Exploring Student Learning of Information Skills in Malaysian Higher Education Aidah Abdul Karim ...

270 Pages·2015·2.34 MB·English

Exploring Student Learning of Information Skills in Malaysian Higher Education

Aidah Abdul Karim

A thesis submitted to
Auckland University of Technology
In fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

2014

School of Education Te Kura Matauranga
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................................ ii
LIST OF FIGURES .................................................................................................... vi
LIST OF TABLES .................................................................................................... vii
ATTESTATION OF AUTHORSHIP .................................................................... viii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ........................................................................................ ix
ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................. x
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ............................................................................... 1
1.1 Overview .................................................................................................................. 1
1.2 Background of the Study .......................................................................................... 1
1.3 Origin of the Study ................................................................................................... 2
1.4 Statement of the Problem ......................................................................................... 3
1.5 Theoretical Framework and Approach of the Study ................................................ 5
1.6 Research Questions .................................................................................................. 6
1.7 Structure of the Thesis ............................................................................................. 6
CHAPTER 2: THE CONTEXT OF THE STUDY ................................................... 8
2.1 Overview .................................................................................................................. 8
2.2 Geography of Malaysia ............................................................................................ 8
2.3 History and Politics of Malaysia .............................................................................. 9
2.4 Economy of Malaysia ............................................................................................ 10
2.5 The Development of Public Universities in Malaysia ........................................... 13
2. 6 Types of Public Universities in Malaysia ............................................................. 16
2.7 The Graduate Employability of Malaysian Public Universities ............................ 18
2.8 Student Information Skills Programmes in Malaysian Public Universities ........... 20
2. 9 Cultural and Learning Orientation in Malaysia .................................................... 24
2.10 Summary .............................................................................................................. 28
CHAPTER 3: STUDENT LEARNING OF INFORMATION SKILLS IN
HIGHER EDUCATION AROUND THE WORLD ............................................... 29
3.1 Overview ................................................................................................................ 29
3.2 The Development of Information Skills ................................................................ 29
3.3. The Definition of Information Skills..................................................................... 30
3.4 Outcomes for Student Learning of Information Skills ........................................... 34
3.5 Enablers for Student Learning of Information Skills ............................................. 38
3.6 Learning Theories for Student Learning of Information Skills ............................. 43
3.7 Approaches for Student Learning of Information Skills ........................................ 45
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3.8 Embedded Models for Student Learning of Information Skills ............................. 48
3.9 Assessment for Student Learning of Information Skills ........................................ 51
3.10 Personal Influencing Factors for Student Learning of Information Skills ........... 53
3.11 Social Influencing Factors for Student Learning of Information Skills ............... 58
3.12 Summary .............................................................................................................. 62
CHAPTER FOUR: RESEARCH THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK .................. 63
4.1 Overview ................................................................................................................ 63
4.2 Phases of Information Skills Studies...................................................................... 63
4.3 Locating Student Learning of Information Skills within Communities of Practice64
4.4 Conceptualizing Student Learning of Information Skills within a Community of
Practice ......................................................................................................................... 67
4.5 Summary ................................................................................................................ 71
CHAPTER FIVE: RESEARCH DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION .............. 72
5.1 Overview ................................................................................................................ 72
5.2 Research Philosophy .............................................................................................. 72
5.3 Research Approach ................................................................................................ 73
5.4 Research Setting ..................................................................................................... 75
5.5 Research Participants ............................................................................................. 78
5.6 Data-collection Methods ........................................................................................ 82
5.7 Data Analysis and Management............................................................................. 86
5.8 Research Quality .................................................................................................... 88
5.9 Summary ................................................................................................................ 90
CHAPTER SIX: THE ACTIVITY OF STUDENT LEARNING WITH
INFORMATION ........................................................................................................ 92
6.1 Overview ................................................................................................................ 92
6.2 Step 1: Identifying Information Need .................................................................... 92
6.3 Step 2: Accessing Information ............................................................................... 96
6.4 Step 3: Interacting with Sources of Information .................................................. 103
6.5 Step 4: Using Information to Construct Understanding ....................................... 105
6.6 Step 5: Articulating the Understanding and the Construction of the Understanding
.................................................................................................................................... 107
6.7 Step 6: Reflecting the Understanding and the Construction of the Understanding110
6.8 Summary .............................................................................................................. 114
CHAPTER SEVEN: IMMEDIATE AND INTERPERSONAL CONTEXTS FOR
THE ACTIVITY OF STUDENT LEARNING WITH INFORMATION .......... 116
7.1 Overview .............................................................................................................. 116
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7.2 Attaining Multiple Goals...................................................................................... 116
7.3 Using Multiple Shared Resources ........................................................................ 121
7.4 Developing Multiple Interpersonal Contexts ....................................................... 123
7.5 Summary .............................................................................................................. 131
CHAPTER EIGHT: SOCIAL CONTEXTS FOR THE ACTIVITY OF STUDENT
LEARNING WITH INFORMATION ................................................................... 133
8.1 Overview .............................................................................................................. 133
8.2 Information Age ................................................................................................... 133
8.3 Knowledge Discipline .......................................................................................... 137
8.4 Academic Research .............................................................................................. 138
8.5 Workplace Context............................................................................................... 139
8.6 Local Context ....................................................................................................... 140
8.7 The University Context ........................................................................................ 143
8.8 The Department .................................................................................................... 148
8.9 The Library........................................................................................................... 150
8.10 Academic Programmes ...................................................................................... 152
8.11 Summary ............................................................................................................ 153
CHAPTER NINE: PERSONAL CONTEXTS FOR THE ACTIVITY OF
STUDENT LEARNING WITH INFORMATION ............................................... 154
9.1 Overview .............................................................................................................. 154
9.2 Fulfilling Personal Learning Assumptions........................................................... 154
9.3 Attaining Personal Learning Goals ...................................................................... 158
9.4 Making Personal Learning Efforts ....................................................................... 160
9.5 Employing Personal Learning Skills .................................................................... 162
9.6 Applying Personal Learning Experience ............................................................. 166
9.7 Experiencing Personal Emotions ......................................................................... 169
9.8 Pursuing Personal Preference ............................................................................... 175
9.9 Aging with Wisdom ............................................................................................. 176
9.10 Ethnic Differences .............................................................................................. 179
9.11 Gender Differences ............................................................................................ 182
9.12 Summary ............................................................................................................ 184
CHAPTER TEN: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION, IMPLICATIONS AND FUTURE
RESEARCH ............................................................................................................. 186
10.1 Overview ............................................................................................................ 186
10.2 Summary of the Study ........................................................................................ 186
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10.3 Conclusion of the Study: The Ecological Processes for Developing Students into
Knowledge Creators ................................................................................................... 191
10.4 Implications of the Study ................................................................................... 220
10.5 Limitations of the Study ..................................................................................... 226
10.6 My Growth as a Researcher ............................................................................... 228
10.7 Future Research .................................................................................................. 232
REFERENCES: ....................................................................................................... 234
APPENDICES .......................................................................................................... 251
Appendix 1: Indicative interview questions for individual librarians ........................ 251
Appendix 2: Indicative interview questions for individual teachers .......................... 252
Appendix 3: Indicative interview questions for individual students .......................... 253
Appendix 4: Selected Samples of Nvivo trees nodes of the study ............................. 255

