Role of social media in information-seeking behaviour of international students: A systematic literature review

Creating behavioral engagement among higher education's prospective students through social media marketing activities: The role of brand equity as mediator

In today's competitive environment, higher education needs to find an effective way to convey its brand to prospective students. Given that the "digital native" (Gen Z) is becoming college aged, social media marketing has become an essential approach to engage with them. However, blasting out recruiting content on its social feeds just isn't working. By developing the higher education adjusted SMMA, structural equation modeling was adopted to figure out its effects on higher education brand equity and prospective student behavioral engagement, quantitatively. 356 3rd grade high school students in Indonesia were employed to assess the structural model. According to the findings of this study, SMMA has a considerable influence on brand equity and behavioral engagement, and brand equity has a noteworthy effect on behavioral engagement. Moreover, brand equity was found as a statistically meaningful mediator in the relationship between SMMA and behavioral engagement. The outcome advised the higher education need to organize its social in fun and interactive ways by leveraging higher education's SMMA as a pillar or benchmark on arranging social media posts and content. Yet, the content and posts should still need prioritize institution awareness and the good image of a higher education. The theoretical and managerial implication were discussed further.

The information sharing among students on social media: the role of social capital and trust

Purpose

This study aims to investigate how social capital (e.g. cognitive and relational) influences students’ trust (e.g. cognitive and affective) as mediator variables, affecting students’ information sharing activity on Facebook.

Design/methodology/approach

The sample consists of 398 valid participants obtained through an online survey and using structural equation modeling (SEM) to test the research hypotheses.

Findings

The empirical results indicate that social capital has significant and positive effects on students’ trust (e.g. cognitive and affective-based trust), also mediator variables. Furthermore, the mediator variables partially mediate social capital and information sharing based on the concept of cognition-affection-behavior (CAB).

Research limitations/implications

This study was limited to Indonesian students. Therefore, future study is needed to analyze across cultures and regions. It can help practitioners, regulators and researchers to observe the dynamic behavior on the impact of social capital on social media users’ activities.

Practical implications

Education stakeholders (e.g. lecturers and teachers) can identify the students’ goal and rational concerns to improve their social capital and trust to share information. The government as a regulator needs to support students’ activities on social media to provide updated information regarding economic and social conditions during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the literature on virtual communities. Specifically, it considers how social capital influences trust, which subsequently affects information sharing based on the CAB context among Indonesian student’ Facebook users.

International students’ university decision quality: The effect of online environment quality, information-task fit, perceived usefulness and social influence

In the world of online marketing, higher education (HE) sectors still question the appropriateness of their online marketing strategies for disseminating suitable information to influence academic matriculation decisions. Different information sources have the potential to positively enhance students’ decision quality through different levels of utilization. This research investigated the influence of online environment quality on international students’ decision quality, and whether information quality (IQ) of the online environment predicts information-task fit (ITF), perceived usefulness and decision quality. The data used for this study was gathered from first- and second-year international students ( N = 308) at different universities across six countries. A structural equation modelling approach revealed the significant influence of online environment quality on the decision quality of international students’ university choice through the mediating perceptions of two levels of utilization, ITF and perceived usefulness. Furthermore, the moderating roles of website type and source type showed the significantly different influences of IQ on students’ decision quality. Implications for HE researchers and marketers in improving the online environment quality and marketing are provided.

Use of social media information sources: a systematic literature review

Purpose

This paper aimed to investigate reading format preference of undergraduate students with regard to various categories of information sources and use of social media information sources for academic and non-academic activities.

Design/methodology/approach

An exhaustive literature review was carried out in a very well organised way using total 56 publications which include 48 research papers, four conference papers, two books and two reports, which were selected for analysis on the basis of prescribed data schema and adopting the inclusion and exclusion criteria matching with the research objectives of the study.

Findings

Undergraduate students preferred text books in print format for passing the exams, and use of search engines and Internet sites were rated as the most crucial source for the academic information. In particular, Wikipedia, YouTube and Blogs were the most frequently used social media information sources by undergraduate students for their academic activities. However, Facebook and Twitter were most prominently used for social interaction.

Research limitations/implications

The population of the study was restricted to the homogenous group of users, i.e. undergraduate students to examine their choices and preferences for their academic and non-academic activities. Further research studies may be conducted covering the more diverse and heterogeneous user group of postgraduate students and research scholars of different disciplines.

