Pelin and Kara Uzun, Aysun
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Background: Previous studies have focused mostly on the negative experiences of parents of children with Down syndrome. We aimed to explore both the stressful experiences and coping strategies of parents from a non-Western country. Methods: Twenty-six parents of children aged 8-48 months with Down syndrome were included. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, and the data were analysed using thematic analysis. Results: The main themes of the stressful experiences were emotional burdens, caregiving burdens, struggle against stigma and discrimination, concerns about the future, challenges related to health, education, and financial issues. Parents used a variety of coping strategies to overcome the challenges by seeking support and help, searching for information, accepting and adapting, and adopting optimistic attitudes. Conclusion: Although being a parent of a child with Down syndrome has many challenges, most parents effectively used coping strategies and adapted their lives to their new parental roles in their child's early years.
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- 2023
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120. Understanding Continuance Intention of Social Q&A Communities for Informal Learning among University Students
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Zeng, Huijuan and Bao, Zheshi
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Social Q&A refers to the process of information seeking based on questioning-and-answering in natural language through social networks. It facilitates knowledge gathering and interacting, and thus can be regarded as an appropriate environment for informal learning. This study intends to explore factors affecting continuance intention of using social Q&A communities for informal learning and meanwhile reveal the underlying mechanism among these factors. Data were obtained from 257 university students through an online survey. By using partial least squares based structural equation model, the proposed hypotheses and research model were analyzed. The findings show that homophily, interactivity and social presence are three determinants of collaborative learning and community identification in social Q&A community which further influences university students' continuance intention for informal learning. Our research extends the understanding of informal learning in social Q&A communities and indicates how to promote continuous informal learning in such environment.
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- 2023
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121. Social Networking Site Usage of Middle-Aged and Older Deaf Adults
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Paglieri, Taylor A., Schooler, Deborah, and Pezzarossi, Caroline Kobek
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Social networking sites (SNS) have become increasingly popular in modern society; however, there is insufficient research into the impacts of SNS use on middle-aged and older Deaf and hard-of-hearing (D/HH) individuals. D/HH SNS users belonging to the Baby Boomer generation or Generation X (born 1946-1980) were recruited for this study. A mixed-methods approach was utilized, with a survey (n = 32) and interviews (n = 3), to examine primary reasons for use, perceived accessibility of interactions, the relationship between SNS use and life satisfaction, and the impacts of SNS use on this population. SNS platforms were found to be primarily used for social interaction, information seeking, and entertainment purposes. This study further showed that SNS interactions with hearing individuals were significantly more accessible than in-person interactions. The thematic analysis of the qualitative data revealed four key themes: exposure and representation, accessibility and social connection, privacy, and ideological polarization. The overall feelings towards these platforms were positive. SNS platforms allowed for increased accessibility through reducing communication barriers. Additionally, as SNS platforms have become increasingly prevalent, participants noted increased representation of the Deaf community within movies and television. This preliminary information sets important groundwork for future research, which can be used to increase the positive impacts for other D/HH individuals.
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- 2023
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122. How Chemists Handle Not-Knowing in Reasoning about a Novel Problem
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Button, John, Turner, Diren Pamuk, and Hammer, David
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The most obvious feature of expertise in chemistry is content knowledge, which defines the primary objectives of instruction. Research in chemistry education, and STEM education more broadly, has also devoted attention to students' developing scientific practices of reasoning, investigation, and learning. In this study, we set out to investigate how expert chemists reason about an unfamiliar question. We conducted semi-structured, think-aloud interviews with fourteen chemists, all of whom found the problem novel. In this article, we focus on how the chemists handled the situation of not-knowing. We analyzed the moments when they said ''I don't know'' (IDK), taking that as a clear, systematic marker of their not-knowing. The results elucidate two general dimensions of the chemists' reasoning and experience. First, their identifying what they do not know served substantive roles in their reasoning, including to mark that they needed to search for insight or information, or to mark a boundary to the problem space. Second, IDK statements served to help the chemists manage what they experienced socially and emotionally, such as to hedge or distance themselves from ideas they considered, or to forestall their own--or the interviewer's--negative judgments. We discuss both aspects of our findings, and we consider possible implications for instruction and for further research.
