Volume 13, No 2, 2016
Students' sense of self-efficacy in searching information from the Web: A PLS approach
Hamid Keshavarz, Mohammadreza Esmaeili Givi and Amir Vafaeian
Abstract
The role of self-efficacy in different task and organizational settings has largely been highlighted, especially in searching for information by web users. The current research was conducted to reemphasize the mentioned role and also to show possible relationship existing between the sense of self-efficacy and success in information searching. A survey was conducted in a sample of post-graduate students at Shahed University, Tehran, Iran. Factor analysis using Structural Equation Modeling by PLS software showed high factor loadings related to all of the items indicating goodness of fit for all of them. The scale was validated according to the structural and overall goodness of fit indicating a high quality of measuring the variable in the context studied. The results of the study reflect the importance of studying the students’ searching behavior as it is now possible to help them improve their information searching and evaluating skills, which are largely related to their sense of efficacy. The more self-efficacy they have, the more success in information searching could be expected. Designers of information systems, managers of instructional programs related to information searching, psychologists and the like could find the research results of interest in their professional operations.
Pages: 16-31
Keywords: Information searching; Information literacy; Self-efficacy; Web information seeking