Linking exploration to academic performance. The role of information seeking and academic self-efficacy
| Date | 14 November 2017 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/LM-02-2017-0021 |
| Pages | 404-414 |
| Published date | 14 November 2017 |
| Author | Panagiotis Gkorezis,Petros Kostagiolas,Dimitris Niakas |
| Subject Matter | Library & information science,Librarianship/library management,HR in libraries,Library strategy,Library promotion |
Linking exploration to
academic performance
The role of information seeking and academic
self-efficacy
Panagiotis Gkorezis
Hellenic Open University, Patras, Greece
Petros Kostagiolas
Department of Archives and Library Science, Ionian University, Corfu, Greece, and
Dimitris Niakas
Faculty of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens,
Athens, Greece
Abstract
Purpose –Substantial empirical research has addressed the antecedents of students’academic performance.
Building on these insights, the purpose of this paper is to extend the related literature by investigating the
impact of students’exploration on their academic performance. Furthermore, to provide a better
understanding of this relationship the authors incorporate two sequential mediators, namely, information
seeking and academic self-efficacy.
Design/methodology/approach –Quantitative approach using self-report questionnaires. This study was
conducted in the Hellenic Open University through a specially designed questionnaire. The authors collected
data from 248 students attending a postgraduate course in Healthcare Management.
Findings –The results showed that information seeking and in turn academic self-efficacy mediate the
positive association between exploration and academic performance. Both theoretical and practical
implications are also discussed.
Originality/value –Students’exploration plays an important role in enhancing both their information
seeking and self-efficacy which in turn affects their academic performance.
Keywords Academic performance, Exploration, Information seeking, Academic library,
Hellenic Open University, Academic self-efficacy
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
Considerable research attention has focused on examining the determinants of students’
academic performance (Brown et al., 2008; Cassady and Johnson, 2002; Duckworth and
Seligman, 2005; Flook et al., 2005; Hanus and Fox, 2015; Liem et al., 2012; Nurmi et al., 2003;
Pintrich andDe Groot, 1990; Tang and Austin, 2009). In thisvein, scholars have pointed to the
vital role of dispositional factorsin triggering academic performance(Chamorro-Premuzicand
Furnham, 2003;O’Connor and Paunonen, 2007; Poropat, 2009).However, little is known about
the role of exploration which describes individuals’tendency to seek out novel information,
knowledge and experiences (Kashdan et al., 2004). Thus, w e attempt to extend
previous research by investigating the relationship between students’exploration and their
academic performance.
In addition, to provide a better understanding of the above relationship we encompass
two mediating mechanisms, namely, information seeking and academic self-efficacy. Both
constructs have been broadly used in the related literature as important antecedents of
academic performance (Andrew, 1998; Lane et al., 2004; Lent et al., 1986; Tang and Tseng, 2013;
Zhu et al., 2011). Information seeking investigation in academic environments includes
numerous theoretical and empirical studies (Cerretani et al., 2016) all striving to associate
Library Management
Vol. 38 No. 8/9, 2017
pp. 404-414
© Emerald PublishingLimited
0143-5124
DOI 10.1108/LM-02-2017-0021
Received 14 February 2017
Revised 14 March 2017
Accepted 15 March 2017
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
www.emeraldinsight.com/0143-5124.htm
404
LM
38,8/9
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