Abstract:

This paper presents a Research and Development (R&D) project at ITESO Jesuit University in Mexico that will use a Grounded Theory (GT) constructivist approach to information seeking. An Information Seeking Course (ISC) for the academic year 2019/2020 endorsed by the University’s Academic Library (AL) and the Physical Education Center (PEC) is intended to promote Lifelong Learning for university students. Common ground for R&D between ALs and PEDs at Universities is not a subject normally discussed, however, both hold similar interests when it comes to educational goals such as mental preparedness, reflection, practice, repetition, and discipline, that go beyond analogical similarities, and that could be exploded into common teaching strategies. Furthermore, evidence supports positive relations between moderate physical activity and academic achievement when endorsed by educational programs. The ISC will be held in 32 sessions along 16 weeks, and it will be divided into six modules: Introduction; Information retrieval skills; Information orders and domains; Spatial and numerical Information; Information practices in professional development; Critique of information within social contexts. A 15 minute set of exercises will be incorporated through 26 sessions: 3-5 minutes for ‘mental preparedness’ with an opening technique at the beginning aligned with the session goals; 7-10 minutes in the middle of the class for a ‘active-break’ with mild physical activity; and 3-5 minutes at the end of the class for a ‘mindfulness’ insight. Additionally, 6 evaluation sessions for each ISC module, will be performed in a hybrid environment where physical activity will be fundamental to the information task, while actively using Information Technology (IT) related to each module. The main goal will be to help students to manage uncertainty while retrieving information and constructing a grounded framework based on how students explain their own coping mechanisms in their learning processes and elaborating on their perceptions about information. Embracing physical activity as a constitutive part of an ISC is intended as an innovative approach to library education strategies, regarding a fundamental role of ISC: dealing with uncertainty in complex information environments. Uncertainty plays a fundamental role while searching for information. Either positively or negatively, every student deals with indeterminate outcomes, while transforming a ‘gap’ in knowledge or cognitive space, into an Information Need (IF) that then can be satisfied through a complex iterative process of searching, retrieving and evaluating information. Management of self-awareness, concentration, patience, and tolerance constitute key factors to the success of the proposed educational program when overcoming attitudinal obstacles such as boredom, frustration, lack of concentration, unclear sources and information overloads. Libraries must be aware of how students construct meaning from their own information-seeking processes to deal with such obstacles, inherent to intricate information domains. GT will provide an approach to elaborate theory that emerges from the course’s context.

Keywords:

Grounded Theory, Information Seeking, Libraries, Physical Education.