1.1 Introduction
Information seeking behaviour is the technique or the process of searching for the information. Information seeking behaviour depends on the types of information need of the people. So information seeking behaviour arises when the person is able to recognise what type of information is needed, what are the goals or objectives and what kind of information resources to use. The term information seeking behaviour used here includes information searching and information gathering which means that after identifying what type of information they need they search for it and gather it from different sources following their techniques or processes of searching (i.e. a simple or complex search).
As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Limitations of the Study and Definition of technical terms.
1.2 Background of Study
Information seeking behaviour is a broad term, which involves a set of actions that an individual, such as undergraduates, takes to express information needs, seek information, evaluate and select information and finally uses this information to satisfy his/her information needs (Fatima and Ahmad, 2008). It is therefore described as an individual’s way and manner of gathering and obtaining information for personal use, knowledge, updating and development. In other words, information seeking behaviour involves active or purposeful information as a result of the need to complete course assignment, prepare for class discussions, seminars, workshops, conferences, or write final year research paper. Though, Singh and Satija (2006) see information seeking behavior as a human process that requires adaptive and reflective control over the afferent and efferent actions of the information seeker in which information seeking behaviour results from the recognition of some needs, perceived by the user, who as a consequence makes demand upon a formal system such as libraries and information centres or some other person in order to satisfy the perceived information need.
Thus, they pointed out that information seeking behaviour essentially refers to locate discrete knowledge elements concerned with the three basic resources namely, people, information and system. Information seeking behaviour is an area of dynamic interest among librarians, information scientist, communication scientists, sociologist, and psychologists. Information seeking behaviour is expressed in various forms, from reading printed material to research and experimentation (Bhatti, 2010). Information users make active and intentional attempts to seek up to date information from the library resources, including, electronic sources. It is worthy to also note that the advent of information technology has revolutionized the field of library and information services and has brought about considerable changes in the information seeking behaviour of users. Though there seems to exist many reasons and sources of information to the information user, the university library occupies a central position in the information seeking process of undergraduate students in Nigerian universities.
Therefore, in Nigeria where the research was carried out, the activities that was conducted is to know the Influence of the Internet on the Information Seeking Behaviour of Undergraduates in the New Normal using Covid 19 Perspective as a case study.
1.3 Statement of Problems
The major tasks of higher institutions include teaching, research, and community services that have been disrupted by the COVID-19. The pandemic also disrupted the academic programmes, examinations, admissions, conferences, workshops and training, graduation programmes of higher institutions.
Academic output and performance of final year students are of paramount importance to the parent institution of higher learning because both indicators constitute vital indices in the rating of the university. A study on the information need and seeking behavior of final year students is necessary because provision, assessment and utilization of such needs by students will enhance their academic performance. It is expected that final year students needs for information and seeking behaviour in research activities, and solving other academic problems requires critical consideration more than other levels.
Studies abound on students’ information need and seeking behavior but none narrowed their empirical work on final year students in higher institution. Therefore, this study discusses the Influence of the Internet on the Information Seeking Behaviour of Undergraduates in the New Normal using COVID 19 Perspective as a case study.
1.4 Aim and Objectives of Study
The aim of the study is to determine the Influence of the Internet on the Information Seeking Behaviour of Undergraduates in the New Normal using Covid 19 Perspective as a case study. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows:
- To identify the information needs of the undergraduates students
- To determine the adequacy of the library resources and services provided by the library for its users
- To determine the information-seeking behavior of undergraduates students
- To chart the information-seeking strategies that users engage in order to achieve interaction with electronic information sources
- To find out if the discipline plays in any role in the information-seeking behavior of undergraduates students
- To assess the present and future needs of the users and to suggest some recommendations to improve the library collection and services
1.5 Research Questions
The study came up with research questions so as to be able to ascertain the above stated objectives. The specific research questions for the study are stated below as follows:
- Does Covid 19 affect undergraduate’s students Information Seeking Behaviour in the New Normal?
- Do the library resources and services enhance undergraduate students’ academic performance?
- Do undergraduate students encounter any challenge during information search?
- What are information needs of the undergraduate students?
- What is self efficacy and nature of information of undergraduate students?
- What is the information seeking behavior of undergraduate students?
1.6 Research Hypothesis
In order to pursue the objective of this study, the following generalized statements have been designed to guide and aids in obtaining the result for the experiment to be conducted. For this work, the null hypothesis will be represented with H0 while the alternative hypothesis will be represented with hypothesis H1.
Hypothesis One
- H0: The level of information available to undergraduate Students in Ekiti State University is low
- H1: The level of information available to undergraduate Students in Ekiti State University is high
Hypothesis Two
- H0: Information is not significant to undergraduate students during COVID 19
- H1: Information is significant to undergraduate students during COVID 19
1.7 Significance of Study
The study shall provide an analysis of the information seeking behavior of undergraduate students of Ekiti State University. This study will also be of immense benefit to researchers who intend to know more on this study and can also be used by non-researchers to build more on their research work. This study contributes to knowledge and could serve as a guide for other study.
1.8 Scope of Study
The study focuses on the Influence of the Internet on the Information Seeking Behaviour of Undergraduates in the New Normal using Covid 19 Perspective in Ekiti State University as a case study.
1.9 Limitations of the Study
During the course of this study, many things militated against its completion, some of which are:
- Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
- Research material: availability of research material is a major setback to the scope of the study.
- Frequent power failure: This made the researcher append more money on fuel to ensure sustainable power.
- Financial Constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).
1.10 Definition of Terms
Information Seeking Behaviour: Information seeking behaviour is a broad term, which involves a set of actions that an individual, such as undergraduates, takes to express information needs, seek information, evaluate and select information and finally uses this information to satisfy his/her information needs (Fatima and Ahmad, 2008).
