Developing the information-seeking behavior scale for undergraduates

Purpose: The aim of this paper is to develop a standardized and reliable measurement tool for assessing information-seeking behavior of undergraduate students.Design/methodology/approach: Based on information literacy and information-seeking behavior theories, expert advice and students' interview, items of undergraduates' informationseeking behavior indicators were selected. With the analysis of homogeneity reliability, item analysis and factor analysis, this study constructs an assessment system to evaluate reliability and validity of the scale.Findings: The information-seeking behavior scale for undergraduates has divided undergraduates' information-seeking behavior into seven dimensions, which include 46 items. The reliability analysis of Cronbach's α was 0.910, and the coefficient of split-half reliability was0.817. The results of factor analysis showed that Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin(KMO) was 0.864,which indicates 55.536% of the total variation could be explained by the above seven dimensions.Research limitations: Due to a small sample size and limited sample distribution, further research need be conducted in an expanded sample size in order to explore the application scope of this evaluation system; in addition, the stability of the scale also need be confirmed.Practical implications: The paper sets up an information-seeking behavior evaluation system for undergraduates and explores the characteristics of their information-seeking behavior.This study provides guidance for the development of future information literacy education and the improvement of the information literacy level of undergraduates.Originality/value: An information-seeking behavior scale for undergraduates has been developed, which comprehensively covers information need, information source, information evaluation, information retrieval, information management, information utilization and information morality. The scale is proved to have good reliability, validity, popularity anddiscrimination that it is qualified to be an assessment tool of information-seeking behavior for Chinese undergraduates.

Reconstruction of Teachers’Competencies:A Key Support for the Digital Transformation in Education

With the adoption of competency reconstructing path of functional analysis in the organizational behavior theory,and the consideration of the core mission and attributes of educational organizations plus the urgency for digital transformation,this paper concludes four pillar competencies for teachers:curriculum development and teaching competency,human-computer collaboration competency,effective moral education competency,and self-growth competency.From the perspective of supporting the digital transformation in education,curriculum development and teaching competency is the premise and guarantee of“learning-centered”;and human-computer collaboration competency is the transformation direction of teachers’information and communications technology capabilities in smart environments;effective moral education competency determines the primary role of teachers in the process of digital transformation;and self-growth competency is the purpose and means of digital existence.Teacher education needs to face up to the current problems in teacher capacity development and reshape teacher education around the core competencies required by digital transformation.