Personal Digital Information Management Practices of Engineering Faculty: Finding, Organizing, and Re-finding Information

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the personal digital information practices of engineering faculty members in terms of finding, organizing, keeping, and re-finding information. Quantitative research design based on survey method was used to collect data through structured questionnaire. Simple random sampling technique was applied to get response from engineering faculty members. They perceived that their information gathering and finding skills were good and they coped well with gathered information of their interest. Findings revealed that faculty members classified and sorted gathered information to re-find it latter. They also kept information that had potential to be useful in future. Respondents used different ways to re-find their saved information including keywords search, browse through folder structure, access through bookmark, and use of memory. It is noted that browsing information through folder names, and bookmarks were also a common practice among engineering faculty. Findings also revealed that there was statistically significant difference between male and female faculty members’ PIM practices. Faculty members perceived that they were skillful in finding information while they were less-proficient in organizing and re-finding information. Thus, they also have to face different types of challenges such as technology obsolescence, assessing future value of information, information fragmentation and memory load in remembering the location of information. The findings of engineering faculty members’ PIM practices have significant implications for faculty themselves, educational technologist, digital library developers, and educational policy makers.