Rationality and educational requirements: exploring students' information behaviour

ABSTRACT

The paper is based on a comprehensive investigation into students' information behaviour. The paper departs from the concept of rationality as it is expressed in the standards of information literacy and confronts this concept against the rationality that lies behind students' actual information behaviour. In the paper some of the main results from the research are presented. The analysis departs from two different cluster analyses. One of them is formed on the basis of the intensity of the students use of physical libraries, web based services and the frequency of use. The other cluster analysis is formed on variables that express the students' perception of educational requirements. For both cluster analyses the information behaviour, study style and the exposure in relation to information literacy is discussed. The theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

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INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  H. Information Systems
  H.3 INFORMATION STORAGE AND RETRIEVAL
      H.3.3 Information Search and Retrieval

Additional Classification:
  K. Computing Milieux
  K.3 COMPUTERS AND EDUCATION

General Terms:
Human Factors

Keywords:
cluster analysis, educational requirements, information behaviour, rationality, students