Information Practices of Immigrants Nadia Caidi Faculty of Information University of Toronto Health Nexus Workshop, March 30, 2009.

Is this information seeking?

Or is it really more like this…

Examples of Information Seeking and Use (from Donald Case) Buying products Finding information in a library Betting on a horse Finding the law “ I want to know more about cancer” Information seeking and use are: “… common and essential behaviors….basic to human existence.” (Case)

Buying products

Finding information in a library

Betting on a horse

Finding the law

“ I want to know more about cancer”

Key Questions in Information Seeking and Use What is information? What is an information need? (Taylor, 1968) Information need focuses on purposive action. Action is taken to address uncertainty, confusion. What counts as information/knowledge for whom and in what context? How do people find information? What does the information seeking process look like? What are the barriers or gaps to finding information? How can we (as information providers) design info retrieval systems that enable users to find what they need?

What is information?

What is an information need?

(Taylor, 1968) Information need focuses on purposive action. Action is taken to address uncertainty, confusion.

What counts as information/knowledge for whom and in what context?

How do people find information?

What does the information seeking process look like?

What are the barriers or gaps to finding information?

How can we (as information providers) design info retrieval systems that enable users to find what they need?

Everyday Life Information Seeking (ELIS) Previously user studies focused on task-based activities But individuals require and seek information on a daily basis in order to manage their daily lives (Savolainen, 1995) ELIS is often habitual, non rational, and has multiple goals Everyday information practices: info seeking, use, and sharing

Previously user studies focused on task-based activities

But individuals require and seek information on a daily basis in order to manage their daily lives (Savolainen, 1995)

ELIS is often habitual, non rational, and has multiple goals

Everyday information practices: info seeking, use, and sharing

Information Poverty (Chatman, 1996) Information seeking may be problematic for vulnerable populations in economic poverty Information poor lack necessary resources (adequate social networks, skills, etc.) that enable everyday information seeking Information poverty concepts: Insider/outsider dichotomy Deception, secrecy, risk-taking Situational relevance Social norms, worldview, social types, information behavior in certain communities

Information seeking may be problematic for vulnerable populations in economic poverty

Information poor lack necessary resources (adequate social networks, skills, etc.) that enable everyday information seeking

Information poverty concepts:

Insider/outsider dichotomy

Deception, secrecy, risk-taking

Situational relevance

Social norms, worldview, social types, information behavior in certain communities

Information Needs of Immigrants Orienting information seeking Refers to daily media habits that individuals engage in Purpose: to monitor everyday events through various sources, such as media. Practical (or problem-specific) information seeking Solving of individual problems or performing specific tasks More episodic in nature; varying times to completion, etc.

Orienting information seeking

Refers to daily media habits that individuals engage in

Purpose: to monitor everyday events through various sources, such as media.

Practical (or problem-specific) information seeking

Solving of individual problems or performing specific tasks

More episodic in nature; varying times to completion, etc.

Barriers to Orienting info seeking Information overload Where to get access to info Language issues Credibility of information retrieved Emotional stress Social isolation

Information overload

Where to get access to info

Language issues

Credibility of information retrieved

Emotional stress

Social isolation

Barriers to Problem-Specific information seeking Identifying and accessing relevant human sources Slowness of bureaucratic process Unfamiliarity with overall system How or where to seek help…

Identifying and accessing relevant human sources

Slowness of bureaucratic process

Unfamiliarity with overall system

How or where to seek help…

Pathways and Sources Social networks Gatekeepers Formal sources ICTs Ethnic media

Social networks

Gatekeepers

Formal sources

ICTs

Ethnic media

Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) play an important role in the shifts taking place within immigration by: changing the nature and frequency of migrants’ contacts with source countries (i.e., relatively rapid, easy and inexpensive) providing new types of cultural consumption and production such as online newspapers, newsgroups, chat rooms, and access to home country internet sites shifting employment seeking practices and opportunities through distance education, job searching capabilities, online government and settlement information, and transnational entrepreneurial opportunities

Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) play an important role in the shifts taking place within immigration by:

changing the nature and frequency of migrants’ contacts with source countries (i.e., relatively rapid, easy and inexpensive)

providing new types of cultural consumption and production such as online newspapers, newsgroups, chat rooms, and access to home country internet sites

shifting employment seeking practices and opportunities through distance education, job searching capabilities, online government and settlement information, and transnational entrepreneurial opportunities

On average, people who have migrated to Canada spend more time online than people who were born in Canada People who have migrated to Canada have higher levels of engagement with content-producing social activities on the web such as using blogs, wikis, and social networking sites (‘social media’) People who have migrated to Canada are more likely to use the internet in public spaces (Canadian Internet Project (CIP), Zamaria and Fletcher, 2007) Where language spoken at home differs from official languages, internet users are significantly more likely to be heavy (one hour of internet use per day) computer users (Veenhof, 2006)

On average, people who have migrated to Canada spend more time online than people who were born in Canada

People who have migrated to Canada have higher levels of engagement with content-producing social activities on the web such as using blogs, wikis, and social networking sites (‘social media’)

People who have migrated to Canada are more likely to use the internet in public spaces

(Canadian Internet Project (CIP), Zamaria and Fletcher, 2007)

Where language spoken at home differs from official languages, internet users are significantly more likely to be heavy (one hour of internet use per day) computer users (Veenhof, 2006)

Most people who have recently immigrated to Canada have previous ICT experience and use ICTs with relative ease Familiarization with the Canadian information landscape is part of settlement, even for internet-savvy migrants. This includes making sense of newcomer settlement information, learning how to use a computer to apply for a job, and learning how to use online government sources and forms Socio-economic conditions of source countries and class of entry are predictors of ICT uptake and use Notably, beginner users still exist. Individuals who come to Canada as refugees, in the family class, or as live in care-givers have generally had fewer opportunities for ICT training

Most people who have recently immigrated to Canada have previous ICT experience and use ICTs with relative ease

Familiarization with the Canadian information landscape is part of settlement, even for internet-savvy migrants. This includes making sense of newcomer settlement information, learning how to use a computer to apply for a job, and learning how to use online government sources and forms

Socio-economic conditions of source countries and class of entry are predictors of ICT uptake and use

Notably, beginner users still exist. Individuals who come to Canada as refugees, in the family class, or as live in care-givers have generally had fewer opportunities for ICT training

Barriers to Accessing Information Structural barriers Insufficient language proficiency Learning how the system works Limitations arising from one’s status Social barriers Social isolation Communication problems Differences in cultural values and understanding

Structural barriers

Insufficient language proficiency

Learning how the system works

Limitations arising from one’s status

Social barriers

Social isolation

Communication problems

Differences in cultural values and understanding

IMPLICATIONS Information services introduced into a community through outsiders will likely be regarded with suspicion and considered irrelevant to the specific needs of the community Credibility of info associated with the reputation of the individual: importance of identifying key person (gatekeeper)

Information services introduced into a community through outsiders will likely be regarded with suspicion and considered irrelevant to the specific needs of the community

Credibility of info associated with the reputation of the individual: importance of identifying key person (gatekeeper)

ADAPTING INFORMATION SERVICES (1) Need to understand how information moves within the group or between groups Designing information services that take into account the social, psychological, and cultural factors that influence information seeking

Need to understand how information moves within the group or between groups

Designing information services that take into account the social, psychological, and cultural factors that influence information seeking

ADAPTING INFORMATION SERVICES (2) Get to know your community Assess the problems experienced by a member of a specific group Work with associations and service providers to improve services and attract non-users Adapt user interactions, coll. development and delivery of services Training staff to work with users Implement periodical evaluation of services to members of specific groups

Get to know your community

Assess the problems experienced by a member of a specific group

Work with associations and service providers to improve services and attract non-users