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- 2023
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123. Student Support-Seeking Behaviors in General Chemistry and Introductory Physics Courses: An Exploratory Study Using Simple Ego-Network Analysis Methodology
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Christopher M. Wally, Kathryn G. Miller, and Regina F. Frey
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A little studied aspect of supporting students in large introductory STEM courses is examining from whom students seek information and advice when they are struggling in or need advice about issues related to large introductory courses. The current study explores student support-seeking behavior related to academic issues or concerns in their General Chemistry and Introductory Physics courses using a simple ego-network analysis survey approach. Students (n = 1,581) were asked to list specific individuals they went to for three different categories of support: advice, help, and emotional support; the role of these individuals (peer, faculty, student mentor, etc.); and frequency of contact with those individuals. Results indicate that nearly all students consulted others for support or information related to their courses and a majority of students (67-75%) sought input from others for all three categories: advice, help, and emotional support. Peers at the same institution were the most common role category sought for any reason (by 70-75% of students). Approximately half of students surveyed listed at least one faculty member and approximately half listed at least one academic advisor as a source of support. Other potential sources of support (e.g., peer leaders, student mentors, family) were sought by fewer students. Students also reported interacting most frequently with their peers, followed by faculty, and then advisors. Implications for STEM instructors are discussed, including suggestions for classroom practices that might promote students' use of sources with the best knowledge of effective strategies for solving course-related problems, such as faculty and upper-level students in formal course-support roles.
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- 2023
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124. The Library Language Game: Information Literacy through the Lens of Wittgenstein's Language Games
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Langan, Kathleen A.
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Labeling information is a precarious and risky enterprise. Catalogers have the task of fitting unique concepts within established and rigid language frameworks while also minimizing personal bias. The way information literacy librarians interact with labeled information also influences how users interact with information. Labeling moves beyond the role of categorizing; it also contributes to meaning making and knowledge building. Wittgenstein's "Philosophical Investigations" serves as a philosophical footing to illustrate how the labeling of things, in this case information, shapes the way we give things meaning. Critical librarianship and philosophy of information theory add to the discussion by considering how personal perspective, power, and bias to manipulate the game of naming information that takes place in the information literacy classroom. This paper is an invitation for librarians to reflect upon the relationship between labeling and how all users of information engage with labels and subsequently create meaning and knowledge.
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- 2021
125. Exploring Effective Information Use in an Insurance Workplace
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Inskip, Charles and Donaldson, Sophia
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As employability has become a more visible graduate attribute, it is becoming recognised that a better understanding of information practices in work may enable a smoother transition from university to employment. This paper discusses the current state of workplace information literacy and presents the findings of research into staff experiences of information use in a City insurance firm. A framework previously developed out of phenomenographic research into nursing is employed to draw parallels and highlight differences between insurance workplace and university student terminology. Context-specific hierarchical statements using the language of the participants are developed from coded interview texts. These statements, which are drawn together in illustrative personae, provide a rich and detailed view of the participants' experience of effective information use. It is suggested that a better understanding of language use in communities of practice would facilitate transition both between and within the communities.
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- 2021
126. Social Networks and Policy Coherence: Administrators' Common Core and Teacher Evaluation Advice Networks
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Stosich, Elizabeth Leisy, Hatch, Thomas, Hill, Kathryn, Roegman, Rachel, and Allen, David
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In this study, we aim to deepen understanding of what it would take to develop the relationships, common understandings, and collective expertise that might support district-wide improvement efforts by examining the implementation of the Common Core and a teacher evaluation policy. Drawing on three years of social network data in three districts, we find that administrators were more likely to be talking together about teacher evaluation than the Common Core. Further, administrators with more positive views of the potential impact of these policies and their access to the human and technical resources necessary for implementation were more likely to engage in positive information seeking behaviors. These findings have important implications for policies intended to increase instructional coherence in schools and districts.
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- 2021
127. Student Attitude to Internet Search Engines: Navigation and Optimization Problems
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Kiryakova, Aida V., Shabalina, Liudmila G., Manakova, Olga S., Mechkovskaya, Olga A., Vodolazhskaya, Ekaterina L., Ostanina, Sofia Sh, and Komissarova, Larisa F.
