Information Studies

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Academic information needs and information seeking behaviour of grade 11 learners of Eastwood Secondary School.
(2017) Richard, Sunitha.; Monyela, Madireng Jane.
Information is considered an important resource that is essentially needed in all human endeavours. Information is a message that changes an individual’s knowledge by adding to existing knowledge or filling in the gap, hence information significantly enhances the existing knowledge of the user. For a learners to excel academically, it is necessary for the learners to make use of relevant and pertinent information to ensure his or her success. Learners are expected to build their knowledge through engaging with a wide range of resources and the emphasis in assessment learning is on projects and portfolios of work instead of rote memorizing of textbooks and teacher’s notes. Learners purposively seek information to satisfy their school work related needs. Aim: This study examines the academic information needs and information seeking behaviour of grade 11 learners at Eastwood Secondary School. Methodology: The research employed a quantitative methodology in the form of a survey. The questionnaire was used as a data collection instrument to collect data from 169 grade 11 learners, which produced a response rate of 100%. Findings: The findings revealed that that the learners were most in need of information that dealt with the subjects of mathematics, physical science and English. The information sources that were most sought after included the Internet, textbooks and study guides. Learners revealed that they preferred printed material followed by online material. English was the most preferred language when searching for information. It was found that academic needs influenced their searching behaviour on the Internet and in books. Learners were found to be most satisfied with the use of the Internet and cell phone when searching for information. The learners were faced with various challenges; the major challenges was the poor staff attitude of the community /public library, the school being without a functioning library and the lack of time to seek needed information. Recommendations: The study recommends the following: collaboration between community/public library and the school, school library policy, functioning school library, increase in public funding to schools for information resources, computers with internet connectivity at schools and for a teacher librarian to teach information literacy.
Academic information needs and information-seeking behaviour of Haythorne Secondary grade eight learners using the Msunduzi Woodlands Branch Public Library, Pietermaritzburg.
(2017) Budhu, Bhavisha Premdass.; Kheswa, Siyanda Edison.
Information is an essential ingredient for a socially and economically engaged democracy in any community. The changes and advancements in the educational system and the lack of school libraries have resulted in a paradigm shift in the role that public libraries play in the 21st century. This necessitates public libraries to become knowledgeable about current information needs and the information-seeking-behaviour of its users. It is against this backdrop that this study investigates the academic information needs and information-seeking behaviour of grade eight learners of Haythorne Secondary using the Msunduzi Woodlands Branch Public Library, Pietermaritzburg. The study’s methodology was largely quantitative, with some qualitative elements as it seeks to identify the academic information needs of a particular community. Hence a mixed methods approach was adopted in order to accommodate both sets of data. The study utilised a descriptive cross-sectional survey design. A census survey was undertaken with a sample of grade eight learners (256 learners) of Haythorne Secondary who used the Msunduzi Woodlands Branch Public Library, Pietermaritzburg. The study seeks to ensure equal representation as well as represented, input from both registered and non-registered library users. The instrument used for collecting data from learners was a self-administered questionnaire consisting of closed and open-ended questions. In addition, a semi-structured interview schedule was used to collect data from the Northern Branches Senior Librarian. The reliability and validity of the questionnaire were ensured through a pre-test on a group of grade eight learners at Eastwood Secondary School, Pietermaritzburg. The quantitative data was captured using SPSS software. The qualitative data were analysed manually using thematic analysis. The results of the study showed that the information needs and information-seeking behaviour of the learners was influenced by their age and educational context. Learners needed information for diverse purposes, however, their most frequent information need was for academic purposes, self-education, solving problems, health, recreation or leisure, news, family emerging sexuality and careers. The preferred information sources included the Internet, books, study guides, newspapers and informal information sources (professionals, family and friends). The barriers experienced by learners to seeking information from the library included the absence of public computers, Internet access, insufficient and relevant library resources and constraint of library hours. Based on the findings, recommendations were made to address certain problems presented in this study. The fundamental conclusion is that sustainable information dissemination and library services in public libraries within the 21st century will depend on a more dynamic leadership and vision of a new model of a public library that holistically embraces the absence of school libraries and bridges the digital divide.
Access to and use of electronic information resources in the academic libraries of the Lesotho Library Consortium.
(2017) Sejane, Lefuma.; Hoskins, Ruth Geraldine Melonie.
