Developing deep critical information behaviour

有证据表明，一种“表面”形式的信息行为（信息寻找、评价和使用）在中小学和大学的年轻人中都很普遍。其特点是基于“最少努力”原则的相对简单和无效的信息搜索，以及相对不批判的方法来评估信息的权威性和与任务需求相关的适当性。年轻人经常表现出过度依赖相对不加批判地使用主要搜索引擎，尤其是b谷歌；缺乏对自身信息需求的理解和缺乏分析方法的搜索策略；在将信息用于学术工作之前，很少花时间评估信息来源的准确性、权威性或相关性；不能减少大量的信息；以及对低质量信息的满意度。这是有问题的，因为一种更深入的（即更反思和批判性的）信息寻找、评估和使用方法与学习成绩有关，这是发展独立的循证学习和解决问题的关键，这是在现代社会充分参与工作和个人生活所必需的。这项研究的目的是促进年轻人发展和参与深度批判性信息行为的能力的提高-有效地寻找，发现，评估和使用信息。该研究旨在发现在大学预科和本科阶段的年轻人中，相对深层和表面的信息行为的性质、程度和模式。它还试图确定信息行为的发展模式，从相对表面的信息行为到更深层次的信息行为，以及年轻人和教他们的人所认识到的表面的信息行为的影响。该研究还将关注深度信息行为的发展在多大程度上以及如何得到支持和促进。研究将在三个方面进行，并将使用定性和定量研究方法的混合。Strand 1将采用定性解释性研究方法，适合基于与参与者内心观点相关的数据构建深度解释模型，最终驱动行为。第2部分将使用定量方法来探索第1部分中开发的定性模型关键方面的统计概括性。它还将提供不同信息行为发生模式的统计图片，这些行为发生在一个具有代表性的学校和大学生的大样本中。它将生成关键利益相关者（教师、讲师和图书馆员）对表面信息行为的原因和影响以及发展更深层次方法的驱动因素和抑制因素的看法的类似定量地图。Strand 3将需要生成一个模型，将深入的定性理解（Strand 1）与基于大型代表性样本（Strand 2）的补充统计证据整合在一起。这种互补性证据类型的混合旨在增强对从业者和决策者的潜在影响——他们是计划在项目结束时召开的会议的目标受众。本次会议将为特邀教师、讲师、图书馆员以及影响学校和大学教学政策的人士（当地教育主管部门代表；大学教学主管）举办。其目的是将研究结果整合到研究人员和实践者的更广泛的知识库中，并讨论改善学校和大学年轻人在深度关键信息行为方面的发展和参与的策略。这部分研究的成果将是一份侧重于实现这一目标的战略的报告。

There is evidence that a 'surface' form of information behaviour (information seeking, evaluation and use) is widespread amongst young people at both school and university level. This is characterised by relatively unsophisticated and ineffective information seeking based on a 'least effort' principle, and a relatively uncritical approach to evaluating information in terms of its authority and appropriateness in relation to task needs. Young people often display an over-reliance on the relatively uncritical use of major search engines, in particular Google; poor understanding of their own information needs and poor search strategies lacking an analytic approach; little time spent on assessing the accuracy, authority or relevance of sources before using information for academic work; inability to reduce large volumes of information; and satisfaction with poor quality information.This is problematic in that a deeper (i.e. more reflective and critical) approach to information seeking, evaluation and use has been linked to academic performance, and is key to the development of the independent evidence-based learning and problem solving required to participate fully in work and personal life in modern society.The aim of this research is to contribute to the improvement of young people's ability to develop and engage in deep critical information behaviour - to seek, find, evaluate and use information effectively. The research seeks to discover the nature, extent and pattern of occurrence of relatively deep and surface information behaviours amongst young people at pre-university and undergraduate levels. It also seeks to establish the pattern of development of information behaviour from relatively surface to deeper levels of information behaviour, and the the effects of surface information behaviour, as perceived by young people and those who teach them. The research will also focus on the extent to which - and how - the development of deep information behaviour be enabled and fostered.The research will be conducted in 3 strands and will use a blend of qualitative and quantitative research methods. Strand 1 will employ a qualitative interpretive research approach, appropriate to building deep explanatory models based on data relating to participants' inner perspectives, which ultimately drive behaviour. Strand 2 will use a quantitative approach to explore the statistical generalisability of key aspects of the qualitative model developed in Strand 1. It will also provide a statistical picture of the pattern of occurrence of different information behaviours across a large representative sample of school and university students. It will generate a similar quantitative mapping of the perceptions of key stakeholders (teachers, lecturers and librarians) relating to the causes and effects of surface information behaviour, and the drivers and inhibitors to the development of deeper approaches. Strand 3 will entail the generation of a model integrating the deep qualitative understanding (Strand 1) with the complementary statistical evidence based on a large representative sample (Strand 2). This mix of complementary types of evidence is intended to enhance the potential impact on practitioners and policy makers - the target audience for a conference planned at the end of the project. This conference will be held for invited teachers, lecturers, librarians, and those influencing school and university teaching and learning policy (Local Education Authority representatives; University Directors of Teaching and Learning). Its purpose will be to integrate the findings of the research within the broader knowledge base of researchers and practitioners, and to discuss strategies for improving the development and engagement in deep critical information behaviour by young people at school and university. The deliverable of this strand of the research will be a report focusing on strategies for achieving this.