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The article relevance. Currently, the world is rapidly undergoing the process of Informatization of all aspects of society, the development and introduction of new information technologies. This highlights the need for further reflection and research on the development of the Internet and its opening opportunities for people. The aim of the research is to study the peculiarities of the attitude of students to search and recommendation services on the Internet. Research methods: as a research method, we used a questionnaire survey as a method of collecting primary information, which allows us to identify various aspects related to the attitude of students to search and recommendation systems on the Internet. Research results: the article examines the specifics of Russian search and recommendation systems, students' attitude to these services, and their place in their lives. The novelty and originality of the research lies in the fact that for the first time the search and recommendation services of the Internet space were studied. It is shown that these services were initially developed in the sphere of culture and gradually began to spread to other spheres of people's life, which attracted e-Commerce figures. It is revealed that those students who discovered search and recommendation services a few years ago still use them to choose leisure activities. It is shown that students still identify some disadvantages of these systems: inaccurate recommendations, a large number of questions to determine preferences. There is some distrust to new Internet technologies among those who are used to relying on their intuition when choosing. It is determined that students often use search and recommendation services, since in most cases gadgets help them spend their free time, have fun: read a book, watch a movie, listen to music. It is revealed that the majority of students trust Internet services, although they are not always satisfied with the recommendations. It is shown that the level of student-user confidence in traditional advertising and marketing decreases simultaneously. It is determined that from the point of view of students, today not only printed versions of Newspapers, traditional radio, but even mass broadcast television are losing ground before the Internet as the most promising communication channel. Practical significance: the data Obtained in this work can be used in marketing research, economic Sciences, advertising psychology, as well as for further theoretical development of this issue.
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- 2021
128. Information Seeking Behaviour and Personality Traits in Secondary-School Students
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Charoenkul, Sukan and Chanchalor, Sumalee
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Although personality traits can influence information-seeking behaviour (ISB), research on this relationship has received inadequate attention from researchers particularly at the secondary-school level. This study identified which of the individual Big Five Personality Traits (BFPT) had a significant effect on ISB and whether BFPT combined with either gender, programs of study, or achievement had an effect on ISB. Data collection involved a self-report survey with Thai secondary-school students (n=3400). Data analysis involved multiple regression, correlation, and two-way Anova. Results showed that of the five BFPT traits, Openness to experience followed by Conscientiousness had a significant effect on ISB. High levels of Extraversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness and Openness predicted higher achievement and ISB. Conscientiousness, Openness to experience, Extraversion, and Agreeableness were positively correlated with ISB. Neuroticism negatively correlated with ISB. Extraversion, Conscientiousness, Openness to experience, positively correlated with academic achievement. Females with any of the five BFPT had higher ISB mean scores than males. Students in Mathematics-Science program with any BFPT had higher ISB mean scores than those in Language Arts-Social Studies program.
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- 2021
129. Web Pedagogical Content Knowledge, Attitude towards Web-Based Instruction, Usage of Information Searching-Commitment Strategies in Web Environment as Predictors of Lifelong Learning Tendency
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Vezne, Rabia and Yesilyurt, Etem
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Lifelong learning (LLL) has gained an important place in the agendas of national and international organizations and the education policies of countries with globalization and digitalization in education. Even though there is a large body of research regarding lifelong learning tendency, web pedagogical content knowledge, attitude towards web-based instruction, and usage of information searching-commitment strategies in the web environment of teachers and prospective teachers, there is not a study on the correlation between them and their effect on lifelong learning tendency. This study aims to analyze the effect of web pedagogical content knowledge, attitude towards web-based instruction, and usage of information searching-commitment strategies in a web environment on lifelong learning tendency and their explaining ratio. For this aim, eight hypotheses were developed and four scales were used to collect data: Web pedagogical content knowledge, attitude towards web-based instruction, usage of information searching-commitment strategies in a web environment, and lifelong learning tendency. 346 prospective teachers participated in the research. A relational descriptive model was used and exploratory factor analyses of scales were done via SPSS 24.0 software. For the confirmatory factor analyses of scales and the structural equation modeling, AMOS 24.0 software was put to use. The most remarkable finding is that web pedagogical content knowledge, attitude towards web-based instruction, and usage of information searching-commitment strategies in a web environment are important predictors of prospective teachers' lifelong learning tendencies.
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- 2023
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130. OA and the Academy: Evaluating an OA Fund with Authors' Input
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McMillan, Gail, O'Brien, Leslie, and Lener, Edward F.
- Abstract
The University Libraries at Virginia Tech established an Open Access Subvention Fund (OASF) in August 2012. Although it began as a two-year pilot project, the Fund has continued to the present. Anyone at Virginia Tech is eligible to apply for funding to offset the cost of an article processing charge to publish in an open access journal. To learn more about user perceptions of the OASF and open access in general, we surveyed everyone who had requested support. The survey, conducted during the fall of 2019, provided a means to gauge the needs of our users, seek feedback on the request and award process, and gather input on the fund guidelines. In this article, we review our findings in the hope that the lessons learned will be useful to other libraries in assessing similar open access subvention funds.
