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Determining the Informational Needs and Information Seeking Behavior of Students

Enrolled in Vocational, Career, and Technical Schools:
A Proposal for Research
Submitted by
Kivette N. Gural
School of Library and Information Science
University of Kentucky
May 7, 2014
Abstract
Researchers have completed numerous studies about the informational needs and
information seeking behavior of students enrolled in traditional four-year colleges and
universities. Through those studies researchers have learned that the preponderance of
students graduating high school are not adequately prepared, in terms of information
literacy skills, for the demands of academic information seeking that college requires.
However, the literature is sparse in regard to the informational needs and behaviors of
students enrolled in non-traditional higher education, specifically vocational, career, and
technical school students. The purpose of this research is to fill a pronounced gap in the
body of knowledge and literature in the information sciences so that librarians and
information professionals can better serve this population. Research will use a mix of
quantitative and qualitative methods: Student surveys and formative tests gather
information about students perceived information literacy skills versus actual skill
utilization. Focus groups comprised of professors and students as well as field
observations will provide more specific information regarding needs and methods of
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information seeking. The researcher hypothesizes that, due to the highly specific and
career focus of this category of higher education, the informational needs of these
students will be considerably different than students in four-year universities. However,
the researcher offers the conjecture that students in vocational, career, and technical
schools are similarly lacking in information literacy skills as their peers in four-year
universities. Information from this study will apply to library and information services
provided nation-wide in vocational, career, and technical schools.
Table of Contents
Abstract ............................................................................................................................... 1
Table of Contents ................................................................................................................ 2
Statement of Topic .............................................................................................................. 3
Research Questions .............................................................................................................................................. 3
Explanation ............................................................................................................................................................. 3
Relevance ................................................................................................................................................................. 4
Data Collection ................................................................................................................... 4
Types of Data .......................................................................................................................................................... 4
Methods of Data Collection ............................................................................................................................... 4
Quantitative ........................................................................................................................................................ 4
Qualitative .......................................................................................................................................................... 5
Privacy ...................................................................................................................................................................... 6
Potential Challenges ............................................................................................................................................ 6
Data Analysis ...................................................................................................................... 7
Information Reporting ........................................................................................................ 7
Literature Review................................................................................................................ 7
Important Concepts ............................................................................................................. 9
Rationale ........................................................................................................................... 10
Expected Results ............................................................................................................... 10
Implications....................................................................................................................... 11
Time Schedule .................................................................................................................. 11
Budget ............................................................................................................................... 12
Bibliography ..................................................................................................................... 12

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Statement of Topic
The focus of this research is to ascertain the information needs and behaviors of students
enrolled in two-year career/technical/vocational colleges and the average level of
information literacy skills.
Research Questions
The data collection instruments will answer the following questions:

1. What are the information needs of students at career/technical/vocational schools?
2. How do career/technical/vocational school students self-assess their information
literacy skills?
3. Do career/technical/vocational schools offer information literacy instruction?
4. How do career/technical/vocational school students perform on an objective
assessment of information literacy skills?
5. What information sources do career/technical/vocational students use to meet
information needs?
Explanation
This topic is of interest to the researcher because the information needs and behaviors of
this population, students in career/technical/vocational schools, are largely unexplored.
This group should receive the same high level of information service as their peers in
traditional four-year colleges and universities; however, to give the highest level of
information services, information professionals need to understand their needs fully.
This studys originality is also related to the fact that this is a largely uncultivated area in
the field. Any findings will be new and pave the way for further future studies.
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Relevance
There is a wide body of research focused on the information needs, behaviors, and
information literacy skills of high school students and students at four-year colleges and
universities. However, there is very little research focused on these same needs,
behaviors, and skills in students attending non-four-year colleges:
career/technical/vocational schools. This research aims at filling a gap in current
professional knowledge in the library and information field in order to serve this oft
overlooked population group.
Data Collection
The following information outlines the data collection planned for this project:
Types of Data
Research for this project will be mixed-methods in order to obtain the most complete
representation of the population being studied. The research will include a variety of
quantitative and qualitative data collection instruments as outlined below:
Methods of Data Collection
Quantitative
Survey: In order to ascertain how students view their own information literacy
skills level, the researcher will send a questionnaire to students via email. This
method will allow for the acquisition of data from a larger population than what
the qualitative methods listed below will permit.
Test: To determine the actual level of information literacy skills, the researcher
will administer an objective test to matriculating first-year students. The survey
and test will coordinate so that various represented information literacy skills
allow comparison between perception and reality.
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Qualitative
Focus Groups: The researcher will form and interview two separate focus groups
for this study. With the first focus group, comprised of
career/technical/vocational educators and librarians, the goal will be to determine
if the faculty believe students are equal to the challenge of seeking out credible
and relevant information to meet their needs both in school and in their
prospective careers. The questions will also focus on common mistakes students
make on assignments where research is a key component and how often students
receive such assignments. The second focus group will exclusively include
students. The goal of this focus group interview is to determine if the students
recognize when they need to do research, what kinds of information they seek, if
they utilize the library and its staff, and what kinds of information seeking they
foresee themselves undertaking post-college.