The study presents the findings of a survey regarding access to and use of electronic information resources in academic libraries of the Lesotho Library Consortium (LELICO). Nine institutions were studied, namely; the National University of Lesotho; Lesotho College of Education; Lesotho Agricultural College; Lerotholi Polytechnic; Centre of Accounting Studies; National Health Training College; Lesotho Distance Teaching Centre; Lesotho Institute of Public Administration and Management, and Institute of Development Management. The Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model by Venkatesh et al., (2009) underpinned the study, using the main variables or constructs of direct determinants of intention, being; Facilitating Condition (FC), Effort Expectancy (EE), Performance Expectancy (PE) and Social Influence (SI), also the direct determinants for use behaviour, User Behaviour (UB) and Behaviour Intention (BI). The study adopted the post-positivists paradigm and mixed methods were used; that is, qualitative and quantitative approaches. The self-administered questionnaires were distributed to the librarians (systems librarians, subject librarians and acquisition librarians), while the two semi-structured interviews were conducted with the Pro-Vice Chancellor, Directors and Rectors, University Librarian, and Library Directors. Response rate of 69.6% for librarians, 44.4% for PVC, Directors or Rectors and 56% for University Librarian and Library Directors were achieved. To analyse quantitative data, the SPSS Version 20.0 was used, while qualitative data was analysed by sorting, classifying and arranging data which were examined in relation to combined thematic content analysis. To ascertain reliability and validity of the instruments, pre-testing was done of both the instruments for librarians and the Library Director of the University of KwaZulu-Natal Library, in Pietermaritzburg. The research study was guided by the ethical protocol of the University of KwaZulu-Natal, which was adhered to. It was established that the type of e-resources accessed and used by academic libraries of LELICO included: e-mail, search engines, websites, Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC), e-journals, full-text databases, reference databases, institutional repositories (IRs) and Compact Disc-Read Only Memories (CD-ROMs). The study established that e-resources which were accessed and used mostly were e-mail, search engines and websites, followed by the OPAC, e-journals, full-text databases, IRs, reference databases. The study further found that main uses of e-resources were for communication, to support teaching and learning activities, such as professional research, assignments and lecture requirements. The findings showed that awareness of e-resources was mainly through formal engagement, such as library orientation and through informal engagement such as colleagues. The following strategies were in place: IRs, Open Access (OA), Information Literacy (IL) programme as well as library orientation sessions to improve on the access to and use of e-resources. It has been further revealed that challenges such as budget cuts, low internet bandwidth, lack of up-to-date Information Technology (IT) infrastructure, inadequate searching skills, shortage of staff and high cost of subscription fees posed many of the threats to access to and use of e-resources in the institutions libraries. The findings revealed lack of guidelines and e-resources collection development policies. The study concluded that access to and use of electronic information resources in the academic libraries were influenced by how e-resources were accessed, systems in place, effectiveness of the consortium, challenges facing libraries and strategies in place. The study recommended the establishment of e-collection development policies, guidelines and procedures for budget allocation, conducting of needs assessment to selection, collections maintenance, evaluation and resource sharing formulated to be implemented to enhance the efficient management of e-resource collection by providing selection procedures, requirements, standards and specifications in terms of Information and Communication Technologies(ICTs) infrastructure, equipment and human resource recruitment. The findings of the study influenced the formulation of e-resources collection development policies in academic libraries of the LELICO. The research is a strong platform for critical knowledge exchange and engagement and the presentation of results enhanced the understanding of the current realities and status in relation to access to and use of e-resources in the higher education setting particularly in the academic libraries. Furthermore, the study makes significant contribution in the areas of policy, theory and practice regarding access to and use of e-resources. The present study contributes to the body of knowledge, information and literature, especially in the context of Lesotho.
Access to gender and development information by rural women in the Tanga region, Tanzania.
(1998) Kiondo, Elizabeth.; Stilwell, Christine.
Rural women play significant roles in both food and cash crop production, however, the majority of them lack access to productive resources, including information. To enhance the process of development and to ensure that rural women participate in and benefit from rural development processes, it is important that productive resources such as land, technology and information are made accessible to them. The purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which rural women access gender and development information. It therefore investigated how the rural information delivery system is organised and operates in order to gain an understanding of the factors which hamper the accessibility of information to the majority of rural women. This understanding will enable rural development planners and information professionals to design and implement information services which are accessible to all members of the rural community. In conducting this study in the Tanga region of Tanzania, a sample of 773 households was drawn from an estimated 155,863 households to acquire a sample of rural women. A structured interview protocol was used to collect data from the rural women. A total of 64 human information providers out of a total of 90 targeted to be included in the study, was interviewed. Data was also collected through document reviews and informal discussion with key informants at regional and district levels as well as through personal observations during field work. The findings of the study indicate that at least 40 percent of rural women are still functionally illiterate and at least 30 percent head rural households. Tt:1e majority of them still live in poverty with limited incomes. On the other hand the information providers are predominantly male, constituting a male/female ratio of 3: 1. The information needs of rural women are practical and strategic in nature. Information providers used are mainly friends and relatives, village leaders, health extension workers and hospitals and clinics. The communications used in information exchange processes are oral in nature with face to face communication being the main channel used. Formal sources of information such as printed and audio-visual sources are rarely used. Furthermore, this study has shown that socio-economic factors impact on levels of access and use of information providers. Information made accessible to women is mainly health information, followed by community affairs which is mainly about community problems discussed at village meetings. Very few women benefit from rural training programmes and information on development projects because these are limited to specific project areas. Information delivered is therefore not adequate to satisfy rural women's needs whereas information accessed is moderately relevant as far as their health information needs are concerned. The main barriers to rural women's access to information include: workload, attitudes of information providers, customs and traditions and non availability of other sources such as printed and audio-visual sources, as well as low income and relatively low education levels of women. This study has identified several weaknesses in the rural information delivery system which need to be addressed. It is therefore recommended that in order to make information readily accessible to the majority of women, there is a need (i) to formulate gender sensitive policies and institute mechanisms for implementation, which should include the training of information providers in gender issues in services-provision; (ii) to make available adequate financial resources to support rural information seryices; (iii) to use a variety of sources of information to cater for ; the heterogenous needs of users; (iv) to have a political will not only to address gender issues but also to sensitize entire rural communities to gender issues.
Adoption and use of electronic instructional media among academics in selected universities in South West Nigeria.
(2016) Alabi, Adefunke Olanike.; Mutula, Stephen M.
