There are several models have come up with a variety of issues earlier, trying to explain the stages of the information searching process and the behaviors associated with each stage. The past various studies deal with the use of computers and the Internet by academicians in a different context. Most of these studies show several uncertainties in different information-seeking models and an enhancement in the use of the online seeking of information, particularly by academicians. But not such model has been developed which can work at the multilingual platform. In the Indian scenario, the academicians (especially in Humanities and Social science) are facing enormous problem to access and utilize the maximum resources including Govt. resources availed on the internet due to unavailability of such type of standard and uniform model.
Definitions Of Concerned Terminology
Information refers to the ideas or thoughts that individual seek, contribute, or obtain from various formal and informal channels, study and research. WEBSTER's, N. Third New International Dictionary defines information as ‘knowledge of a particular event or situation'; the knowledge communicated by others; or obtained through investigation. The researcher is of the view that information is the need of any routine activity of the school, play or work situations.
From the Cognitive viewpoint of ‘information science', WEBSTER, N. Third new international dictionary defines information as associated with a text of the generator being modified by (purpose intent and awareness of state of recipient's knowledge) ‘conceptual structure' which in turn underlines or shapes the ‘surface structure' of aforesaid text.
WEBSTER's, N. Third new international dictionary further elaborated it by defining information as the result of transformation of the generator's cognitive structure (by intentionality, mode of recipients, state of the knowledge, and in the form of the signs), while in another way information is something which on being received may affect and transform the recipients state of knowledge (Eskola, 1998), David and Nilan (1986:16) perceive information as something structured by human being. In the context of this study, the information will be conceived, based on the definition of (Eskola, 1998), as that which is needed by students in process of learning and arriving at the meaning of any subject. It is crystal clear from the study of these definitions that information is a crucial element for the survival of man.
Information seeking is a conscious effort to acquire information in response to a need or gap in your knowledge, (Case, 2002).
Information seeing behaviour includes aspects like motives and purpose of information seeking, the nature and types of information sort, the mode and means to access information, identify, search and acquire information and use of libraries and information system by the user.
Online information seeking behaviour is the active process of obtaining data from the Web. It is a relatively new phenomenon by which the condition of being connected to a network of computers or other devices.
The term is frequently used to describe someone who is currently connected to the Internet. In these days, university, as well as institutional libraries, are continuously adapting and seeking latest as well as effective ways along with high technique to respond to the research-oriented query, teaching and academic activity. In the information communication technology enable scenario, this proposal is more concerned with maximizing usage of this resource by Academicians in fulfilling their primary aim of research and reaching out to these resources on the Internet using the requisite navigational skills.
Need of the Proposed Model
In Indian perception, it is seen as well as observed that the research scholars belonging rural areas (especially in the discipline of Humanities and Social science) are commonly facing major problem to access and utilize the resources and services (Govt. resources, database and services) availed on the internet. The reason behind this, these resources are available in English languages. Due to this problem, a major gap is creating between sources and seekers. The proposal of the multilingual supportive model will be able to minimize this gap and enhance the utilization of the sources availed on the internet.