Observation: Two types of observations will take place in this study. The first
will be a general field observation over the course of a week to see how students
use library and/or computer lab facilities. The observer will pay particular
attention to when research is being done on a computer, when students ask library
faculty and staff reference questions, and how often students visit the library
stacks. The second phase of observations will target and follow five volunteer
students as they search for specific information. The observer will take careful
note of students utilization of resources, processes used, keywords and delimiters
of online and database searches, any thinking aloud the students do, along with
the key factors listed above for the general observations.
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Student Journals: The five students who will be involved in the second phase of
observations will also keep research journals. These journals shall chronicle the
students research efforts outside of the school setting (e.g.: at home.) They shall
also record their feelings about the research process, how they think it is going,
and satisfaction and frustrations. Their journals should reflect internal processes
that may not be apparent to the observer during field observations.
Privacy
Before participation in the study, the researcher will give participants an Informed
Consent Form that will include: procedure outline, risks and rewards, data collection
protocol, and their rights as participants. Data collection will not require personally
identifiable information at any point; collected data will be anonymous. Prior to data
analysis the researcher will remove names and email addresses that are voluntarily
provided for the purpose of the gift card drawing from the associated survey. The
researcher will also strip interview and field observation notes, as well student journals,
of information that could lead to identification of a participant. Students may share only
what they choose to share and may cease participation in the study at any point.
Potential Challenges
A potential challenge may be lack of participation in the student survey regarding
students informational needs. To counteract this problem, the researcher will send email
reminders for the two months the survey is available. The repeated reminders will help
keep the survey at the forefront of students minds. Also, the students will take the
survey during a non-hectic time of the fall semester (e.g.: not during the beginning of the
semester, mid-terms, or finals times) in an effort to ensure students will have time to
complete the survey. Finally, in an effort to entice students to participate and eliminate
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some of these challenges, participants will have the opportunity to submit their names in
a drawing for a gift card.
Data Analysis
To analyze the data, the researcher will analyze the surveys and information literacy tests
from the first part of the study and search for correlations and patterns. The link between
perceived self-confidence held by students regarding their information literacy skills and
actual performance particularly interests the researcher. The researcher will then
compare field observations to the survey results to see if the resources students listed as
preferences and what they use for research agree. The researcher will analyze focus
group interviews for patterns such as common mistakes students make (from the point of
view of the school faculties). The researcher will analyze student focus groups, field
observations, and student journals for patterns in student information seeking behavior
and needs.
Information Reporting
The researcher will publish full results as a paper for the library/information science
community. The researcher will also publish summary reporting for higher education
administration in order to inform that community about how to better serve students.
Social media outlets, such as Twitter, provide an opportunity to post advertisement of
results so the information and education communities will know of this knowledges
existence.
Literature Review
As noted above, the professional literature in this area is scarce. A notable exception is a
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paper from Nora Bird, et al. In their study, "Workplace Information Literacy: A
Neglected Priority for Community College Libraries," researchers found through survey
and focus group interviews of community college librarians that in a vast majority of
cases, information literacy and library instruction classes are different for students on
vocational tracks rather than college preparatory tracks (Bird, et al. 25-26). The paper
goes on to describe some of the barriers the librarians face to providing instruction to
vocational students; many of the barriers centered on vocational track faculty being
unaware of how the library relates to their field or courses of study (26). This lack of
awareness is particularly troubling as the survey results show that IL [information
literacy] instruction is most effective for vocational-technology students seem to be
where there is an emphasis on collaboration with instructors (30). In a case study of
Portland Community College, the authors describe a multi-dimensional, vertically
aligned, information literacy curriculum that starts in kindergarten and builds through
baccalaureate work. This framework could apply to the needs of a vocational program,
although the authors do not elaborate on the specifics of how that could be done. Of
particular interest to this proposed study is the idea that the curriculum should take into
account every possible stopping point in the relationship between students and the school
(Kessinger 50). This consideration implies that some programs are contemplating
tentative ideas in the field for an information literacy training program to meet the needs
of students outside of the traditional four year academic degree route. This kind of
education on information literacy as a distinct skill set is important and many students are
receptive to learning them. In Latham and Grosss work with first year community
college students, the majority of students easily picked up at least one new skill related to
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information literacy and research and were interested in learning more (Latham and
Gross 379). Training in information literacy that relates to the needs of students in the
short-term and long-term increases the relevance to the students; teaching the skills as a
distinct set exemplifies how the skills are transferable to different situations. In another
paper by the same authors, Gross and Latham found that students have to see that
attaining information literacy skills is achievable and can improve their experiences, or
they will have little motivation to learn (Gross and Latham 184). The information
literacy skills that the students have when they enter the workforce are important as there
will be vocational related information needs. Fafeita and Lloyd followed apprentice
chefs to ascertain their information behavior when information needs arose. While the
researchers found that sources of information for their study subjects varied, such as food
and people, the chefs still had to glean information and interact with the distinct set of
information literacy skills that students vocational education can provide (Fafeita and
Lloyd 93-96). No matter the specific field the student later enters, the skill set of
information literacy will be applicable and serve him or her well; training
career/technical/vocational students these skills and how to apply the skills to their
specific informational needs is an area that deserves more focus in the field.