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LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: A map of Malaysia…………………………………………………10
Figure 2: Qualitative research design of the study……………………………77
Figure 3: The ecological processes for developing students into knowledge
creators……………………………………………………………………....193
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LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Categories of public university in Malaysia…………………………17
Table 2: Student learning outcomes for various degrees in Malaysian higher
education…………………………………………………………….19
Table 3: Summary of orientation and miscellaneous information skills
programmes Malaysian public universities………………….……...22
Table 4: Summary of research student and credit hour information skills
programmes in Malaysian public universities…………….…….…...22
Table 5: Dimensions of thoughts, feelings, actions and strategies in the
Information Search Process Model …………………………………36
Table 6: A cross-analysis of enablers and outcomes for student learning of
information skills…………………….………………………………39
Table 7: Approaches for student learning of information skills in higher
education….…………………………………………………………………...47
Table 8: Campus subcultures and hot spots for initiating student information
skills programmes……………………………………………………………..60
Table 9: Profiles of librarian participants…………………………………..…79
Table 10: Profiles of teacher participants……………………………………..80
Table 11: Profiles of student participants……………………………………..81
Table 12: Issues, questions and strategies of trustworthiness addressed in the
study…………………………………………………………..……………....89
Table 13: The national and university student learning outcomes for degree and
master students………………………………………………………………144
Table 14: The national and university student learning outcomes for doctor of
philosophy students………………………………………………………….145
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ATTESTATION OF AUTHORSHIP

