Information Sources Utilization among Potato Farmers in North East India

Information technology has transformed many other aspects of human endeavor and has helped create systems for responding to a wide range of societal needs. The benefits of pertinent farm related information in empowering farmer are significant and remain to be exploited. Potato is one of the most important crops grown successfully in North East India but farmers have limited access to the updated information. A research study was undertaken in four major potato growing states of NE including Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura with a sample of 480 farmers. It was found that potato farmers preferred to utilize informal information sources more than formal as well as the mass media sources with respect to using inputs and taking pertinent decisions with respect to sustainable potato cultivation. Farmers urgently require timely and reliable sources of information for taking important farm management decisions. Therefore, it is recommended to popularize the strategic use of mass media including user friendly ICT tools for better and faster outreach to the target farmers.

Teaching Strategies of Georgian Colloquials and their integration in Georgian as SL Class

In the process of learning a foreign/second language, students should learn spoken/colloquial language in addition to formal language. This is important for successful communication in a reallife situation. Spoken/informal language occupies a significant part of everyday communication. Moreover, colloquial language and face to face interaction represent the essential aspects in both learning and teaching process and plays an important role in terms of linguistic and cognitive development of learner (Hinkel, 2006). According to Engkent, students “are wellequipped if they can handle a basic formal! informal distinction and understand the principles of register use” (Engkent; 1986). Georgian as a second language teaching resource does not include materials discussing this part of the language. As a result, language learners do not have the appropriate skills and knowledge to select the correct forms and expressions, taking into account the quality of language formality and the actual communication situation, speaking, as well as obstacles in understanding the information received in everyday speech, which also requires specific knowledge. The aim of the article is to study the situation in Georgian higher education, to identify the level of students' knowledge and learning activities and approaches, and to develop relevant recommendationsto address the above-mentioned problem. The research was conducted on the basis of Georgian higher education institutions, foreign students who speak Georgian as a foreign language took part in the research. Finally, 35 students of different nationalities participated in the study. The paper is mainly based on qualitative research. In addition, the interview method was used in the study; informants were 35 students who completed the questionnaires with open-ended and closed- ended questions. The observation method was also used in the research. We looked at the components of teaching speaking and reading. We conducted an experiment during the research process. Students were given a text with the same content in formal and informal style to read. In addition, we offered them the task of participating in a conversation situation on the same topic in a different context in terms of formality/language register and the results in both activities were observed. The study involved a relatively small focus group, which prevents a more in-depth and generalized picture from being displayed and the results obtained. Observations of the lesson process have shown that students understand the formal text more easily than informal style language. Even when the teacher provides spoken language forms, students find it difficult to comprehend such material. This is due to the fact that spoken language learning activities are more spontaneous, less systematic and do not reinforce such knowledge in the audience. Student surveys and questionnaires completed by them revealed the following: At a certain level of language proficiency they find it relatively easy to learn information from university-created texts in literary language, but in everyday situations, it is difficult to establish successful communication and comprehend information due to ignorance of spoken forms. In addition, such activities are less covered in the curriculum as well as in the textbooks and in thisregard, the experience of both teachers and students is relatively scarce. The experiment revealed that students understand the text of a formal genre more easily and correctly than spoken, informal information. The same goes for building a talking situation. In order for the student to realize the similarities and differences between formal and informal languages, it is necessary to carry out a variety of activities in the learning environment, including 1. Identify formal and informal distinguishing marks, which is achieved by reading, processing and comparing different texts according to different levels, genres and formality levels. 2. Use of lexical activities: Identify lexical items (slang, language contractions, acronyms, etc.) in texts, create a dictionary and perform relevant exercises. 3. Conversational activities on different topics: The teacher presents and discusses a particular form with a student, after which the students build the spoken situation in different language registers and make a presentation through role-playing games. 4. Use of authentic recordings and multimedia to master natural, informal language forms and structures.

Information Seeking Needs of Mothers Who Bottle-Feed Their Young Infants: How the Information Seeking Process Affects Them and What Libraries Can Do to Help Them

<p>Aim: The aim of the study is to examine the information seeking experiences of mothers who bottle feed young infants. What are their information needs and how do they seek to fill them? What emotional impact does the information seeking process have on this group? What role can Libraries play in helping this group find information? Methodology: This research utilises Dervin's sense-making methodology. At the heart of sensemaking is the situation-gap-outcome triangle. Kuhlthau's uncertainty principle is also used to help analyse the results and understand the connection between emotion and information seeking. Other research is also used to understand the experiences of the interviewees and place them in a wider context. Results: Mothers who bottle-feed young infants often feel guilt and anger. They are often unprepared for bottle-feeding, especially if they planned to breast-feed, and access to information on bottle-feeding is limited. Health professionals are sometimes reluctant to provide information on bottle-feeding. Informal information sources, such as family, friends and other mothers, are very important. There is little awareness that Libraries are able to provide information on bottle-feeding even among mothers who are frequent Library users. Libraries can best support bottle-feeding mothers by becoming inclusive community spaces for mothers to meet and share information.</p>

