Information behavior of international students settling in an unfamiliar geo‐spatial environment. Issue 1 (2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Oh, Chi Young; Butler, Brian S.; Lee, Myeong
• Is Part Of: Proceedings of the annual meeting of the American Society for Information Science and Technology. Volume 51:Issue 1(2014)
• Page Start: 1
• Page End: 11
• Publication Date: 2014
• Subjects: Information behavior -- international students -- online maps; Information science -- Congresses; Electronic information resources -- Congresses; 020
• DOI: 10.1002/meet.2014.14505101068
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1936-1734

Abstract

ABSTRACT: This paper presents the findings from a project about how international students seek and acquire information during their settlement in an unknown geo‐spatial environment. Through semi‐structured interviews, questionnaires, and cognitive mapping with twenty international students, this study examines their information needs, information sources, and settlement experiences in the host country. Findings of the study include their (1) focus on acquiring basic, survival‐related information; (2) active use of internet‐based information sources including online/mobile maps; (3) information behavior of wandering around and information encountering; (4) co‐national social networks playing a key role as information sources. Implications are discussed in ways to further our understanding of international students' information behavior and promote its improvement.