A study on the effect of digital literacy on information use behavior

Abstract

The latest evaluation indicators of digital literacy are applied to college students to evaluate their level of digital literacy. Evaluation areas applied in this study are roughly classified into technical literacy, bit literacy, and virtual community literacy, and each of these has five sub-groups. This paper attempts to analyze the level of effect of these categories and sub-groups on information use behavior. This study used a survey, as did much of the previous research. College students from five different colleges were targeted, with 221 surveys out of 250 returned, a return rate of 88.4%. As to results, bit literacy influences information use behavior most, followed by virtual community literacy and technical literacy in that order. Bit literacy is related to the ability to use information including information search, information discernment, editing information, processing information, and utilizing information, and these items appear to have influenced information use behavior most. Examination of these detailed items shows that the ability to process information has the most significant effect on information use behavior followed by information discernment, information editing, community analysis, document editing, and use of tools and ability to create cyber culture in that order. The literacy indicators with the lowest effect on information use behavior were the ability to communicate, form self-identity, information search, and form relationships in that order.

Adoption of mobile applications for teaching-learning process in rural girls’ schools in India: an empirical study

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Education and Digital Media Literacy: The Use of Digital Media by Teachers in Middle Schools

“…The emergence of a rapidly developing information age and digital media will change the way users interact with information. The behavior of information use has changed dramatically with the advent of computers, the internet, and smartphones [1]. Technology creates a cultural space, where the role of the user is not clearly defined, whether as a sender or recipient.…”

Effect of Digital Literacy on Information Seeking Behaviour Among Managers of Telecommunication Companies in Saudi Arabia

“…Yet another study conducted by (Noh, 2017), evaluates digital literacy of college students. The evaluation areas applied in this study are roughly classified into technical literacy, bit literacy, and virtual community literacy, and each of these has five sub-groups.…”

“…According to Huerta and Sandoval-Almazn "Digital literacy is variously referred to as Internet literacy, multimedia literacy, cyber literacy, online literacy, and information literacy." (Noh, 2017) Previous studies show that digital literacy is referred to as a person's ability to critically navigate and effectively perform tasks using digital technology, communication networks and tools (Eshet-Alkalai, 2004). Digital literacy of managers with respect to information seeking and use entails the awareness, attitude, and ability to understand and use information using different approaches, which are acquired from different sources when they are presented via computers (Katz, 2007).Over the last few decades, many changes have occurred in the workplace, which requires paradigm shifts in managerial practices.…”