“I hereby declare that this submission is my own work and that, to the best of
my knowledge and belief, it contains no material previously published or
written by another person (except where explicitly defined in the
acknowledgements), nor material which to a substantial extent has been
submitted for the award of any other degree or diploma of a university or other
institution of higher learning.”

Aidah
Aidah Abdul Karim:
Date: 26/03/2015
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Alhamdulillah (Praise be to God), the thesis is completed. I would like to take
this opportunity to thank the many wonderful people who have contributed to
the successful completion of this study. First and foremost, I would like to
express my gratitude and appreciation to my principal supervisor, Associate
Professor Dr Andy Begg, for his patience, guidance, advice and continuous
support throughout the completion of this thesis. Thank you for keeping me
focused and on track throughout these years. I am also thankful to my
secondary supervisor, Dr Lynette Reid for her constructive criticism, direction
and help when they were most needed for the completion of this thesis. Deep
appreciation is also expressed to the late Dr Philippa Gerbic for her advice,
encouragement and suggestions.

I want to acknowledge the contribution of the academic staff of AUT and,
particularly, those at the School of Education with whom I have had many
valuable discussions about teaching and learning in higher education. This
research was also not possible to be carried out without the ethics approval and
I thank the Auckland University of Technology Ethics Committee (AUTEC),
for approving this study at their meeting on 26 May 2008 (ethics application
number 08/98).

This thesis would not have been completed without the tolerance and
understanding of my family members, and administrators and colleagues in my
workplace in Malaysia. Thank you for your support and encouragement, all of
you have served as important sources of strength for me. I warmly thank my
AUT friends who have supported me throughout my journey; Jiao, Peddy,
Asiah, Kazu, Hishamuddin, Rose and Zaini. They have made me feel that I was
not alone with my struggle in completing this thesis. My special gratitude also
goes to the Malaysian higher education teachers, librarians and students, whom
I cannot name for reasons of anonymity, who graciously welcomed me to share
their experience and perceptions of student learning of information skills. With
their support, this work was made possible.

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ABSTRACT
In line with the Malaysian Qualification Framework, student learning of
information skills in Malaysian higher education is currently integrated into
classroom learning as opposed to previous stand-alone programmes run by the
university library. However, Malaysian research indicates that there is an on-
going ambiguity with regard to the outcomes of the student learning of
information skills in Malaysian universities that seems to suggest there is a
conflict between the student learning run in the universities and the western
standards for information skills in higher education. Moreover, previous
Malaysian studies revealed that the Malaysian cultural context had led to
different social roles of teachers, librarians and students which adversely
influenced student learning. On the other hand, previous studies indicated that
student learning of information skills is influenced by the various personal
attributes of university teachers, librarians and students. Therefore, in order to
understand student learning of information skills in the context of Malaysian
higher education, there is a need to examine the interplay of social and personal
factors in the outcomes of student learning of information skills in the light of
the unique social and personal influencing factors in Malaysian higher
education rather than assuming that western information skills standards are
effective and desirable in every context.

Thus, the purpose of this study is to examine student learning of information
skills as experienced and perceived by Malaysian university teachers, librarians
and students engaged in student information skills programmes. Using the lens
of communities of practice to guide the design of the study, this study explores:
(1) features of student learning of information skills; (2) the interplay of social
factor in student learning of information; and (3) the interplay of personal and
interpersonal factors in student learning of information skills. This study
employed a qualitative research design that involved five teachers, four
librarians and 22 students in a Malaysian public university and incorporated
several methods of data collection: observation of student information skills
programmes; examination of documents related to the programmes; and semi-
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