The use of the Internet as a research tool by faculty at the schools of information studies (IS) in the United States

Despite the widespread use of the Internet, there are no well-organized studies providing information about its use as a research tool and in classroom instruction at schools of information studies (IS) in the United States. Indeed, there are no well-designed and structured academic approaches to study the use of the Internet within information studies programs. Further, no data are available on the opinion and attitude of the faculty at schools of information studies concerning the use of the Internet and its future trends. A research instrument has been developed to analyze the current status of the Internet use at IS in the U.S. and to assess the opinion and attitudes of faculty at these schools with respect to the use of the Internet and its future trends within the scope of information studies programs. The developed instrument included 49 questions and statements designed to cover various aspects of the responder's profile, academic involvement, background on computers and the Internet, patterns of Internet use, and attitude and opinion on the use of Internet at IS. The instrument was packaged into a survey and mailed to over 642 full-time faculty members at IS throughout the United States.; A qualification criterion was applied to exclude responses that were incomplete. One hundred and fifty complete responses were included for analysis representing a random and representative statistical sample to the IS faculty in the U.S. The results revealed that the vast majority of faculty at IS consider themselves to be either advanced or intermediate with respect to both computer and Internet experience. Looking up databases, catalogs, and/or indexes is the main purpose the faculty of information studies uses the Internet. The highest rate of Internet use, for different purposes, is exhibited by assistant professors, followed by associate, and professors. The data showed that the use of the Internet to communicate with faculty in the same department has the highest relative index of Internet use. It is followed by communication with students individually or in a group, communication with faculty in other departments and schools, and supporting instruction in the classroom. The highest relative index of support by the faculty was to the issue of that current graduates of information studies programs should have effective Internet skills. This notion, along with other data, showed that the prevailing opinion among IS faculty is the need to master the use of the Internet and that future trends will comprehensively include Internet courses and skill development within the information studies curricula.