Search and use of information by students of Archivology and Library courses at the Federal University of Paraiba in the pandemic period: study based on the Sense Making model

Abstract:

Based on Brenda Dervin's alternative approach model, Sense Making, the present research aims to understand the process of searching and using information by students of Archival Science and Librarianship courses at the Federal University of Paraíba during classes remote, concerning the academic period 2020.1, carried out in the pandemic The research is characterized as descriptive and case study, with a qualitative approach. To obtain the data, the questionnaire was used, which was built based on the categories of Sense Making and the critical incident technique. For data analysis, the categories of the Sense Making model were used (situation, gap, bridge and helpers), associated with the content analysis technique, to describe the process of searching and using information. The results obtained showed that despite the obstacles imposed by this atypical school period, in general, the students managed to overcome the different obstacles and built bridges that led them to reach the satisfaction of their informational needs. It is concluded, therefore, that the application of the Sense Making model was able to provide an overview of the process of searching and using information by students of Archival Science (6th period) and Librarianship (8th period), during remote classes, in the pandemic period.

Keywords:
information users; search and use of information; Sense Making model; information needs