ERIC Number: EJ1242891
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2019-Dec
Pages: 10
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0256-0100
EISSN: N/A
Information Needs and Constraints of Access to Educational Information in the Fort Beaufort Education District
South African Journal of Education, v39 suppl 2 Article 1652 Dec 2019
Types of educational information needed by learners, their level of access and librarians' supportive roles in learning are pertinent to the attainment of quality education. This study seeks to identify the types of educational information needed by high school learners and the barriers of access. The study is underpinned by the jurisprudential theory of freedom of speech augmented by the theory of access to establish the reality of access. The study adopted a mixed methods approach to obtain data from 331 grade 12 learners, 29 teachers and 3 librarians. The findings reveal that information on requirements for admission into university, subjects taught at school, and career guidance were the most needed by learners. Access challenges include inadequate information resources and the absence of and/or non-functional school libraries. Recommendations include the adequate provision of educational information, information literacy education, employment of qualified librarians by education authorities as well as provision of functional school libraries and information technology tools. The study has shown a need to further examine, in a more rigorous way, the coping strategies of teachers and learners in information-poor communities.
Descriptors: Information Needs, Access to Information, Librarians, Barriers, Grade 12, High School Seniors, Library Role, Information Literacy, College Admission, Career Guidance, Foreign Countries, Information Technology, Intellectual Disciplines, Adolescents, School Libraries, Low Income Students
Education Association of South Africa. University of Pretoria, Centre for the Study of Resilience, Level 3, Groenkloof Student Centre, Department of Educational Psychology, Faculty of Education, George Storrar Road and Lleyds Street, Pretoria 0001, South Africa. Web site: http://www.sajournalofeducation.co.za/index.php/saje/index
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: High Schools; Secondary Education; Grade 12; Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: South Africa
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A