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- 2023
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131. Toward Improving Physician/Patient Communication Regarding Invisible Chronic Illness (ICI): The Potential of mHealth Technology in Instructional Communication
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Warren, Jami L., Clancy, Karen, Brady, Christy F., Rump, Kendall, and New-Oglesby, Tayla
- Abstract
Patients that suffer from invisible chronic illness (ICI) such as autoimmune conditions, neurological conditions, and gastrointestinal problems often struggle to obtain a proper medical diagnosis due to a lack of objective indicators to help health-care providers diagnose patients with ICIs. Thus, researchers conducted interviews with 21 participants with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) to determine what messages they received from health-care providers as they pursued a diagnosis, how they interpreted those messages, and what role mHealth technology may play in improving patient/provider communication and effective diagnosis/treatment of ICIs. Several themes regarding potential instructional communication intervention content emerged from the interview data, including physician communication to patients, patient interpretation of physician communication, and information-seeking via mHealth technology. Directions for future research and implications for patient and provider instruction and training, including utilizing the IDEA model, are discussed.
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- 2021
132. Reading Preferences across Genders of Undergraduate EFL Students in Indonesia
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Milal, A. Dzo'ul, Jannah, Raudlotul, Sa'adah, Sufi Ikrima, and Fitria, Andini Anugrah
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Due to pandemics, students carry out their studies from home. They have more leisure time and are freer to do activities. In such a condition, questioning students' commitment to reading to learn becomes relevant. The question is whether and to what extent the students do the reading activity, what they read, and whether their preferences are different based on their genders. This topic is inconclusively studied, especially in the context of EFL. Therefore, it seems important to conduct a study on this topic because the results might raise the effectiveness of teaching EFL. This study is a descriptive survey revealing students' reading preferences to spend their leisure time based on gender differences. The subjects are undergraduate EFL students aged 19-23 years who study at the English Department in Indonesia. The data were collected by a questionnaire consisting of closed and open items. The responses were tallied, calculated, and tabulated. The findings show that female respondents favored reading more than males. Both genders tend to prefer reading social media to spend their leisure time. Female respondents are more likely to read e-books, while male respondents are more into the printed books. They do extensive reading to get knowledge more than to get pleasure. Although they are EFL learners, they prefer reading the sources in their native language because it is more accessible than in the target language. The reasons underlying those findings and pedagogical implications are also described at the end of the article.
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- 2021
133. Demonstrating the Elusive Outcomes of Decision-Making, Information-Seeking, and Adaptability: A Market Simulation Game for Engineering Students
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Morelock, John R., Salado, Alejandro, Lakeh, Arash Baghaei, and Richards, Trevor K.
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In undergraduate engineering education, students are often overexposed to problem-solving methods that are unrepresentative of how engineers solve problems in practice. For decision-making problems, in particular, students are commonly taught to compare alternative solutions using known and provided information. However, many real-world decision-making problems require a broader range of problem-solving strategies, including information seeking, extrapolation of a decision's consequences, and compromise between parties with competing objectives. To advance engineering educators' capacity to address this need, we developed a simulation game activity designed to offer industrial engineering seniors experience in solving realistic decision-making problems. The simulation game involved students working in teams that role-played as different types of companies in a global smartphone market, where teams needed to negotiate with one another to establish profitable contracts within the game's ruleset. Using a qualitative assessment instrument we developed through prior research, we evaluated how well success in the game aligned with learning outcome achievement in constrained decision-making, information-seeking, and adaptability. Though the game has opportunities for improvement, student success in the game was aligned with excellence in constrained decision-making, and occasionally aligned with excellence in adaptability, and effort to seek information that could guide team decisions. Additionally, student actions during the game have potential to initiate student discourse on the role of engineering ethics in managerial decision-making, which may be of interest to many engineering programs. Finally, we comment on how our new assessment instrument affected student learning and related implications for assessment in engineering education more broadly. Our market simulation game was an effective instructional tool to allow students to demonstrate our intended learning outcomes, and other instructors with similar intended outcomes may find it a valuable tool for their courses as well.
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- 2021
134. Cyberspace as a Space: Analysis of Metaphorical Statements of University Students
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Cerný, Michal
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Over the last thirty years, technology has created a new space (cyberspace) where people meet each other, seek information, or simply try to navigate through. However, there is no consensus in research on the character of cyberspaces and the extent to which they are real. In the first systematic empirical research of this nature, the study found an answer to this question through a survey of metaphorical accounts of university students in Information Studies, and Librarianship (N=102) collected over three years (2019-2021). Cyberspace is a real space in students' experiences, language, and thought structures. A space that allows movement, orientation, and search to be related with one another. An environment in which cognition, learning, and knowledge are structuring activities. Learning and cognition in this space occur differently than in the physical environment, which poses a challenge for developing specific didactic practices and social programs for students. Students perceive cyberspace as linked to the need to acquire new epistemic tools to help them overcome the crisis of knowledge they experience through this space.
