USE OF THE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY, ELIBRARY, VLE, ANDOTHER INFORMATION SOURCES BY DISTANCELEARNING STUDENTS IN UNIVERSITY COLLEGE DUBLIN:IMPLICATIONS FOR ACADEMIC LIBRARIANSHIP

摘要

This paper reports on a study of the information behavior of Bachelor of Busi-ness Studies (BBS) distance learning students in the Quinn School of Business,University College Dublin (LICD). In order to gain a better understanding of theinformation behaviors of distance-learning students, the study sought to answerthe following research questions: ·What are the main sources of information for the BBS distancelearning students? ·What are student perceptions of the virtual learning environment(VLE), Blackboard employed by the Quinn School of Business? ·To what extent, if any, is there evidence of collaborative informationbehaviors and practices? The full cohort of BBS distance-learning students was surveyed. A total of 55out of 136 (40.4%) responded to the survey. Data were collected by means of aself-completion online questionnaire. The paper presents the findings of the studyand considers implications for academic librarianship. The chief sources used bythe students to assist them with study are web search engines (primarily Google)and content from the VLE (Blackboard). Search engines and the university eli-brary are the main sources used by the students when conducting an informationsearch for their course, however the students also rely significantly on their lec-turers with regard to acquiring information for their coursework. The study alsofound that collaboration with regard to information sharing is a major facet ofthe information world of this cohort of students.