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Dissertation Information for Johan Koren

NAME:
- Johan Koren

DEGREE:
- Ph.D.

DISCIPLINE:
- Library and Information Science

SCHOOL:
- University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (USA) (1992)

ADVISORS:
- Thomas P. Slavens

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
- Amy Warner
- Frederick Lewis Goodman
- David Hessler

MPACT Status: Fully Complete

Title: The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between field independency/less field independency and the use of salient cueing where all cues were relevant in a narrative format to college freshmen students' ability to process information presented on a computer screen. The research utilized a 2 x 3 factorial design with two levels of field independence (less versus more) and three types of experimental, text only, presentation (bold face, underlining, and control/no treatment) as the two independent variables. Two dependent variables--recall/comprehension and time taken to read the narratives presented on the computer screen--were used to measure students' ability to process information in order to test the hypotheses. To insure that subjects' reading ability was controlled, the Nelson-Denny Reading Test was used as a covariate. The hypotheses of this study asserted that significant differences existed between field independent and less field independent persons. It was hypothesized that cued text would improve recall/comprehension and the time taken to read the material from a computer screen of field independent and less field independent subjects and that cueing would mitigate any differences that would allow field independent subjects to significantly outperform less field independent subjects. No differences were found between field independent and less field independent subjects, and the use of cueing had no effect on either field independent or less field independent subjects. Utilizing only the most extremely field independent and least field independent subjects in a follow-up analysis yielded results which, while not statistically significant, were all in the expected directions. This research provides a base line for further research in cueing and cognitive style using free text. It has specific importance in providing research results of different cognitive styles in a setting where all salient cues were also relevant using a computer monitor as the instrument of information delivery.

Abstract: Professional image and status have figured prominently as controversial issues in the literature of library and information studies. Much of the problem can be linked to definitional disarray, to the extent that the information profession needs to clarify for its public and itself what it is and what it claims to do. Based on a revised model of professionalization and the assumption that professional education provides one source of professional image, this preliminary study set out to compare the professional image considered appropriate by library and information science educators in the United States and Scandinavia. Professional image was defined as an aggregate of five elements: appropriate professional title, professional role, capability, behavior and social status.

Two focus group interviews were held at one of the library schools in each region, and questionnaires based on the focus groups were sent to full-time faculty at each of the national schools of library and information studies in Norway, Sweden, and Denmark, and a random sample of six schools in the United States, for a return of 77.5% and 70.9%, respectively. Significant differences on a $\chi\sp2$ test of independence were found only between the choices of appropriate professional title: 78.4% of the Scandinavians preferred to retain librarian, while 75.4% of their U.S. colleagues selected a combination which included information, with a $\phi$ coefficient of $-$0.62. As expected, the Scandinavian educators emphasized cultural dissemination as a crucial component of the professional role, while the U.S. professors stressed "professional activities" for the professional's characteristic behavior. Otherwise, there appeared to be a remarkable similarity in the range of factors considered appropriate to the image of the librarian/information professional.

Further study recommended includes replication with a larger U.S. sample and a more rigorous instrument, and extension to include students, practitioners in the field and patrons, as well as other countries.

MPACT Scores for Johan Koren

A = 0
C = 0
A+C = 0
T = 0
G = 0
W = 0
TD = 0
TA = 0
calculated 2008-01-31 06:29:38

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