This study was conducted to determine the adoption and use of electronic instructional media among academics in selected universities in South West Nigeria. The study addressed the following research questions: What is the extent of adoption and use of electronic instructional media in selected Nigerian universities? What factors influence adoption and use of electronic instructional media? How do media literacy skills influence adoption and use of electronic instructional media? What is the moderating effect of gender, age and teaching experience on adoption and use of electronic instructional media? What challenges are faced in the adoption and use of electronic instructional media by academics in selected Nigerian universities? The Unified Theory of Technology Acceptance and Use (UTAUT) and Diffusion of Innovation (DOI) theory were used as the underpinning theoretical lens. The philosophical perspective was based on post-positivism. Quantitative, complemented by qualitative methods were used with the survey research design. The target population of the study consisted of academics and management staff from two purposively selected Nigerian universities in the South West geopolitical zone. Academics were drawn from the faculties of Science, Arts and Technology in the universities that made up this study. From a population of 732 academics, a sample size of 267 was determined using a published table for selecting sample sizes as put forth by Israel (1992). Additionally, the census method was used to reach 11 university management staff members comprising deans of faculties, the university librarians and directors of the Centre for Information and Technology units. The survey questionnaires were used mainly to collect quantitative data from academics while interviews were used to collect qualitative data from university management staff. The reliability coefficient of the instrument was computed using Cronbach’s alpha (α) through a test-retest reliability method. A Cronbach’s alpha (α) value of r = 0.96 was obtained. Response rates of 80.5% and 90.9% were obtained from the data collected through quantitative and qualitative methods respectively. Quantitative data was analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS, version 21) to generate descriptive and inferential statistics while qualitative data was processed using the NVivo 10 package. The ethical aspect or the axiological component of this study was achieved by adhering to the ethical protocol of the University of KwaZulu-Natal. Permission was obtained from the relevant authorities of the universities which fell under the ambit of this study. The findings revealed that though academics had adopted various types of electronic instructional media, this did not necessarily translate into extensive usage of such electronic instructional media. The majority of academics, however, regularly pursued innovative ways to incorporate electronic instructional media into their lectures. The findings further showed that academics used personal computers, MS Word, Internet, e- mail, mobile phones, mobile devices, Web resources, e-books and power-point presentations on a daily basis for teaching purposes. Academics used these electronic instructional media mainly for preparing lecture notes, presentation of lectures, producing assignments, course manuals, and communicating with students and colleagues. The findings also revealed that use of electronic instructional media such as LMS, plagiarism software, interactive whiteboard and social networking sites for teaching purposes was yet to be entrenched among Nigerian academics. The findings showed that facilitating conditions and effort expectancy were the strongest factors influencing adoption and use of electronic instructional media by academics for teaching purposes. The findings showed a significant relationship between media literacy skills and adoption and use of electronic instructional media. Gender and teaching experience, as moderating variables, influenced the adoption and use of electronic instructional media. Findings also revealed that behavioural intention was capable of explaining 8.6% of the variance in adoption and use of electronic instructional media. The study concluded that Nigerian academics are not using electronic instructional media as much as they should for the delivery of knowledge. The following recommendations were therefore proffered: 1) the universities need to develop a framework for the integration of electronic instruction media into the curriculum; 2) there is need to build capacity and create awareness among academics in relation to the integration of the interactive whiteboard, LMS and plagiarism software in their pedagogy; 3) universities are urged to develop institutional policy on adoption and use of electronic instructional media in order to provide clarity in areas such as as standards, strategies, best practices, staff training, infrastructural acquisition, gender equity and data/information security; 4) collaboration between faculty and subject librarians should be nurtured to create a vibrant and conducive academic and support environment that promote the use of electronic instructional media in teaching and learning. The originality and contribution of the study is situated in the domain of methodology, theory, practice and policy. For example in the area of methodology, this study’s point of departure from extant studies is that it employs the mixed method approach for data collection and stepwise multiple regression was used to determine the best predictor of technology adoption and use among academics. In this regard, the thesis makes a significant contribution towards developing a guideline for deploying instructional technology in universities or any educational setting. From the theoretical perspectives, the study validates UTAUT and DOI from the context of a developing country. The study, therefore, further advances the UTAUT and Roger’s diffusion of innovation theory in measuring the precursors of technology adoption and use in any contextual setting. With regard to practice and policy, the study provides an empirical baseline data that can be used as managerial guidelines for policy support, monitoring and evaluation in driving and promoting electronic instructional media adoption and use in Nigerian universities.
The adoption and use of peer reviewed electronic journals by academics at selected Zimbabwean state universities.
(2014) Machimbidza, Takawira.; Mutula, Stephen M.; Hoskins, Ruth Geraldine Melonie.
The study investigated the adoption and use of peer reviewed electronic journals by academics at selected Zimbabwean State Universities. The investigation grew out of the realisation that despite several efforts that were made by different university libraries in Zimbabwe to enhance access to peer reviewed electronic journals, the use of such journals among academics remained very limited. Specifically, the study determined the level of awareness of peer reviewed electronic journals by academics, established academics‟ extent of use of the resources, assessed the attitudes and perceptions of academics towards the resources, determined factors that influence the behaviour of academics in Zimbabwean State Universities towards the resources, and investigated the strategies used by state universities libraries in Zimbabwe to promote use of peer reviewed electronic journals by academics. The study was underpinned by the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) whose constructs of Performance Expectancy, Effort Expectancy, Social Influence, and Facilitating Conditions and moderating factors of gender, age, experience, and discipline proved valuable to the tackling of research questions and analysis of data. The study embraced both the positivist and interpretivist paradigms and adopted the quantitative and qualitative approaches within a survey research design. The population consisted of 794 academics from three state universities in Zimbabwe: National University of Science and Technology (NUST), Bindura University of Science Education (BUSE), and Midlands State University (MSU). The population also included 24 professional librarians from the same universities who were all considered as respondents for the study. The sample size for academics was 363. Data were collected by questionnaires from academics and interviews from professional librarians. The overall response rate was 58.4% for academics with 212 questionnaires being returned out of the 363 that were sent out whereas 22 professional librarians were interviewed out of the targeted 24. Quantitative data were analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) and qualitative data were processed using the Nvivo package. The study found that while the majority of academics in the three universities were aware of the existence of peer reviewed electronic journals in their institutions they did not have intimate knowledge and awareness of the resources. The study also established that the majority of academics at Zimbabwean State Universities had adopted electronic journals but their level of use was low as measured by the number of articles consulted per week, frequency of use, and the major source of information for academics. Attitudes and perceptions of academics towards peer reviewed electronic journals were generally on the positive side with many academics regarding the resources as important for their work. However, academics in Zimbabwe were frustrated by many barriers that militated against their use of electronic journals. The study also found that state universities libraries in Zimbabwe depended on a number of strategies to promote use of electronic journals. However, there were weaknesses in the way these strategies were implemented as they were largely not personalised. The study also established the best fitting UTAUT model, isolating Performance Expectancy and Facilitating Conditions constructs as the most crucial determinants of adoption and use of peer reviewed electronic journals in Zimbabwe. The study recommended establishment of strong and fluid communication channels between university libraries and academic faculties as this would result in effective induction processes that would enhance the awareness of peer reviewed electronic journals by academics. Universities were urged to review the information they were giving to academics to determine its relevancy and adequacy in generating in-depth awareness of electronic journals. Universities were also urged to employ more personalised marketing and promotion strategies to augment the broad based strategies they were using. The use of social media in promotion was also emphasised. Top administrators of universities were encouraged to take a leading role in encouraging use of electronic journals. University libraries were urged to review the model they use to subscribe to peer reviewed electronic journals and embrace one that enables more access to full text electronic journal articles and facilitate participation of academics in selection of resources. Universities were urged to eliminate all forms of barriers that militate against the use of electronic journals by academics and institute continuous training programmes to improve the skills of users. Universities were also encouraged to increase research funding as this had the effect of improving usage of peer reviewed electronic journals.