Originality/value

Generally, many previous research studies depicted users' preference for print and electronic media format without paying special attention on the usage of a variety of information sources by user groups. However, the present study is a value addition to the existing literature which emphasised the use of various categories of information sources, particularly by undergraduate students in print and digital format for different purposes in the digital environment. A major shift from the use of print media to digital media to social media information sources by undergraduate students for their academic and non-academic activities.

Information-seeking behavior in the digital age: use by faculty members of the internet, scientific databases and social networks

Purpose

The study aims to survey information-seeking behavior of the Iranian medical faculty members and to identify the reasons and obstacles of their usage via the internet, scientific databases and online social networks.

Design/methodology/approach

In this cross-sectional study, a structured questionnaire used to collect data. The research population includes faculty members of four faculties of Hamadan University of Medical Sciences in Iran, including health, nursing – midwifery, paramedicine and rehabilitation. SPSS software was used to analyze data in descriptive and analytical levels.

Findings

Low internet speed, network traffic and lack of time were the main barriers and difficulties. Gender was significantly related with familiarity with databases, problems and barriers to accessing information, barriers to using social network, as well as purpose and motivation of using social network. Search for educational and research resources and use of social network to increase their general information were the main goals of participants to using the internet and databases. A negative significant relationship was observed between usage of social network with age (r = −0.204, P = 0.047) and experience (r = −0.239, P = 0.019).

Originality/value

The usage of faculty members of various digital resources is growing ever more. This study examines the use of faculty members of the internet, scientific databases and online social networks simultaneously.

Predictors of Health Information-Seeking Behavior: Systematic Literature Review and Network Analysis

Background

People engage in health information–seeking behavior to support health outcomes, and being able to predict such behavior can inform the development of interventions to guide effective health information seeking. Obtaining a comprehensive list of the predictors of health information–seeking behavior through a systematic search of the literature and exploring the interrelationship of these predictors are critical first steps in this process.

Objective

This study aims to identify significant predictors of health information–seeking behavior in the primary literature, develop a common taxonomy for these predictors, and identify the evolution of the concerned research field.

Methods

A systematic search of PsycINFO, Scopus, and PubMed was conducted for all years up to and including December 10, 2019. Quantitative studies identifying significant predictors of health information–seeking behavior were included. Information seeking was broadly defined and not restricted to any source of health information. Data extraction of significant predictors was performed by 2 authors, and network analysis was conducted to observe the relationships between predictors with time.

Results

A total of 9549 articles were retrieved, and after the screening, 344 studies were retained for analysis. A total of 1595 significant predictors were identified. These predictors were categorized into 67 predictor categories, with the most central predictors being age, education, gender, health condition, and financial income. With time, the interrelationship of predictors in the network became denser, with the growth of new predictor grouping reaching saturation (1 new predictor identified) in the past 7 years, despite increasing publication rates.

Conclusions

A common taxonomy was developed to classify 67 significant predictors of health information–seeking behavior. A time-aggregated network method was developed to track the evolution of the research field, showing the maturation of new predictor terms and an increase in primary studies reporting multiple significant predictors of health information–seeking behavior. The literature has evolved with a decreased characterization of novel predictors of health information–seeking behavior. In contrast, we identified a parallel increase in the complexity of predicting health information–seeking behavior, with an increase in the literature describing multiple significant predictors.

The Use of Facebook by International Students for Information-seeking in Malaysia: A Social Network Analysis

International students are valuable resources in higher education but they often face challenges due to lack of social engagement and unfamiliarity with the new social context. The use of social network sites (SNS) such as Facebook has the potential to support international students, but limited studies have examined the actual information seeking behaviour of this group of students. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the use of Facebook groups as an example of an SNS by international students for information seeking purposes. Data were downloaded from the Facebook group of international students that belong to a public university in Malaysia, and the social network analysis technique was used to analyse the data. The result of the network graph metrics showed that 25% international students exhibit a high frequency of interaction, whereas 75% of students present low interaction. Meanwhile, the result of the vertex text attribute method identified three types of information exchange, as follows: 1) information need; 2) information source; and 3) general information during the interaction of international students. The information needs of international students differ before and after arriving in Malaysia. Thus, Facebook groups provide a platform for international students to seek information, gain knowledge, remain updated with university news, make decisions and solve problems. This study offers important implications to research and practice related to the use of social network sites to support international students.