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- 2021
135. Exploring the Motivation of Livestreamed Users in Learning Computer Programming and Coding
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Huang, Hong and Li, Yongji
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This article discusses the emerging presence of online livestreaming programs for computer coding education. The typologies of motivations from a user-gratification perspective were explored from live coding streaming platforms such as "Twitch.tv" and "LiveEdu.tv". Categories of motivations were identified from the literature. Content analysis was used for analyzing the distribution of motivation categories in "Twitch.tv," as well as blog posts on "LiveEdu.tv" guided by Gratifications Theory. From the literature, five types of motivations were identified: (1) Cognitive; (2) Affective; (3) Social Integration; (4) Personal Integration; and (5) Tension release. In live coding streaming communities, the content analysis of 256 streams and twenty six discussion posts indicated that the primary motivation is cognitive related information seeking, followed by social integration such as community outreach, and then personal integration such as personal recognition. Through content analysis, the authors found that the audience's psychological state while watching online livestreaming of coding practice is mainly focused on learning and information seeking, emotional connectedness, and social interactions. Based on the findings, an empirical motivation model in live coding streaming was also developed. The findings for researchers and practitioners alike in programming education can apply respective motivation characteristics in programming education.
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- 2021
136. Effective Ways of Enhancing the Quality of Question Generating and Spontaneous Information Search outside the Classroom
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Shinogaya, Keita
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This study examined how to enhance the quality of students' question generating and to encourage their spontaneous information searches after classroom instruction in university. The teacher assigned One Minute Paper as homework, and students answered three questions; "Q1: What was the most important thing that you learned today?", "Q2: What important question remains unanswered?", and "Q3: What information did you search for after the classroom instruction?". While it was necessary to answer Q1 and Q2 for submission, answering Q3 was not necessary and they could answer it if they wished to do so. The teacher, however, realized that some students were not generating questions actively and the quality of their questions were not adequately improved. After 7 weeks, he changed his intervention and gave feedback on some students' questions to enhance their question quantity and quality. The latent growth curve modelling showed that question quality, spontaneous searching behaviour, and the link between question generation and conducting searches increased after the intervention change. The result also showed that post-intervention change slopes were larger for the feedback group than the class without feedback. The results indicate that besides assigning homework tasks, it is also important to connect learning outside along with inside the classroom to enhance question quality and encourage spontaneous information search.
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- 2021
137. The Geographical Thinking Skills and Motivation of the Students in the Departments of Geography in Turkey
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Duran, Volkan and Mertol, Hüseyin
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The study aimed to investigate the geographical thinking skills and motivation of the students in geography departments in Turkey in learning Geography. The study utilized survey method based on a quantitative research design. The participants of the study were selected using the convenience sampling method, and consisted of 500 students from different universities in Turkey, namely; Nevsehir Haci Bektas Veli University, Pamukkale University, Tokat Gaziosmanpasa University, Kirsehir Ahi Evran University. The data were collected via "The Geographical Thinking Skills Scale" developed by Balciogullari (2011), and "The Motivation Scale in Learning Geography developed by Kaya (2013). The data were analyzed using qualitative data analysis methods. The results revealed that a) participants' gender had a significant role in their geographical thinking skills and motivation in geography learning except for the performance sub-dimension of motivation; b) mother's and father's education level didn't make a significant difference except for geographical questions so that it had a role in seeking information; c) mother's and father's education level did not make a significant difference except for self-confidence so that it had a role in the cognitive dimensions of motivation; d) income did not affect geographical thinking skills and motivation except for performance; e) all demographic variables in this study approximately had equal importance for the analysis when comparing to each other in geographical thinking skills; f) father's education level and gender had an important role comparing to other demographic variables in motivation in learning geography; and d) the interest-field had a casual and significant role in seeking geographical knowledge.
