1. 20.2.07כנס צייס 20071 Economics of information Goods: An interdisciplinary Subject for Israeli LIS and MBA Curricula Dr. Noa Aharony Library and Information Studies, Beit Berl College noa.aharony@beitberl.ac.il Dr. Daphne Raban Graduate School of Management, U. of Haifa draban@univ.haifa.ac.il

2. 20.2.07כנס צייס 20072 Changes in the Information Landscape and in LIS Education  In the past:  Information-related subjects were taught mostly in LIS programs  The traditional focus of LIS was on containers rather than on content  Librarians were traditionally concerned with describing, storing and disseminating information products

3. 20.2.07כנס צייס 20073 Trends in LIS Education: The Kaliper Report (Durrance, et al., 2000)  Change from a library-focus model to an information-focus paradigm  Increased user-centeredness and increased interdisciplinarity  LIS programs are increasing the investment in and infusion of Information Technology into their curricula

4. 20.2.07כנס צייס 20074 Additonal Trends:  Information is taught in various disciplines:  The role of information in creating power and wealth is attracting the attention of numerous programs such as:  computer science  business schools  communications  schools of library and information science (Rehman, 2000).

5. 20.2.07כנס צייס 20075 What is: “Economics of Information Goods”?  Learn how information is similar to and different from other goods in markets  Learn what influences the value and price of information  Examples of Subjects Covered –Trading for $$$ versus free sharing – Anderson’s Switch –Bundling –Versioning –Lock-in –Network rules –Ownership rights –Value creation and enhancement –Subjective versus objective value

6. 20.2.07כנס צייס 20076 Our Assumptions  We believe that learning the economic aspect of information should be an integral part of information-related programs  We propose that gaining a good understanding of the rules of information economics is important for the survival of librarians and information professionals : –"Technology changes, Economic laws do not" (Shapiro and Varian, 1999)

7. 20.2.07כנס צייס 20077 Learning Strategies: Deep and Surface  Biggs' teaching- learning model (1993)  A student's approach towards the learning process is a combination of the motivation and the strategy that he or she adopts during the learning process  The deep learning strategy  The surface learning strategy

8. 20.2.07כנס צייס 20078 Our Research Hypotheses  H1: There is a significant difference in the attitudes towards information-related subject areas between students, lecturers, and information professionals.  H2: There is a significant difference in the attitudes towards information economics in two different curricula: a business school and an information studies curriculum.  H3: There is a significant difference in the attitudes towards information economics between two practitioner sub-groups, academic librarians and information professionals from the business/industry sector.

9. 20.2.07כנס צייס 20079 Our Research Hypotheses – cont.  H4: A deep learning strategy is associated with higher attitude scores towards information-related subject areas among students than a surface learning strategy  H5: A deep learning strategy is associated with higher attitudes scores towards information economics among students than a surface learning strategy.

10. 20.2.07כנס צייס 200710 Method Sample:  Practitioners: 31 academic librarians, 28 information professionals  Students: 43 information studies, 44 business school  Lecturers: 22 information studies, 12 business school

11. 20.2.07כנס צייס 200711 Research Tools  A personal details questionnaire  A subject-area attitude questionnaire: 5 Factors –InfoEcon, CI, InfoMgmt, Search, MBA  An information economics attitude questionnaire  A learning strategies questionnaire: 2 Factors –Deep and Surface

12. 20.2.07כנס צייס 200712 Results  H1: Rejected for the combined factors (no significant diff. between groups, overall mean score=3.89); Accepted for Search and MBA  H2: Rejected for staff, staff+students; Accepted for students (business>InfoStud.)  H3: Accepted, (InfoPros>AcadLibr.)  H4: Students were found to be deep learners (mean score=3.37) rather than surface learners (mean score=2.11) …cont.

13. 20.2.07כנס צייס 200713 Results – cont. H4: correlations between learning strategies and subject areas 6.4% 13.4% 7.8%7.5%8.7%

14. 20.2.07כנס צייס 200714 Results – cont. The mean score on the Information Economics Attitude Questionnaire was 2.91 (N=88, S.D.=0.73). Four statements(1,2,4,9) received the highest scores ranging from 3.20 to 3.47. H5: Accepted. The deep learning strategy is correlated with the Information Economics attitude questionnaire (R=0.31, p<0.01; 12.4% of the variance explained by the regression model).

15. 20.2.07כנס צייס 200715 Discussion  H1: –No diff. overall is surprising and encouraging, shows interest and openness –Diff. for Search (InfoPros>IS Students) and MBA (Students, Staff>InfoPros)  H2: –Business Students>IS Students, however both scores were high suggesting awareness  H3: –Business IPs>Acad. Libr., as expected. If we are to train students for the wider job market, the need for InfoEcon is clear.

16. 20.2.07כנס צייס 200716 Discussion – cont.  H4: –Master’s students tend to be deep learners –Trend: Positive correlations with deep learning, and negative correlations with surface learning  H5: –Deep learners, such as Masters’ students in both programs, had more positive views on InfoEcon, indicating a thirst for fundamental understanding of the driving force of the information economy

17. 20.2.07כנס צייס 200717 Thank You! Dr. Noa Aharony Library and Information Studies, Beit Berl College noa.aharony@beitberl.ac.il Dr. Daphne Raban Graduate School of Management, U. of Haifa draban@univ.haifa.ac.il