Information Seeking Behaviour Model of Senior High School Students

Abstract

School libraries are a means for students to meet their information needs.  Students of Senior High School (henceforth SHS) require information to support their personal, study, and environmental needs. To meet those needs, SMA students do information seeking through information channels.  This research was aimed to identify an information seeking model of SMA students in Surabaya. The research employed a descriptive-quantitative approach.  The sample of the research was SHS students in Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia, that were chosen using the multistage random sampling. Data collection was conducted using questionnaires.  The research found that the students’ information needs were mostly concerning entertainment and further education (after high school). The students responded to these needs calmly. Psychological, demographic, role-related, and environmental factors, as well as the characteristics of the information sources influenced information seeking.  In addition, teacher’s recommendation for using information channels also led SHS students to prefer to use the Internet. The majority of the respondents sought information when they needed it, but they kept looking for details to complete the required information.

Keywords: information needs, information seeking behaviour, school library, high school students