Factors Influencing Undergraduate Art Students' Information Behaviour: A Case Study of the Art Students of the Open Window School of Visual Communication

Abstract

The factors influencing art students' information-seeking behaviour is illustrated in the findings of this study. A qualitative approach with case study strategy was followed. The data were collected through one-on-one interviews with the responding eleven students. The findings show that aspects in the users' personal environment, such as meaning, experience, skills, preferences and actions, significantly influence their information-seeking behaviour. Further factors deriving from the students' context that influence their information-seeking behaviour are curricula, tasks, people (lecturers, artists, designers), sources, and technology applied to accomplish tasks. All these contributing factors have their own sets of requirements with which the art students have to comply. Recommendations are made in order to appropriately address the information-seeking needs of this specific user group and to guide the students to the best ways in information-seeking.