Assessing Knowledge and Use Practices of Plastic Food Packaging among Young Adults in South Africa: Concerns about Chemicals and Health

Chemicals associated with health problems can migrate from packaging into food matrices. Therefore, consumers need to be aware of health concerns associated with incorrectly used plastic food packaging. However, little is known about consumers’ knowledge and their plastics usage practices. This study assessed this knowledge and practices among young South African adult consumers. Our online survey of 293 participants focused on their objective (actual) and subjective (self-perceived) knowledge about plastic food packaging care and safety, their utilization practices, and their sources of information about safe use of plastics. Participants’ utilization practices showed broad misuse. Their subjective knowledge about the correct use of plastic packaging was in most respects contradicted by their limited objective knowledge. We found that plastic identification codes on packaging largely failed in their informative purpose; instead, participants mainly consulted informal information sources about plastics. The knowledge gaps, unsafe plastic use practices, and information source deficiencies identified here can help to guide future improvements. We call for consumer education, across all demographics, about plastic utilization practices and associated health concerns about plastic chemicals. We also highlight the need for the government, food and plastics industries to join forces in ensuring that consumers are informed about safe plastic packaging usage.

Information sources utilized by Vermont foodservice businesses during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic

Our research team interviewed owners or managers (n ­=10) of commercial (restaurants, caterers, food hubs) and institutional (schools, hospitals) foodservice businesses in Vermont in the summer and fall of 2020 to gather information about their experiences and response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This article discusses the information sources they utilized to make decisions about operating procedures and business strategies as the pandemic unfolded. Though this is not a comparative analysis to other states, Vermont had strong networks and support systems in place before the onset of COVID-19 that were poised to respond quickly as events unfolded. In addition, these interviews highlighted the importance of both formal and informal information sources, which filled different niches in the information ecosystem.

Disclosure to social network members among abortion-seeking women in low- and middle-income countries with restrictive access: a systematic review

Background Health care for stigmatized reproductive practices in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) often remains illegal; when legal, it is often inadequate, difficult to find and / or stigmatizing, which results in women deferring care or turning to informal information sources and providers. Women seeking an induced abortion in LMICs often face obstacles of this kind, leading to unsafe abortions. A growing number of studies have shown that abortion seekers confide in social network members when searching for formal or informal care. However, results have been inconsistent; in some LMICs with restricted access to abortion services (restrictive LMICs), disclosure appears to be limited. Main body This systematic review aims to identify the degree of disclosure to social networks members in restrictive LMICs, and to explore the differences between women obtaining an informal medical abortion and other abortion seekers. This knowledge is potentially useful for designing interventions to improve information on safe abortion or for developing network-based data collection strategies. We searched Pubmed, POPLINE, AIMS, LILACS, IMSEAR, and WPRIM databases for peer-reviewed articles, published in any language from 2000 to 2018, concerning abortion information seeking, communication, networking and access to services in LMICs with restricted access to abortion services. We categorized settings into four types by possibility of anonymous access to abortion services and local abortion stigma: (1) anonymous access possible, hyper stigma (2) anonymous access possible, high stigma (3) non-anonymous access, high stigma (4) non-anonymous access, hyper stigma. We screened 4101 references, yielding 79 articles with data from 33 countries for data extraction. We found a few countries (or groups within countries) exemplifying the first and second types of setting, while most studies corresponded to the third type. The share of abortion seekers disclosing to network members increased across setting types, with no women disclosing to network members beyond their intimate circle in Type 1 sites, a minority in Type 2 and a majority in Type 3. The informal use of medical abortion did not consistently modify disclosure to others. Conclusion Abortion-seeking women exhibit widely different levels of disclosure to their larger social network members across settings/social groups in restrictive LMICs depending on the availability of anonymous access to abortion information and services, and the level of stigma.