Triggers and strategies related to the collaborative information-seeking behaviour of researchers in ResearchGate

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify the triggers, strategies and outcomes of collaborative information-seeking behaviours of researchers on the ResearchGate social networking site.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected from the population of researchers who use ResearchGate. The sample was limited to the Ph.D. students and assistant professors in the library and information science domain. Qualitative interviews were used for data collection.

Findings

Based on the findings of the study, informal communications and complex information needs lead to a decision to use collaborative information-seeking behaviour. Also, easy access to sources of information and finding relevant information were the major positive factors contributing to collaborative information-seeking behaviour of the ResearchGate users. Users moved from collaborative Q&A strategies to sharing information, synthesising information and networking strategies based on their needs. Analysis of information-seeking behaviour showed that ResearchGate users bridged the information gap by internalizing new knowledge, making collaborative decisions and increasing their work's visibility.

Originality/value

As one of the initial studies on the collaborative information-seeking behaviour of ResearchGate users, this study provides a holistic picture of different triggers that affect researchers' information-seeking on ResearchGate.

Comparing digital libraries with social media from the dual route perspective

Purpose

Digital libraries and social media have emerged as two prominent online information sources with different characteristics. The purpose of this paper is to compare digital libraries and social media from the perspective of the dual route model which outlined a general framework of central and peripheral route-induced attitude change.

Design/methodology/approach

Research hypotheses were developed and data collected from users of digital libraries and social media were used for data analysis. The paired samples t-test was employed to compare the means.

Findings

Both central route (information quality) and peripheral route (source credibility and reputation) of digital libraries are higher than those of social media.

Practical implications

The important status of digital libraries as conventional information sources should be propagated by various “marketing” ways. Managers of digital libraries should encourage their users to use both digital libraries and social media so that some unique advantage of social media could usefully complement digital libraries. They should also recognize the challenge brought by social media and try various ways to enhance reputation.

Originality/value

Building on the dual route model, this study compares digital libraries and social media in terms of the central route and peripheral route, which the authors believe presents a new lens for digital library research and practice alike.

Factors affecting the unplanned use behavior of academic libraries users

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify and design the axial coding pattern of the factors affecting the unplanned use behavior of users of the academic libraries and information centers.

Design/methodology/approach

The study as an applied research with a qualitative approach employed the grounded theory. The data collection tool was a deep and semi-structured interview. The interviews data were analyzed and coded during three stages of open, axial and selective coding using the MAXQDA 10 qualitative analysis software. The research population consisted of faculty members and experts in three areas of library and information science, management and psychology. Using the combined targeted sampling method (targeted and then the snowball), 12 subjects were selected as the sample size.

Findings

According to the research findings, the factors affecting the unplanned behavior of users in the use of academic libraries resources and services were identified as factors related to technology, environmental factors, information resources, information services, human resources, individual features, time position factor, cultural factors and social factors. Accordingly, the axial coding pattern of this type of behaviors was designed.

Research limitations/implications

The research limitations include the lack of theoretical basis related to the unplanned behavior issue in the field of library and information science and the lack of full familiarity of most of the experts in the field of library and information science with this topic. These factors lead to the necessity of explaining the subject under discussion.

Originality/value

The unplanned behavior of clients can be utilized to persuade users to use the information resources and library services so that the costs spent on their preparation and collection will be justifiable. The current research addressed this aspect of the unplanned information-seeking behavior.

Evaluating the effectiveness of thesauri in digital information retrieval systems

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to carry out a systematic literature review for evidence-based assessment of the effectiveness of thesaurus in digital information retrieval systems. It also aimed to identify the evaluation methods, evaluation measures and data collection tools which may be used in evaluating digital information retrieval systems.

Design/methodology/approach

A systematic literature review (SLR) of 344 publications from LISA and 238 from Scopus has been carried out to identify the evaluation studies for analysis, and 15 evaluation studies have been analyzed.

Findings

This study presents evidences for the effectiveness of thesaurus in digital information retrieval systems. Various methods for evaluating digital information systems have been identified. Also, a wide range of evaluation measures and data collection tools have been identified.

Research limitations/implications

The study was limited to the literature published in English language and indexed in LISA and Scopus. The evaluation methods, evaluation measures and data collection tools identified in this study may be used to design more cognizant evaluation studies for digital information retrieval systems.

Practical implications

The findings have significant implications for the administrators of any type of digital information retrieval systems in making more informed decisions toward implementation of thesaurus in resource description and access to digital collections.

Originality/value

This study extends our knowledge on the potentials of thesauri in digital information retrieval systems. It also provides cues for designing more cognizant evaluation studies for digital information systems.