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- 2021
138. A Study of Students' Preferences in the Information Resources of the Digital Learning Environment
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Noskova, Tatiana, Pavlova, Tatiana, and Yakovleva, Olga
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The digital learning environment comprises various resources - didactically transformed and untransformed information, and mediated communication. Students' information behaviour combines both actions characteristic of the traditional educational process and specific for the digital environment, based on digital tools and user interactions. Students' information behaviour in the digital environment is considered as an indicator of their engagement in various educational activities that contribute to the personalisation of learning. The results of a survey on students' preferences of information resources in the digital environment show that learners use a variety of information sources, but they mainly apply the methods of work in the "traditional" learning paradigm. They insufficiently use the digital environment potential of collaboration, knowledge exchange, and knowledge extraction from authentic sources. Obtained data indicates problems in students' information culture and shortcomings in the methodological support of students' autonomous work. Based on the results, recommendations on creating conditions for developing students' prospective strategies of interaction with digital resources are proposed. These recommendations include a gradual increase of the authentic digital learning resources, an account of students' information preferences, and a particular attention to the management issues in the digital learning environment.
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- 2021
139. Information Search, Financial Advice Use, and Consumer Financial Behavior
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Fan, Lu
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This study develops a conceptual framework to investigate the relationship between households' information search behavior and financial management outcomes. Consumers' information search behavior is examined from both internal and external perspectives. The internal information sources include human capital and psychological and attitudinal factors, whereas the external information sources comprise financial professionals from different financial service areas. Financial management behaviors examined in this study consist of consumers' savings and credit-using behavior. This study uses the 2012 National Financial Capability Study and structural equation modeling methodology. The results suggest that (a) both internal and external information sources used by consumers are significantly associated with savings and credit-using behavior, and (b) seeking external financial advice from professionals mediates the relationship between consumers' internal sources and financial management outcomes. The findings of this study provide practical implications for financial professionals when counseling and communicating with clients and challenge policymakers to develop pathways that can enhance the quality and accessibility of internal and external information sources for clients, including customized financial education programs and affordable professional financial services.
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- 2021
140. Coping with Distress among Adolescents: Effectiveness of Personal Narratives on Support Websites
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Mariën, Sofie, Vandebosch, Heidi, Pabian, Sara, and Poels, Karolien
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Sharing, reading and responding to personal narratives on peer-to-peer support websites may provide adolescents with informational and emotional support to feel more confident in coping with stressful events. However, their use may also pose a threat to adolescents' coping self-efficacy. Principles of expressive writing, social sharing of emotions, narrative persuasion and self-effects may provide insight in how these actions may both positively and negatively relate to coping self-efficacy. By using a cross-sectional online survey with 311 Dutch-speaking adolescents between the ages of 14 and 18, this article explores how these actions and social support motives (i.e. information-seeking and emotional support-seeking) are related to adolescents' perceptions about the usefulness of these websites to their coping self-efficacy. The results showed a positive relation between adolescents' social support motives and their belief in the usefulness of these websites to their coping self-efficacy. Therefore, we conclude that it may be an effective coping strategy for many adolescents. There was a negative relation between experience with sharing a personal narrative and coping self-efficacy, meaning that these users did not perceive the website to be helpful to their overall confidence in coping with stressful events. However, this negative relation was reversed when they were motivated to find emotional support with similar others.
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- 2021
141. Responding to Information Requests: The Case of 'Inscribed Object Checks'
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Frantz, Kelly Katherine
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This paper explores one way that participants use inscribed objects in their immediate environment as resources for interaction. In particular, it identifies and analyzes a type of embodied response turn found in information request sequences. The data come from a video recording of family members engaged in a joint cooking activity, where they are preparing an unfamiliar dish while following recipe instructions. In this setting, participants and inscribed objects hold varying levels of epistemic rights and access regarding the task at hand. This appears to have consequences for how the interaction unfolds. As participants ask questions about the recipe, respondents repeatedly employ a particular embodied practice of checking and reading aloud the recipe, which I call an "inscribed object check." An analysis of this practice and its sequential variations shows how participants draw on verbal, embodied, and environmental resources to fill knowledge gaps made relevant by information requests when the knowledge lies within inscribed objects. The findings contribute to our understanding of the role that inscribed objects play in interaction, as well as how responses to information requests are managed in everyday settings when all participants are relatively unknowledgeable about the task at hand.
