CHANGED ENVIRONMENT AND CULTURAL DIFFERENCES AS CORRELATES OF INFORMATION SEEKING BEHAVIOUR OF INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS IN BABCOCK UNIVERSITY, NIGERIA
CHANGED ENVIRONMENT AND CULTURAL DIFFERENCES AS CORRELATES OF INFORMATION SEEKING BEHAVIOUR OF INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS IN BABCOCK UNIVERSITY, NIGERIA
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Date
2018
Authors
KASA, M. Gabriel
Haliso, Y.
Soyemi, O. D.
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Abstract
Information seeking behaviour has evolved into a research field to resolve the intrinsic and extrinsic challenges militating against the processes of accessing information for informed decision making. The paper investigated the influence of two attributes of diversity: changed environment and cultural differences on the information seeking behaviour of international students in Babcock University. Four research questions and three null hypotheses were utilized to undertake correlation study of 54 international students duly registered with the international student coordinator at the Student Support Centre of the University. Total enumeration was used for the population of the research however, only 77.78% response rate was recorded and constituted what was utilized as sample size. To investigate what differentially distributed knowledge, the study investigated the conformity with the Knowledge Gap Theory (KGT). Changed environment and cultural differences revealed measurable influences on the international students’ information seeking behaviour because all the results showed positive correlation of each and combined variables tested on information seeking behaviour. The study, in conclusion, established that changed environment and cultural differences influence international students’ information seeking behaviour in Babcock University. Recommendations made comprise prioritization of the factors during sensitization and orientation programmes. It could also go leveraging on the university short- and long-term framework aimed at the integration, participation and measures deliberately designed to make them independent at the student support centre.
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Keywords
CHANGED ENVIRONMENT,, CULTURAL DIFFERENCES,, INFORMATION SEEKING BEHAVIOUR,, INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS,, BABCOCK UNIVERSITY,, NIGERIA