Adult users’ perceptions of library services provided by Nongoma Public Library, Kwazulu-Natal.
(2020) Buthelezi, Nombuso Portia.; Kheswa, Siyanda Edison.
The study investigated adult users’ perceptions of the library services provided by the Nongoma Public Library (NPL) in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). It examined the quality of service provided by the library to its adult library users, by determining their expectations and perceptions of the services provided and whether there were any gaps between users’ expectations and perceptions. It also investigated users’ level of satisfaction with the quality of services rendered. Since its inception in 1996 and despite its importance, no assessment of the NPL had been conducted from the perspective of its users. This study intended to fill this gap and it is assumed that the findings will form a baseline and framework for future services provided by the library. Using convenience sampling a sample of 262 adults was selected from the 819 registered adult library users. One hundred and thirteen (113) users completed the questionnaire giving a response rate of 43.1% which was considered acceptable for purposes of analysis and reporting. The study adopted a quantitative approach using the survey design. The LibQUAL+TM survey instrument which was used to collect data was modified and adapted for use in a public library. In line with the quantitative approach, the majority of the questions asked were closed. The results from the questionnaire survey were analysed using SPSS to determine the frequency of responses and were presented in the form of tables and figures. The results of the survey support the usefulness of the LibQUAL+TM instrument used in the study and its importance in the context of public library services. The findings indicate that in most instances, expectations exceeded perceptions regarding the quality of the services provided by the library. However, the gaps between the two were, for the most part, not significant and the extent of the gap depended on the individual services. Significant gaps were found in the categories “Library facility” and “Access to information”. Certain aspects of the category “Staff services” were found to be of concern. Findings revealed that the majority of adult users ranked the overall quality of services as good and that the library is, to a large extent, excelling in service provision. Based on the findings, recommendations were made to address the problems identified in the study. The results will be used for service improvements and to make informed decisions concerning the quality of services that are offered at the NPL. The thesis concluded with suggestions for further research. The findings of the survey that indicated that although the adult library users were satisfied with library services they received from Nongoma Public Library but there was a room for improvement. The respondents mentioned the most problematic services as the lack of adequate computers and access to Internet. The respondents further reported that there were gaps in sections involving Access to Information, Access to Electronic Resources, Library Staff and the Library facility. The study recommends that service quality be improved, in a way that the library would satisfy its adult user.
African identity in the making : the role of the centre for African literary studies as a special collection of the University of KwaZulu-Natal.
(2016) Polak, Fiona Margaret.; Stilwell, Christine.; Underwood, Peter Graham.; Hoskins, Ruth Geraldine Melonie.
Libraries contain many collections but professional practice has long recognised the concept of ‘special collections’. The Centre for African Literary Studies (CALS) at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) initially came into being to house the Bernth Lindfors Collection, the private collection of a retired professor of English from the University of Texas in Austin. Special collections can be hindered in their ability to fulfil their role as custodians of heritage and conveyors of knowledge owing to a number of factors, such as policy decisions and/or elements included in existing policies. The directors of such centres often have ambition but are handicapped in their ability to carry out their plans by various administrative challenges which can put the centres at risk. In terms of the research problem central to the study, this study explored exactly what the role of CALS as a UKZN special collection constitutes and in what way the Centre is able to fulfil its role in facilitating and enabling African Studies at UKZN and in the broader community. The study investigated these potential challenges, including factors which impede access, such as ‘hidden collections’. Challenges included financial constraints, staffing, collection development policies (including Africanisation), repatriation of collections, preservation strategies, and accessibility, including physical and space issues, and digitisation. The study employed methodological triangulation which included a literature search, documentary analysis, and survey research using questionnaires and interviews. The population constituted undergraduate and postgraduate English- and isiZulu-speaking students and researchers who have used CALS; present and ex-staff members; the original owners of the two largest CALS collections; the initial founders of CALS; as well as the current and ex-directors. The study ascertained that CALS was originally established as a separate centre on the Pietermaritzburg campus to “symbolically” make a statement, and as branding to attract postgraduate students in South Africa doing research in African literary studies to Pietermaritzburg. This would give the humanities in Pietermaritzburg “the edge in a highly competitive market”. The study established that CALS is underutilised by postgraduate students and researchers. The majority of usage is from isiZulu-speaking undergraduates, owing to the establishment of the isiZulu Literary Museum at CALS, which has proved successful in drawing isiZulu-speaking undergraduate students. The researcher was only able to identify a handful of national and international researchers which undermines the original motive for the establishment of CALS which is to facilitate and promote the study of African literature and thus enable UKZN in its endeavour to become “The Premier University of African Scholarship”. The most significant finding of the survey was the original noble vision of the founders to create a centre that boosts the humanities and African literature at UKZN and especially on the Pietermaritzburg campus, has been restricted by funding and staffing constraints. The Centre was established as an external funding centre that has proved unsustainable. This has had a negative impact on the endeavours of CALS’s directors who, despite great effort, have been significantly handicapped in their endeavours to manage CALS through lack of institutional support, funding and staff tenure.
