A comparative analysis of the web information seeking behaviour of students and staff at the University of Zululand and the Durban University of Technology
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Date
2009
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Abstract
Today’s online experience has literally added a new dimension to our information
seeking activities, presenting users with a vast array of options. A considerable amount of
information has migrated from the print world and is now available electronically. Thus a
lot of people immediately associate the World Wide Web (WWW) with information and
its related activities. This association partly prompted this study on the web information
seeking behaviour of students and staff at the University of Zululand and the Durban
University of Technology. Web information seeking generally raises new challenges
within academic dispensations in different settings and in different ways. The selected
institutions were assumed to be at different levels of development because of the
country’s (apartheid) history; the former institution is rural-based and the latter, urban based,
and it was thought that this would affect the uptake of ICTs. The objectives of the
study were: i) To identify the web information needs of students and staff; ii) To
determine how, when and where web information is sought; iii) To establish the channels
used when searching the web for information; iv) To identify the challenges faced when
searching for information online; and v) To recommend the best ways to improve web
information seeking and use within the two institutions. Both quantitative and qualitative
research methodologies were employed in a survey. The main research instrument was a
questionnaire, supported by limited interviews.
The results show that the web is a platform that people in academia have come to rely on,
although only a few of its numerous channels are used significantly. A wholesale swing
in the pattern of use from reliance on traditional information providers to this new
medium was not evident; however, the old and the new appear to coexist. Many claimed
that although the web is now their first choice as an information source, they have not
discarded the ‘old ways’ - they still visit the library and feel it plays a vital role in
meeting their information needs. A number of challenges were identified, chief among
them being connectivity problems. Bandwidth was particularly problematic and made
worse by the two institutions’ large student populations. Relevant infrastructure
(computer laboratories, computers, etc.) seemed available, although inadequate. The results shed light on the general retrieval difficulties students’ face. Most of these
appeared to stem from poor training or lack of skills. Many users, students in particular,
appeared to be familiar with how web technology works but not with how to use the
technology to achieve results. The study recommends comprehensive training programs
that address the skills’ deficiencies noted. It is also necessary to institute mechanisms that
improve both physical and intellectual access to web resources.
Description
A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements
for the award of a degree of Masters of Arts in Library and
Information Science from the Department of Information Studies
at the University of Zululand, 2009.
Keywords
Information seeking, Electronic information, Online searching