Important Concepts
For the purposes of the proposed study, the following concepts apply:
Information behavior The way a person interacts with information, particularly
the way he or she finds and uses information.
Information need the desire to obtain information for a purpose, either
intrinsically or extrinsically motivated.
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Information literacy The skill set that is necessary to effectively and efficiently
recognize an information need exists then locate, evaluate, synthesize, and
communicate relevant information in a responsible manner.
Career/technical/vocational schools These schools provide a high focus on
vocational education. Students learn a particular skill set that is necessary for
success in a specific job. These schools usually eschew the liberal arts education
of traditional four-year colleges and universities in favor of career focus training
and education. Students can typically complete programs of study in these
schools in less than four years.
Rationale
The rationale of including such a sizeable number of data collection methods in this study
is to balance quantitative and qualitative data. The quantitative data will provide the
numbers necessary to presume generalizations about the population; the qualitative data
will provide richer details and understanding about the actual information seeking
behaviors and processes of the students. The student logs provide the researcher with the
full picture of student information seeking. Field observations, while good for first
person witnessing of information seeking, can only take place in a limited setting such as
the library or a computer lab. The journals will provide valuable information about what
will take place in other environments such as the home or other classrooms.
Expected Results
The researcher expects that the findings of this study, while having some overlap with
previous studies focused on students at traditional four-year colleges and universities,
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will show that students enrolled in career/technical/vocational institutions will have
unique informational needs and behaviors. The researcher hypothesizes:
Students matriculating into career/technical/vocational school will perform at
approximately the same level as those matriculating into traditional four-year
colleges and universities on information literacy skill exams.
Students will over-estimate their information literacy skills compared to what
their performances on the test will indicate as their actual level of information
literacy competency.
Students in career/technical/vocational schools will have informational needs that
focus more on practical needs and career interests than those in traditional four-
year college and university settings.
Implications
The proposed research will provide data that will inform the library and information
science community and higher education community about a segment of the population
that currently has little known information. This research will allow both communities to
better understand the needs of the students and inform policies and assistance aimed at
helping career/technical/vocational students acquire the information literacy skills they
will need during their time in school and in life.
Time Schedule
The total time that this research project requires for completion is ten months, based on
the following time schedule:
Design questionnaire & test 1 month
Distribution of questionnaire & test 2 months
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Conduct field observations 3 months
Conduct focus group interviews 1 month
Analysis of data 1 month
Compose report 2 months
Total time = 10 months
Budget
The projected budget for this research project is as follows:
Gift cards $100.00
Stationary $30.00
Travel $50.00
Printing $50.00
Photocopying $20.00
Proofing/editing service $200.00
Miscellaneous $50.00
Total Projected Price = $500.00
Bibliography
Bird, Nora J., Michael Crumpton, Melynda Ozan, and Tim Williams. "Workplace
Information Literacy: A Neglected Priority for Community College Libraries."
Journal of Business & Finance Librarianship 17.1 (2012): 18-33. Print.
Fafeita, Jenny, and Annemaree Lloyd. "Plating up Information Literacy as a Social
Practice: A Slice of the Literature." Australian Academic & Research Libraries
43.2 (2012): 92-101. Print.
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Gross, Melissa, and Don Latham. "Experiences with and Perceptions of Information: A
Phenomenographic Study of First-Year College Students." The Library Quarterly
81.2 (2011): 161-86. JSTOR. Web. 8 Apr. 2014.
Kessinger, Pamela. "Integrated Instruction Framework for Information Literacy." Journal
of Information Literacy 7.2 (2013): 33-59. Print.
Latham, Don, and Melissa Gross. "Instructional Preferences of First- Year College
Students with Below- Proficient Information Literacy Skills: A Focus Group
Study." College & Research Libraries (2013): 430-49. JSTOR. Web. 8 Apr. 2014.
---. "Enhancing Skills, Effecting Change: Evaluating an Intervention for Students with
Below-Proficient Information Literacy Skills / Renforcer Les Comptences Pour
Induire Des Changements : valuation D'une Intervention Auprs D'tudiants
Possdant Des Comptences Informationnelles Infrieures La Matrise."
Canadian Journal of Information and Library Science 35.4 (2011): 367-83. Print.