Agricultural knowledge and information systems (AKISs) among small-scale farmers in Kirinyaga District, Kenya.
(2011) Munyua, Hilda Mantema.; Stilwell, Christine.
There has been growing interest, locally, nationally, and internationally in agricultural knowledge and information systems (AKISs) stemming from their important role in facilitating learning, innovation and the sharing and exchange of knowledge and information. Despite the fact that small-scale farmers and farmers‘ groups are among the key actors in an AKIS, little attention is devoted to their needs. This study aimed to understand the AKISs of small-scale farmers (male, female and the youth) in Kirinyaga district, Kenya. The study investigated small-scale farmers, and in particular farmers‘ groups as key actors in supporting agricultural development and linkages between actors, their information behaviour, sources of information and knowledge, linkages and flows of knowledge and information including the role of information and communication technologies (ICTs). The study also investigated the usage of these resources, barriers to accessing knowledge and information, and existing knowledge and information management practices. The study adopted multiple paradigms and perspectives but was mainly guided by the Social constructivist paradigm and the Soft systems perspective. The theoretical framework was constructed upon an integration of the Sense-making1 theory, Social cognitive theory, Social capital concept, Communities of practice (CoPs), Wilson‘s general model of information seeking behaviour, Meyer‘s information transfer model, Knowledge management theory and the Cynefin framework. The research design was a multiple methods approach that triangulated qualitative, quantitative Sense-Making, Participatory and Soft systems methodologies. Data was collected through interviews with individual farmers belonging or not belonging to a group; key informants; research, training and education institutions; civil society organisations (CSOs); and government departments using semi-structured interview guides unique to each category of informant. Focus group discussions were conducted with farmers‘ groups while questionnaires were sent to information providers. Rapid Appraisal of Agricultural Knowledge Systems, participatory rural appraisal methods, unobtrusive observation of the activities of farmers and other actors in the community and secondary information sources were also used to collect data. The findings of the study showed that rich and deep data was collected through the multiple methods research design, and that no conflict arose from using multiple paradigms in a single multifaceted and multidisciplinary study where specific research questions were addressed. The Sense-Making methodology provided useful approaches to studying the information behaviour and decision making processes of small-scale farmers, and to investigate the feelings, emotions and dreams of farmers in Kirinyaga district. However, the experience of this study showed that using a multiple methods research design could result in a very large study. The findings show that small-scale farmers need information from diverse sources and on a wide range of topics along the production and marketing value chains, based on their enterprise(s), geographic location and the actors active on the ground. Male and female farmers expressed needs on similar topics but the needs were gender differentiated with variations in the priorities, types of information needed, the weight attached to each topic, and the information seeking behaviour. Most farmers and almost half the groups combined external information and local knowledge in their farming, and information and knowledge was shared orally along social and cultural lines. Most of the groups were legally constituted and had the status of farmers‘ groups; a few were cooperatives. Farmers‘ groups emerged as key actors in the AKIS of the district and provided platforms for learning, innovation, sharing and the exchange of ideas, information and knowledge among their members. The findings show that most groups did not share information with non-group members, which led to information asymmetries between farmers belonging or not belonging to a group. The findings of the study show variations in sources used by male only, female only, youth only and mixed groups. Male only groups relied mostly on private sector sources, while female only, youth only and mixed groups depended more on public extension services. The main sources of market information were local markets, followed by neighbours, other farmers and cooperatives and societies. Extension emerged as the most important source of advice, information and knowledge on farming in general, followed by the private sector and neighbours. Groups mainly obtained information on news, new technologies or farming methods from extension, media and private sector actors, while they obtained most answers to their farming questions from their groups, extension services, neighbours and other farmers. There were variations in the sources used by different types of groups for advice, information or knowledge in general, as well as in sources used by farmers belonging or not belonging to a group in different geographic divisions. There were more than 150 actors in the public, private and CSO sectors, and there were many AKISs in Kirinyaga district, which were location specific and depended on the enterprise(s) produced and the actors that were present on the ground. Most linkages were horizontal and were weak. Farmers‘ groups and social networks provided a unique linkage mechanism to other actors and access to services such as extension, markets and basic needs. This finding suggests the need to strengthen the capacity of farmers‘ groups and encourage farmers to join or form groups. There were variations in the importance, strength and quality of the relationships between actors in different divisions, locations and sub-locations, but the linkages with farmers were generally weak. The Kirinyaga stakeholders‘ forum and a few partnerships of actors facilitated vertical flow of information between actors but the linkages were equally weak. Farmers mainly used oral communication to access and share information and knowledge. While farmers belonging to a group generally used meetings, neighbours and radio, farmers not belonging to a group mostly used radio, neighbours and cellular phones. The findings indicate that farmers preferred to use radio, television and cellular phones for accessing agricultural information but the usage of modern ICTs was low and most of the users were male. Farmers encountered many barriers in accessing and sharing agricultural information and knowledge including insufficient sources in the community; lack of awareness of who the ―knowers‖ in the community were; limited availability of information providers; poor access to and quality of information on production, value addition and markets and prices; high cost of information services; inadequate information resources and few learning opportunities; personal, social and cultural barriers; communication barriers; and illiteracy. To address these barriers and constraints, farmers used diverse sources of external information and local knowledge for decision making, problem solving, innovation and for improving understanding. While most farmers obtained operational, technical and awareness information from major sources, there was little usage of ICT based information systems. There was no bibliographic control of agricultural information resources and there were very few resource centres in the community. Most local knowledge was tacit and was held in people‘s heads and therefore shared orally from elders to the younger generations and through CoPs in the groups. The study concludes that the AKISs in Kirinyaga district were complex, dynamic, and location specific, and although there were diverse and complementary actors, the information and knowledge within the AKIS was not sufficient to meet the needs of small-scale farmers. Public extension services emerged as the key source of information for small-scale farmers and private extension services such as those offered by horticultural exporting companies were a pillar of support for commercial farmers. There were insufficient numbers of information providers, which meant extension officers were not easily accessible. These findings suggest the need to formalise and strengthen linkages between actors, to improve access to agricultural knowledge and information, and to formulate policy and regulatory frameworks that are gender responsive. There is a need for policies that facilitate the collection, processing, storage and dissemination of external agricultural information and the capturing, documenting and sharing of local knowledge.
