Information Seeking Behaviors of Children and Youth: Challenges and Implications for Information Literacy Instruction A Review of the Literature

Abstract

Research indicates that technological advances are changing the ways people are searching for, finding, and using information for personal, professional, and educational purposes (Bernier, 2007; Heath, 2007; Perrault, 2007). Human information behavior encompasses people’s information needs, information seeking behaviors, information contexts, patterns of information access, retrieval, processing,and use (Todd, 2003).

An emerging area of human information behavior is the information seeking practices of youth. Research suggests the need for educators to adapt instruction and refine students’ Information Seeking skills and foster advanced information literacy (Branch, 2003; Dixon & Shenton, 2005; Kulthau, 1994, 2003; Hultgren and Limberg, 2002; Laverty, 2003; Leu and Kinzer, 2000; and McGregor, 1994).