Malaysian Research Students Encounter with Information Seeking Process for Academic Purposes

Abstract

This paper investigates the various barriers that university students' encounter in efforts to seek information for academic purposes. It focuses on skills deployed by these students to overcome this lack. University students from four different fields of study are sampled to address their research-information seeking processes and needs in their daily academic life. The needs are matched to strategies applied that suggest coping mechanisms of fulfilling the demands of the course taken. This research analyses these barriers and coping mechanisms as a means of enhancing students' research-information seeking skills. Findings show that the main barrier towards information seeking processes among university students is their inability to seek and evaluate information. They also struggle to locate information needed for academic purposes. The students also claim that they have difficulty in finding online information due to limited network and Internet access. Students need to have access to strong Internet bandwidths to obtain required information, such as the web resources and online databases. This access provided by the library plays an important role in helping them meet their information needs. It is recommended that the library and the librarians should plan an appropriate course of action such as information skill training to overcome the identified barriers by enhancing current services and facilities which guide students to improve their information seeking processes for academic purposes.

Influence of Digital Literacy on Learning Engagement among Secondary Students in Malaysia

“…Nevertheless, given students' regular exposure to digital technology like computers, mobile phones, video games, and the Internet, educators frequently presume that most students today are digital natives (Bărbuceanu, 2020). However, not all students are digital native and have the competencies to use the technology effectively in obtaining information needed for academic tasks (Shuhidan et al, 2019;Orsu, 2017). Most students lack the self-efficacy to learn something new that could help them perform in academics.…”

“…Schools extensively create an effective 21st-century learning environment in the classroom to enhance the teaching-learning process, either for physical or virtual learning (Shuhidan et al, 2019). In addition, the lack, or low quality, of facilities and connectivity in schools threatens to amplify student disadvantages (Hebebci, Bertiz & Alan, 2020).…”

“…Digital Competency Standards have been widely introduced throughout the country to strengthen the transformation of Education in the digital age. The curriculum has also been integrated with the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) but previous literature reviews show that students still lack digital literacy skills (Shuhidan et al , 2019;Abd Jalil et al, 2021) which there are still digital literacy components that need attention such as technological skills, information skills as well as ethical skills. Ala-Mutka (2013) suggests that all digital components and competencies must be assessed to support student teaching and learning.…”