Alumni perceptions of a post graduate Information and Library Science Education programme at the University of Natal, South Africa.
(LiASA, 2004) Stilwell, Christine.
A survey of alumni perceptions of a post graduate programme in Information and Library Science, the B.Bibl. Honours, at the University of Natal, South Africa is described. Module content and appropriateness are reviewed in relation to demands of the workplace. Alumni views on delivery and assessment methods are interrogated as are requirements in terms of continuing education. Critical issues in ILS education are identified, for example, balancing a human-centred approach with Information and Communication Technology competencies in the networked age. Reference is made to Information Management and Knowledge Management. Findings suggest that the Programme has broadly attained its anticipated outcomes in preparing alumni for the workplace and that to some extent a balance between the various considerations outlined in the literature had been achieved.
An analysis of staff perceptions of the structure of the provincial library services and their affiliated public libraries in the light of socio-political circumstances, 1990 - April 1994.
(1995) Stilwell, Christine.; Horton, Weldon J.; Kaniki, Andrew M.
Abstract available in pdf file.
An analysis of the curricula of school librarianship programmes in colleges of education in Transkei, Venda, Bophuthatswana and Ciskei.
(1994) Majaja, Vatiswa Violet.; Horton, Weldon J.
Abstract available in PDF.
An analysis of user education programmes in selected University libraries in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
(2017) Idoniboye-Obu, Tamunotonye Ibimina.; Hoskins, Ruth Geraldine Melonie.
This study presents the results of the survey research on the topic: An analysis of user education programmes in selected university libraries in the province of KwaZulu-Natal. The study was conducted in four university libraries in KwaZulu-Natal. They are: Durban University of Technology (DUT); Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT); University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) and University of Zululand (UNIZULU). Three of the four institutions under study are multi-campus institutions which operate academic libraries for the various programmes on their campuses. The conceptual frameworks/principal theories that informed the study were: the draft guidelines on information literacy by the Committee for Higher Education Librarians in South Africa (CHELSA) (Esterhuizen and Kuhn 2010); and the guidelines for instruction programmes in academic libraries approved by the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) of 2011; and the information literacy competency standards for higher education approved by the American Association for Higher Education 1999. These are guidelines that help to direct service providers while administering UEPs to their users in the libraries. The theories were the information search process (ISP) model which was developed by Kuhlthau in the 1980s and 1990s and has been used to examine theoretical concepts within the library and information science discipline, and the relational model of information literacy developed by Bruce in 1997. The study used a mixed method approach for data collection, adopting both qualitative and quantitative methods. Since the population was small, it carried out a census of all population elements. The population comprised two main cohorts: subject librarians and library management staff. The main instrument for the collection of quantitative data was a self-administered questionnaire which was administered to the subject librarians (subject librarians and training librarians). The second cohort comprised university librarians/directors, campus/branch librarians, principal librarians and an information service manager/manager academic services. This cohort was interviewed using a semi-structured interview schedule. The quantitative data was coded manually and analysed with the help of SPSS software Version 23.0 and used to produce charts, frequency tables and cross tabulations where necessary. The qualitative data was analysed using thematic content analysis. Both instruments were pretested to determine reliability and validity. The pretesting of both instruments involved twelve (12) librarians working in both South Africa and Nigeria. Five of the pre-test participants were lecturers; two were post-doctoral fellows in the same Information Studies discipline in the School of Social Sciences of the University of KwaZulu-Natal; and the other five were librarians working in different universities in Nigeria but who at the time of the study were doctoral students in the Library and Information Studies in the School of Social Sciences of the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg Campus. The pretest was designed to ensure there was clarity of questions and to eliminate any in the research instrument. The response rate for subject librarians was 46 out of 49 respondents (93.8%) while that for library management staff was 70% (See Table 5.1). The study found out that all four university libraries operate formal user education programmes (UEPs) although the concept of formal UEPs was interpreted differently by some of the subject librarians who sought to interpret it as credit bearing. It was also revealed that out of the four university libraries only one library operated its UEPs on the basis of a policy document according to the interview responses; all the others said there was no separate policy for the library aside from the university’s one. In other words, the university policy document formed the basis of UEPs. This implies a possible lack of adherence to national and international library standards. Another finding of the study was that all four university libraries deliver similar content in their UEPs and UEPs are for all categories of users of the library ranging from under-graduate to academic staff. It was also revealed that UEPs were benchmarked against their institutions’ standards and goals before consideration of local or international library standards like those of LIASA and ACRL outside their institutions. The study also revealed that UEPs in all four university libraries were evaluated by various means (as per section 5.4.20, Table 5.9). The findings of the study further revealed that in all four university libraries, with regards to population of staff in terms of gender, there were more females than males (as par section 5.2.3 and section 5.5.1, Table 5.15). In terms of originality, the study was conducted in four university libraries in KwaZulu-Natal which has not been researched before. The study discovered that user education is still regarded as a critical activity by libraries and it is the foundation upon which users are able to build information knowledge and skills to be able to effectively use all the resources and facilities provided by the library. Based on the findings, the following recommendations were made: for UEPs to be relevant in this 21st century, constant evaluation is needed to upgrade its value to benefit users; there should be separate UEPs for postgraduates and undergraduates; there be designated subject librarians for UEPs in order to effectively deliver the programmes to users. Another recommendation from the study is that a policy document be developed in all university libraries to guide the development and execution of the UEPs to ensure the desired outcomes are achieved when the programmes are evaluated. It is also recommended that libraries do more to market and advertise UEPs to enable students entering into higher institutions to benefit from them by being able to use all resources and facilities in the library to the fullest.
