Farshad Parhamnia; Fatemeh Nooshinfard
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Today, information retrieval has been considered by researchers in various fields as an aspect of information behavior. Research suggests that informational behavior is formed in the social, psychological, and environmental contexts. There seems to be a find a link between ...
Read More
Background and Objectives: Today, information retrieval has been considered by researchers in various fields as an aspect of information behavior. Research suggests that informational behavior is formed in the social, psychological, and environmental contexts. There seems to be a find a link between psychological factors and the field of behavioral information. One of the psychological factors that can make this connection possible is the issue of mindfulness. Therefore, the purpose of the present study is to analyze the relationship between mindfulness and the information-seeking behavior of graduate students of Kermanshah universities.Methodology: The present study is applied in terms of purpose and survey-descriptive in terms of data collection method. The statistical population of the study included graduate students of Razi University, Medical Sciences and Islamic Azad University, Kermanshah Branch. Sample size was obtained by stratified random sampling. The selection of the statistical population was purposeful. Data collection tools were performed using two questionnaires, including a 39-item short version Baer et al (2006) of the mindfulness scale. Furthermore, using the researcher-made questionnaire with 20 questions in the form of six subscales information-seeking behavior was measured. Data analysis was performed using Pearson test and multiple regression using SPSS software version 23.Finding: The Pearson correlation coefficient indicated that there was a significant relationship between the subscale of mindfulness including five subscales of observation, description, and operation with alertness, imprecision, and non-communicability as independent variables with information-seeking behavior. Regression results showed that the subscale of observation, description, and observation, action with alertness, irrationality, and non-communicability could significantly explain the variance of information-seeking behavior.Conclusion: Since information behavior originates in the minds of individuals the findings of the study indicate the effect of mindfulness variables on information behavior. The findings of this research from a theoretical and practical point of view can lead to a clearer explanation of the mindset of information behavior and provide a deeper understanding of psychological processing.
Elahe Naseri; Maryam Sarrafzadeh; Alireza Noruzi
Abstract
Abstract Purpose: A digital native is someone who is born in the digital age. Computers, mobile phones, and in general, the new technologies have surrounded their lives. Natives are more comfortable using technology, and more skilled than their predecessors. The dependence on technology and hence the ...
Read More
Abstract Purpose: A digital native is someone who is born in the digital age. Computers, mobile phones, and in general, the new technologies have surrounded their lives. Natives are more comfortable using technology, and more skilled than their predecessors. The dependence on technology and hence the use of digital media has led to significant changes in various aspects of the lives of digital natives, one of which is the way information is acquired. This study aimed to investigate the information seeking behavior of digital natives in smart schools in Tehran. Method: This research is an empirical research with the qualitative approach. Methods used included literature review and library study, questionnaire and interview. The study unit in the present study is the students of 10th and 11th grade students of Faezun School. At first, 12 students were selected by purposeful sampling method for interview. The data were then collected by semi-structured interviews and analyzed by coding method. Results: Findings showed that the most used sources were databases, Google search, friends, e-books, print books and Wikipedia. But the library is not that important for them as an information source and they don't use it. In terms of the information-seeking process, the findings showed that the search for information in this generation is non-linear and not all follow a specific pattern. Since digital natives have good access to information tools and spend most of their time in digital media, they usually use cyberspace to meet their needs. Possible barriers to accessing information from a digital natives’ perspective include filtering, poor English, poor information literacy skills, low Internet speed, high cost of Internet, and lack of access to quality content in Persian. Other findings regarding the evaluation of information resources showed that digital natives perform well in the evaluation of educational resources but perform poorly in evaluating non-educational resources, for example in the social media space.Conclusion: The results revealed that digital natives have poor performance in information searching and content assessment skills in social media; considering the importance of the above in information seeking behavior, it is suggested that holding workshops and training courses set it on the agenda related to the items listed.