ERIC Number: ED593820
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2015
Pages: 16
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
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Available Date: N/A
Digital Natives: Effective Information-Seekers or Lost in the Woods
Claridge, Cheryl
Australian Association for Research in Education, Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Australian Association for Research in Education (AARE) (Freemantle, Western Australia, Nov 29-Dec 3, 2015)
Tempting as it is to assume that today's student is an experienced user of internet resources with effective information-seeking skills, this assumption could be problematic. The students in this qualitative study seemed largely overconfident in their ability to seek and use information in an academic environment and either unmotivated or too time poor to take efforts to improve these skills. The researcher used Think-Aloud Protocols to observe the information-seeking behaviours of eight undergraduate creative arts students who were seeking information for an assessment task. A constructivist approach informed the analysis and interpretation of the data and the nature of the recommendations. While many of the participants were confident in their use of technology most demonstrated neither particularly effective search skills, nor discernment in their evaluation of search results. Furthermore, despite the majority of participants having received library skills training, there was little evidence of any impact on their information-skills. This study highlighted the need for skills development activities that are authentic, relevant, and embedded within course-related learning and assessment activities. Librarians and academics need to collaborate in teaching information-skills in such a way that students see them as relevant to course content; and that result in effective learning for students.
Descriptors: Technological Literacy, Information Seeking, Undergraduate Students, Art Education, Educational Technology, Technology Uses in Education, Library Skills, Information Skills, Foreign Countries
Australian Association for Research in Education. AARE Secretariat, One Geils Court, Deakin ACT 2600, Australia. Tel: +61-2-6285-8388; e-mail: aare@aare.edu.au; Web site: http://www.aare.edu.au
Publication Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
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Language: English
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Identifiers - Location: Australia
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Author Affiliations: N/A