How do people use information from others to solve complex problems? Prior work has addressed this question by placing people in social learning situations where the problems they were asked to solve required varying degrees of exploration. This past work uncovered important interactions between groups' "connectivity" and the problem's…

Information literacy is becoming more prominent in K-12 education and continues to be a vital part of university-level studies. In today's complex society, it's not enough to be able to read, write, and do math. People continuously need to identify and recognize their information needs, locate necessary resources, use the essential information…

On the verge of 21st century with the knowledge explosion it has become one of the prime necessities of all the students to become an information literate life-long learner in order to meet the requirements of the fast-paced society. Students differ in the way they seek information, its use, as well as the way they adopt these information. All…

Explicit information-seeking actions are needed to evaluate alternative actions in problem-solving tasks. Information-seeking costs are often traded off against the utility of information. We present three experiments that show how subjects adapt to the cost and information structures of environments in a map-navigation task. We found that…

Presents one approach to teaching information-seeking strategies, i.e., brainstorming all possibilities and then selecting the best for a particular situation in relation to the Big6 information problem-solving process. Brainstorming is also useful in task definition and in considering possibilities for presenting information. (LRW)

College students were interviewed about the information they seek and use before enrolling in a course, during instruction, and after instruction. (Author)

Summarizes the "Big Six" information literacy skills and examines some of the research on the problems involved in information literacy for both teachers and students. Implications of these studies and guidelines for student use of the Internet are discussed. (PEN)

An analysis of the problem solving process reveals at least three options: (1) finding the cause, (2) solving the problem, and (3) anticipating potential problems. These methods may be illustrated by examining "Oedipus Tyrannus," a play in which a king attempts to deal with a problem that appears to be beyond his ability to solve, and…

A seven-step program is described for allowing students to try their hand at solving problems of the future. Goals of the program are to encourage students to think more creatively, increase their research and communication skills, and develop problem solving skills. (TE)

The size, cost, and complexity of quantitative modeling in the social and physical sciences demand that modelers focus attention on premodeling phases of analysis, specifically on formulation and definition of problems. This is especially true in the areas of futures research and technology assessment. At the problem-defining stage of modeling, a…

DAP is the acronym for a set of concepts and procedures that the members of any group can employ to refine their problemsolving skills and bring them to bear on real-life, day-to-day group needs. Based on a particular view of human beings, communication, and the process of inquiry, DAP involves the members of a group in generating and using three…

Article investigated the amount of information that could be used in making decisions and communicating. College students were part of an experiment, which measured information with information-theoretic concepts. (Author/RK)

Reports on the work of Carol Kuhlthau, who has conducted extensive studies of information processes and skills instruction. Topics include the relevance of information and its utilization; critical thinking by the students; information-seeking and problem-solving; and a process approach to information problem-solving. (LRW)

To be effective in the current rapidly changing environment, individuals need more than a knowledge base. They also need information literacy which includes techniques for exploring new information, synthesizing it, and using it in practical ways. Undergraduate education should focus on such resource-based learning directed at problem solving.…

Ways in which the university library, in cooperation with the teaching staff, can ensure that information-gathering techniques become an integral part of the university education of first-year students are discussed. (LBH)