The applicability of the major social science paradigms to the study of the agricultural knowledge and information systems of small-scale farmers.
(University of KwaZulu-Natal., 2012) Munyua, Hilda Mantema.; Stilwell, Christine.
The social sciences offer a rich array of paradigms within which to locate agricultural knowledge and information systems (AKIS) research. This article provides an overview of the major paradigms in the social sciences, identifying those which offer a lens through which the AKISs of small-scale farmers can be viewed. It is based on a review and analysis of the paradigms, perspectives and approaches that are appropriate for studying different facets of an AKIS. These systems are complex by nature but Social constructivism, Phenomenology, Interpretive and Participatory paradigms make possible a pluralistic and compatibilist approach that provides the necessary logic and harmony for such a study. A systems approach, mixed methods methodology and multiple data collection methods can be used to improve understanding of AKISs of this type. A pragmatic paradigmatic stance is recommended to guide the design for a comprehensive study of the AKISs of small-scale farmers in developing countries.
The application of microcomputer technology for information retrieval in library resource centres of Indian secondary schools in South Africa.
(1990) Govender, Gopal.; Horton, Weldon J.
Abstract available in pdf file.
An assessment of the integration of information literacy education into first year programmes in the Faculty of Management Sciences at the Durban University of Technology - Durban Campus.
(2016) Naicker, Kogilambal.; Leach, Athol Brian.
Abstract available in PDF.
Availability and utilisation of information resources by academic librarians for job performance enhancement in selected university libraries in North-Central Nigeria.
(2020) Kutu, Jacob Oloruntoba.; Garaba, Francis.
The study examined availability and utilisation of information resources by academic librarians for job performance enhancement in selected university libraries in North-Central Nigeria. Five research questions and four hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and Task-Technology Fit were the theoretical frameworks underpinning the study. Research questions were matched to the theories while post-positivism research paradigm with survey research design was employed. The extant literature reviewed showed that job performance of academic librarians in African university libraries, particularly Nigerian university libraries was low, when compared with that of their counterparts from the developed parts of the world. The literature also revealed that little or no attention has been paid to examine the importance of information resources use in achieving academic librarians' job performance. The study used explanatory design as a choice of mixed method research. Both qualitative and quantitative data were gathered from the academic librarians from seven selected universities in the north-central geopolitical zone of Nigeria. The data arising from the study were analysed with the aid of Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS version 24.0). For the research questions, descriptive statistics (frequency counts, percentages, mean and standard deviation) were employed to describe the variables and their occurrences among the respondents. Inferential statistics were used to test the hypotheses. The qualitative data were analysed using thematic analysis. The results of the evaluation contributed immensely to enhancing the researcher’s confidence in the reliability of the instruments and the data emanating from such procedures. The ethical aspect of this study was achieved by adhering to the ethical protocol of the University of KwaZulu-Natal. The reliability coefficient of the instrument was computed using Cronbach’s alpha (α) through a pre-test reliability method. A Cronbach’s alpha (α) value of r = 0.876 was obtained. The total enumeration technique was thereafter used to select academic librarians in the seven selected federal universities in the north-central region of Nigeria. One hundred and twenty-eight (128) copies of a questionnaire were administered across the seven university libraries. Out of this total, 103 copies were duly completed and returned for quantitative analysis, giving a response rate of 81%. However, a response rate of 100% was achieved for the qualitative data. In addition, the census method was used, in line with Israel (1992). Copies of the survey questionnaire were used mainly to collect quantitative data from the academic librarians, while interviews were used to collect qualitative data from university librarians (heads of library). The findings indicated that 90% of the respondents noted that there is high availability of information resources for their job performance. A relationship between level of information resources utilisation and academic librarians job performance was established in the selected university libraries at (β= 0.591; p<0.05). The hypotheses tested revealed that job performance was significantly related to information accessibility and information utilisation. Though, information availability was found to be positively related to job performance, the relationship was not statistically significant (β= 0.081; p>0.05). Theoretically, the study contributed to validating Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and Task-Technology Fit. The need for university libraries to sustain awareness among library staff on the importance of engaging in the use of cataloguing services for effective job performance, maintenance of acquisition policy on selection of print and non-print information resources, provision of regular electricity supply, improved Internet connectivity, attendance of periodic ICT-based training and improved library budgetary allocation were recommended as strategies for effective job performance among the academic librarians in the selected university libraries in North-central, Nigeria.