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- 2021
142. Usage of Internet by University Students of Hispanic Countries: Analysis Aimed at Digital Literacy Processes in Higher Education
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Gómez-Galán, José, Martínez-López, Jose Ángel, Lázaro-Pérez, Cristina, and Fernández-Martínez, María del Mar
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One of several scientific disciplines' significant objectives is to determine the integration of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in the academic setting. This research studies the use of ICTs, especially the Internet, by university students in Hispanic countries. The methodology used is descriptive and quantitative, based on data mining, through a validated and highly reliable instrument. The sample was composed of students from six countries (N = 1893). The results show that the primary interests in using ICTs and the Internet are primarily for consuming social networks, obtaining information, and leisure, above and beyond their use for academic and university purposes. This indicates that there is still a lack of sufficient training for the optimal use of these technologies by higher education students. It is urgent to carry out digital literacy processes that allow them to develop a critical sense in using ICTs, nowadays configured as powerful means of communication. Furthermore, this study has been determined that the Hispanic common space has solid cultural roots and everyday practices that lead to quite similar general interests.
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- 2021
143. Scientific Knowledge of University Students of Chile
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Espinoza, Rubén Vidal, Macayo, Emilio Rodríguez, and Campos, Rossana Gomez
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Scientific research is becoming increasingly important in higher education, as it helps students to understand scientific knowledge and provides tools to construct and interpret the meaning of what science provides. This descriptive study compares the use of scientific knowledge by university according to age, entrance route and type of establishment, and verifies the possible relationships between variables. A questionnaire measuring the use of scientific knowledge (information search, knowledge transfer and knowledge contribution) was administered to 187 university students. The results showed that there were no significant differences in the use of scientific knowledge by indicator and in the total scores among the three universities. A positive correlation was observed between age with knowledge contribution and type of school and knowledge transfer with type of school. It is concluded that the type of school could be relevant to obtain better results in the contribution and transfer of scientific knowledge, although age could also contribute.
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- 2021
144. Teaching Style, Coping Strategies, Stress and Social Support: Associations to the Medical Students' Perception of Learning during the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic
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Popa-Velea, Ovidiu, Pristavu, Carmen Andreea, Ionescu, Claudiu Gabriel, Mihailescu, Alexandra Ioana, and Diaconescu, Liliana Veronica
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This study assessed the learning perception of undergraduate medical students on three types of teaching (classical/online/hybrid), in relation to coping strategies, stress, and social support, in the context of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Additionally, we explored gender differences and the perceived usefulness of teaching. 201 students (48 men, 153 women; mean age = 22.900, SD = 2.830) participated in the study. They answered a Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, a Brief Cope Scale, a Student-life Stress Inventory, a visual analog scale for usefulness, and a survey collecting their perceptions about learning across teaching types. Results point out a preference for classical teaching, followed by the hybrid and online formats. Online teaching was identified as more advantageous in terms of time management and seeking information. Denial and substance use were statistically associated with poor communication, bad time using, and impaired learning. Both stress and social support had ambivalent associations with learning perceptions. Gender differences were limited to behavioral disengagement and higher social support perceived by women. Although classical teaching was globally perceived as the most useful, online teaching was considered desirable by male urban respondents. These data may contribute to the strategic growth and refinement of web-based teaching methods in medical universities.
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- 2021
145. Local Education Agency Website Student Privacy Transparency Reviews -- Combined Three-Year Report Summary. SPPO-21-05
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Privacy Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) (ED)
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The Student Privacy Policy Office (SPPO) at the U.S. Department of Education is performing a four-year review of a sample of the websites of 1,504 local education agencies (LEAs) to identify whether and how these websites include information about student privacy. In each year of the study, SPPO is reviewing a nationally representative sample of 376 LEA websites, focusing on whether the LEAs include key student privacy documents and information about the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA) on the LEA website, as opposed to on individual school, board of education, or other websites. This report includes the first three years of research findings. Although 55 percent of LEAs reviewed have the FERPA Annual Notice posted on the website, only 10 percent of LEA websites have navigation menus that include a section indicating where to find data practices and student privacy information. Moreover, 94 percent of LEA websites do not include contact information for a staff member dedicated to data sharing and student privacy.
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- 2021
146. 2021 Graduate Student Recruitment Report: Insights for Graduate Enrollment and Marketing Leaders
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Ruffalo Noel Levitz (RNL) and PLEXUSS, Inc.
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Graduate student enrollment has become more important than ever to overall enrollment growth. But there are also more institutions and programs than ever vying for a finite number of graduate students. How can institutions compete more effectively for these prospective students? The survey of more than 1,500 prospective graduate students that underpins this report reveals what these students expect and demand. This report provides a wide-ranging template of what institutions need to do in order to be attractive to prospective graduate students looking for the ideal program. The report provides information on the following topics: (1) top resources used to research graduate programs; (2) most important information on institutional websites; (3) how quickly graduate students want to receive a response to inquiries and be notified of acceptance; (4) the most important factors in their enrollment decision; (5) how many students prefer online, classroom, or hybrid study; and (6) preferred course length and types of programs.