How Trust in Information Sources Influences Preventative Measures Compliance during the COVID-19 Pandemic

This paper explores how trust in formal information sources (government and media) and informal information sources (interpersonal) about COVID-19 influences compliance with preventive measures. This cross-sectional study uses convenience sampling of 478 adult participants. Data analyses using structural equation modeling with multigroup comparisons examine hypothesized relationships between trust in information sources and preventative behaviors and social distancing. Results suggest that understanding of COVID-19 causes is related to trust in formal information sources, but not to trust in informal information. Self-efficacy for prevention is related to trust in informal information sources, but not to trust in formal information sources. Worry about contracting COVID-19 is related to trust in formal information sources, but not to informal ones. Engaging in preventive measures is linked to both self-efficacy for prevention and worry, while social distancing was related only to worry. These findings have important implications for public health policy guidelines centered on clear and truthful media messages. The findings also facilitate comparative analyses of reactions to information sources across a decade of evolving attitudes toward media and government, between two cultures (Hong Kong vs. the USA), and between two different global pandemics.

Assessment of Extension Delivery Methods to Farmers in Apa Local Government Area of Benue State, Nigeria

Information plays a very important role in agriculture in particular and life in general. Agriculture has become information-intensive; information is required for livestock and crop production. It empowers farmers to respond to market incentives, risks, and competition. Farmers access information from a variety of sources. These sources can be divided into formal and informal information networks. The study assessed extension delivery methods to farmers in Apa Local Government Area of Benue State, Nigeria. Stratified, purposive and simple random sampling techniques were used in selecting 125 respondents through survey. Primary data were collected using a structured questionnaire. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The findings revealed that males were 74.2%, the respondents 49% were between 26 and 35 years, 61.7% were married, 52% had farm size of 6 hectares and above. About 34% earned an estimated annual income of between ₦100,000.0 and ₦500,000.0, 83.3% acquired land through inheritance and 47.5% obtained information from extension services using radio. About 50% of identified characteristics of the effectiveness of extension delivery methods used were helped solve problems and 86% of constraints to the effectiveness of extension delivery methods used were poor infrastructure. It is recommended that government and non-governmental organizations should provide infrastructure, organize adult education for farmers and organize training to update knowledge of extension workers.

Patterns of Information Seeking among Israeli 12th Grade High School Students Writing Final Research Papers

The purpose of the present study was to examine areas of interest and information seeking patterns of Israeli 12th graders who engaged in research work for their final research paper, an optional partial requirement for obtaining an official matriculation diploma. A detailed questionnaire, based on former studies was disseminated in high schools all over the country, yielding 200 usable questionnaires. Main findings: topping the list of chosen topics were the humanities (44%), followed by the sciences (33%), and the social sciences (24%). Considerable differences were found between girls and boys. Girls preferred topics from the social sciences (mainly sociology) and from the humanities (except history) while boys preferred scientific topics. Most respondents had a computer at home (93%) which was usually connected to the Internet (78%) and they had taken some computer course in the past (70%) although a considerable proportion, more girls than boys, did not make use of them. Gender was found to be significantly associated with the chosen field. Taking a computer course and use of home Internet were found to be associated with searching the Internet in the process of information seeking while working on the final paper. A home computer connected to the Internet was associated with the use of formal and informal information sources. The school library was the most-visited one followed by academic, public and home libraries. However, a considerable proportion of the respondents reported no or few visits only. Most respondents reported receiving only little or no advice and guidance regarding the library and database searching. When guidance was provided, it usually consisted of a single-session on a personal basis. Guidance given by a teacher was frequently face to face, with the student more likely to use an OPAC, while when given by a university teacher it was usually in front of a computer, followed by lesser use of OPACs. In summation, although most students were aware of powerful new IT tools, their use is not as prevalent as may be assumed, mainly due to poor or inadequate guidance.

What do the public really know about dementia and its risk factors?

Dementia has become a major public health concern globally. With no cure available and strong evidence for modifiable risk factors, it is imperative that the public are knowledgeable about dementia and to reduce their risk. The aim of this study was to measure the knowledge of dementia and its risk factors in the Australian public, as well as the number and type of information sources used. An online survey promoted through various social media platforms was completed by 596 Australian adults aged 18–78 years (59% aged 18–44 years; 78% female). Eighty-eight percent of respondents were able to recognise dementia from a vignette, more so from a moderate than from a mild symptom vignette. Only 19% of respondents had a good understanding of dementia, that is describing impairment in both cognition and function. Ninety-five percent of respondents recognised that genetics and old age contributed to a person getting dementia. However, respondents had poor knowledge of empirically supported modifiable risk factors, with most viewed as likely contributors to dementia at chance levels (50%) or below. Respondents reported using informal information sources more often than formal information sources to learn about dementia. The public appear to be able to recognise the symptoms of dementia but lack understanding of how dementia impacts both a person’s cognitive functioning and ability to perform everyday tasks. Furthermore, the public remain largely unaware of empirically supported modifiable risk factors that contribute to the development of dementia. It is imperative that the public are educated on how to access and evaluate dementia-related information sources in order to increase their knowledge and understanding of dementia.