A bibliometric study of the publication patterns of South African scientists.
(1998) Jacobs, Daisy.; Kaniki, Andrew M.
One of the legacies of the apartheid system was the discrepancy in funding and support for various activities, including research work in science and technology based on racial grounds. Some institutions of higher learning and research institutes were favoured more than others in terms of resources. Presently, despite the fact that there is national democracy, previously disadvantaged institutions with their culture of minimal research and poor publication output continue to produce inadequate quantities of research and publications while the historically developed universities are at the forefront of research and publication.This research is a bibliometric study of the publication patterns of South African scientists. The subjects were academic scientists from ten selected universities of the Eastern Cape, Western Cape and KwaZulu Natal, which vary considerably, with regard to standards of education, quantity of publications, development and overall progress. The general purpose of this study was to investigate the patterns used by scientists in publishing the results of their research, provide valuable information and play a significant role in evaluating the research and publication patterns of scientists from these different institutions The study collected two sets of data through lists of publications and a questionnaire. The questionnaire was pretested and the comments of the respondents enabled the investigator to make the necessary revisions in the subsequent questionnaire. The questionnaire was sent to 350 full-time academic scientists in the departments of physics, chemistry, botany, zoology and biochemistry / microbiology in the selected universities. Out of the 350 scientists, 174 responded. Twenty one returns were discarded, hence only 153 were used in the data analysis. Further data was obtained from the Science Citation Index and the Foundation for Research Development. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, one way ANOVA and Pearson Chi-Square test. The results obtained in this study showed that the five null hypotheses were rejected. It was found that there was a : - • direct relation between academic rank and productivity; academic status and productivity. • direct relation correlation between prestige and productivity. • higher impact of "A" grade scientists over non-"A" grade scientists. • significant difference in productivity between areas of science that are funded and areas which receive little or no funding.
"Boundless opportunities": towards an assessment of the usefulness of the concept of social exclusion for the South African public library situation.
(University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2006) Stilwell, Christine.
Defines the concept of social exclusion. Identifies factors that contribute to social exclusion. Explores the usefulness of the concept in local contexts
Cataloguing practices from creation to use: a study of Cape Town Metropolitan Public Libraries in Western Cape Province, South Africa.
(2019) Monyela, Madireng Jane.; Mutula, Stephen M.
Cataloguing is the process of creating metadata representing information sources such as books, sound recordings, digital video disks (DVDs), journals and other materials found in a library or group of libraries. This process requires the use of standardised cataloguing tools to achieve the bibliographic description, authority control, subject analysis and assignment of classification notation to generate a library catalogue. The well-generated library catalogue serves as an index of a collection of information sources found in libraries that enables the library users to discover which information sources are available and where they are in the library. Such a catalogue should provide information such as the creators’ names, titles, subject terms, standard number, publication area, physical description and notes that describe those information sources to facilitate easy information retrieval. This study sought to investigate cataloguing practices from creation to use in Cape Town Metropolitan public libraries in South Africa with the aim of deepening the understanding of the importance of cataloguing standards in creating bibliographic data for the libraries. The study also sought to address the following research questions: “What skills do the cataloguers of Cape Town Metropolitan libraries possess?”, “To what extent do cataloguers in Cape Town Metropolitan public libraries adhere to international standards when creating records in the online catalogue?”, “How are the cataloguing records created on the system by cataloguers in the Cape Town Metropolitan used within and across the public libraries?”, “How are the new Resource Description and Access (RDA) standards applied in public libraries in the Cape Town Metropolitan to ensure they accommodate entities and attributes as described by the international cataloguing standards?”, “What records quality control measures are used in computerised cataloguing by public libraries in the Cape Town Metropolitan?”, “How effective is the computerised cataloguing system of Cape Town Metropolitan public libraries?”, “What are the challenges experienced by public libraries in the Cape Town Metropolitan in computerised cataloguing?” The study was underpinned by a combination of the IFLA’s Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records (FRBR), Functional Requirements for Authority Data (FRAD) and Functional Requirements for Subject Authority Data (FRSAD). The study adopted a pragmatic paradigm associated with the mixed methods (MMR) approach where the qualitative aspects were dominant. The study adopted a case study design and data were collected using focus group discussions, face-to-face interviews, questionnaires, and document review methods. The population of the study comprised cataloguers, senior librarians, librarians and library assistants of 10 libraries in the City of Cape Town Metropolitan. Reliability and validity of the instruments were ascertained through a pilot study. The data collected were presented and analysed both qualitatively and quantitatively. The qualitative data were analysed thematically, presented in narrative description, while the quantitative data were coded and analysed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), and presented in tables, graphs and charts, where applicable. The findings of the study revealed that although the cataloguers were experienced in their work, some catalogue records did not fully adhere to the cataloguing rules. Furthermore, there were no continuous development programmes in place to update the cataloguers’ knowledge and cope with dynamic changes in the cataloguing fields. In addition, the findings revealed that some catalogue records did not have adequate information descriptions to facilitate effective retrieval of information. The study also found that a peer review mechanism was used to facilitate quality control; the system used for cataloguing did not have all MARC tags and cataloguers experienced some challenges with the use of the cataloguing standards and assigning subject headings for non-roman sources. From the findings of the study, it was concluded that cataloguers did not adhere to international cataloguing standards when creating the catalogue records. A number of recommendations were therefore proffered among them that Cape Town Metropolitan Libraries (CCTML) should consider to improve their catalogue quality control measures. Moreover, cataloguers need adequate skills to enable them to implement and sustain the computerised system for cataloguing and retrieval. The CCTML need policies that provide the guidelines in the application of cataloguing rules and standards. The cataloguing department should consider planning for a re-cataloguing project to modify the records that did not have enough descriptions on the system Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC) to improve retrieval.

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