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- 2021
147. Discovering America: Unpacking Popular Social Q&A for Prospective Chinese International Students
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Teo, Hon Jie
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The global pandemic and recent shift to online learning has heightened the need to better understand how to support international students, especially across online and virtual platforms. However, a review of literature reveals a paucity of studies dedicated to international student use of internet-based platforms and services for seeking information and sharing experiences. One avenue for further research is Social Question & Answer Communities (SQACs), which are vast conduits of shared experiences and knowledge connecting hundreds of thousands of pre-application and pre-arrival students. In this study, content analysis was utilized to qualitatively observe the contents of the "Overseas Studies in The United States" section of Zhihu, and quantitatively count their features and characteristics. The study found that 58% of the questions and answers were devoted to Academic issues such as testing, admissions, learning and research, with another 13.0% on Crime, Law and Safety, and the remaining 29% of the questions were associated to a diverse array of topics associated with living and working in American society. The most popular answers were made up of mainly 4 main types: Sharing One's Experience (32.0%), Advice (26.0%), Opinion (22.0%) and Critique (15.0%). Content analysis of three main answer features, namely the use of Imagery, Digital Resources, and Social feature, indicated that the Advice and Critique answer types contain the richest variety of features and that question context, textual styles and use of digital resources are important factors for understanding the answer popularity in SQACs.
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- 2021
148. Reconfiguring Literacies in the Age of Misinformation and Disinformation
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Smith, Kristy and Parker, Lana
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Employing a multiliteracies framework, this paper explores the ways in which literacy pedagogy might respond to the emergent challenges that the new information environment poses. We contextualize literacy as a socially constructed endeavor of meaning-making that ranges across multimodal texts and has implications for identity, society, and political engagement. This paper highlights findings from an in-depth qualitative case study, examining how senior high school students and their teachers contend with the new information environment--including information abundance, misinformation, and disinformation. Drawing on in-class observations, student surveys and interviews, and teacher interviews, we offer a window into the complexities of how students and teachers grapple with information at school and, in the case of students, their personal lives. Finally, we discuss some of the opportunities for future literacy pedagogy. We contend that, in order to be responsive and authentic, literacy pedagogy should seek to address: the changing ways students engage with information; the complexity of ideas of safety and risk; the potential for socially-situated multiliteracies pedagogy; and, finally, the possibilities for future research and development.
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- 2021
149. Design Features of Online Teacher Professional Development: A Design Case for Re-Developing the Edhub Library to Improve Usability and Alignment of Content with Teacher Standards
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Leung, Javier
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The EdHub Library is an online teacher professional development platform that serves 250 school districts as part of the Network for Educator Effectiveness in Missouri. It has a collection of more than 300 online activities. This design case describes the efforts of re-developing EdHub due to technical and usability issues of the first generation of the content management platform. The second generation of EdHub was the product of two prototypes and two user testing sessions between January 2018-April 2018. A literature review of information-seeking habits of K-12 teachers and web design and usability standards guided the development of the second generation of EdHub to support teachers' browsing and searching behaviors. Five design decisions support the second generation of EdHub in terms of (1) priority of visual elements, (2) ease of navigation, (3) content alignment with Missouri teacher standards, (4) organization of results in the search engine, and (5) unifying learning objectives, activities, reflection, and external resources.
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- 2021
150. Students' Approaches When Researching Complex Geographical Conflicts Using the Internet
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Engelen, Eva and Budke, Alexandra
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Many teachers hesitate to integrate internet research into their lessons as they face major uncertainties concerning their students' competencies in retrieving, evaluating and processing digital information. Understanding complex geographical conflicts using the internet poses special challenges to students, as they need to obtain multi-dimensional, spatial and temporally relevant information to grasp the conflict in its entirety. In order to obtain insights into students' digital researching strategies, a study was conducted in 2018 with 20 German secondary school students, who were asked to form their own opinion on a complex geographical conflict by searching the internet for useful information. The students were instructed to share their thoughts and actions aloud while undertaking the research. All digital activities and accompanying speech were recorded with screen and audio capture technology. The analysis of the transcripts consisted of a combination of qualitative and basic quantitative analysis, which led to the conclusion that students have very different abilities in identifying multi-dimensional information on complex geographical conflicts. The majority of the students neither used maps nor paid attention to publication dates of websites or information. Furthermore, none of the participants questioned the credibility of their retrieved digital information.
- Published
- 2020
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