A Survey of the Information Need and Information Seeking Behaviour of Secondary School Students in Lagelu Local Government of Oyo State,
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1. Background to the study
Information is generally useful in many areas and has to do with becoming informed and reducing a users’ level of ignorance and uncertainty. According to Burk and Horton (1988), information can be considered as an external entity with an objective nature, or that which informs or has the potential to inform; or a combination of content or meaning represented by symbols and media or conduit, used or usable in a particular context... In a highly structured and complex world, the need for information is felt at all levels of the society regardless of an individual’s location, social condition or intellectual achievement. Belkin (1978) says information is that which is capable of transforming image structure. Paisley (1980) also defines information as any stimulus that alters the cognitive structure of a receiver, while Krikelas (1983) refers to it as any stimulus that reduces uncertainty.
Secondary Education is the stage of education following primary school. It is generally the final stage of compulsory education. Depending on the system of education in a particular country, schools for this period may be called secondary schools, high schools, colleges and grammar schools. The means of funding these schools could be free education or fee-paying education. The style of education may be day school, boarding or virtual school which is rarely practiced in Nigeria.
Education has become a crucial facet of national development, especially here in Nigeria where the level of illiteracy, examination malpractices, crimes and unemployment are still very high. This is as a result of the fact that no education system can rise above the quality of teachers. Students obtain information to make them better in life, self-reliant and self-sufficient. They also need some important skills to enable them solve problems. Insufficient access to information can affect students’ performances which may lead
INTRODUCTION
1. Background to the study
Information is generally useful in many areas and has to do with becoming informed and reducing a users’ level of ignorance and uncertainty. According to Burk and Horton (1988), information can be considered as an external entity with an objective nature, or that which informs or has the potential to inform; or a combination of content or meaning represented by symbols and media or conduit, used or usable in a particular context... In a highly structured and complex world, the need for information is felt at all levels of the society regardless of an individual’s location, social condition or intellectual achievement. Belkin (1978) says information is that which is capable of transforming image structure. Paisley (1980) also defines information as any stimulus that alters the cognitive structure of a receiver, while Krikelas (1983) refers to it as any stimulus that reduces uncertainty.
Secondary Education is the stage of education following primary school. It is generally the final stage of compulsory education. Depending on the system of education in a particular country, schools for this period may be called secondary schools, high schools, colleges and grammar schools. The means of funding these schools could be free education or fee-paying education. The style of education may be day school, boarding or virtual school which is rarely practiced in Nigeria.
Education has become a crucial facet of national development, especially here in Nigeria where the level of illiteracy, examination malpractices, crimes and unemployment are still very high. This is as a result of the fact that no education system can rise above the quality of teachers. Students obtain information to make them better in life, self-reliant and self-sufficient. They also need some important skills to enable them solve problems. Insufficient access to information can affect students’ performances which may lead
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