Adapt user interactions, coll. development and delivery of services

Training staff to work with users

Implement periodical evaluation of services to members of specific groups

Difficult to make further generalizations because of the heterogeneity of people who are migrating multiplicity of languages spoken, cultures experienced diversity of technologies involved in online communication varieties of online information and related activities different stages of settlement create different needs Research potential to study specific circumstances in which particular ICT practices are employed, and satisfaction with these examine information-seeking behaviours of people who do not use the internet observe how ICTs are used to achieve particular ends such as finding employment explore potential for pertinent pre-migration information

Difficult to make further generalizations because of the

heterogeneity of people who are migrating

multiplicity of languages spoken, cultures experienced

diversity of technologies involved in online communication

varieties of online information and related activities

different stages of settlement create different needs

Research potential to

study specific circumstances in which particular ICT practices are employed, and satisfaction with these

examine information-seeking behaviours of people who do not use the internet

observe how ICTs are used to achieve particular ends such as finding employment

explore potential for pertinent pre-migration information

Current information about credential recognition and average salaries Up-to-date average costs for housing and utilities Success stories that articulate the benefits of having a patient mindset Awareness of the forms of racism within Canada, especially for people who will be visible minorities’ in Canada Knowledge about potential areas of residence and neighbourhood amenities

Current information about credential recognition and average salaries

Up-to-date average costs for housing and utilities

Success stories that articulate the benefits of having a patient mindset

Awareness of the forms of racism within Canada, especially for people who will be visible minorities’ in Canada

Knowledge about potential areas of residence and neighbourhood amenities

Consider information access and provision as embedded within social activities Maintain awareness of online tools as reaching only some of the population of people who have migrated to Canada Provide pre-migration information that prepares potential migrants for realities of life in Canada Examine individuals’ blogs related to settlement in Canada Recognize significance of dynamic, timely information (e.g., what is the significance of global recession for potential immigrants?) Increase dialogue between people who have recently migrated, researchers, practitioners, and government organizations

Consider information access and provision as embedded within social activities

Maintain awareness of online tools as reaching only some of the population of people who have migrated to Canada

Provide pre-migration information that prepares potential migrants for realities of life in Canada

Examine individuals’ blogs related to settlement in Canada

Recognize significance of dynamic, timely information (e.g., what is the significance of global recession for potential immigrants?)

Increase dialogue between people who have recently migrated, researchers, practitioners, and government organizations

Caidi, N., Allard, D., & L. Quirke. (2010). “Information Practices of Immigrants.” Annual Review of Information Science and Technology, vol. 44. Caidi, N., Allard, D., & Dechief, D. (2008). Information practices of immigrants to Canada: A review of the literature. Unpublished Report to Citizenship and Immigration Canada. Caidi, N., Allard, D., Dechief, D., & Longford, G. (2008). Including immigrants in Canadian society: What role do ICTs play? Unpublished Report to Human Resources and Social Development Canada. Dechief, D. (2006). Recent immigrants as an “alternate civic core”: Providing Internet services, gaining “Canadian experiences.” Unpublished Master’s thesis Concordia University. Chien, E. (2005). Informing and involving newcomers online: Users’ perspectives of Settlement.Org. Unpublished Master’s thesis, University of Toronto.

Caidi, N., Allard, D., & L. Quirke. (2010). “Information Practices of Immigrants.” Annual Review of Information Science and Technology, vol. 44.

Caidi, N., Allard, D., & Dechief, D. (2008). Information practices of immigrants to Canada: A review of the literature. Unpublished Report to Citizenship and Immigration Canada.

Caidi, N., Allard, D., Dechief, D., & Longford, G. (2008). Including immigrants in Canadian society: What role do ICTs play? Unpublished Report to Human Resources and Social Development Canada.

Dechief, D. (2006). Recent immigrants as an “alternate civic core”: Providing Internet services, gaining “Canadian experiences.” Unpublished Master’s thesis Concordia University.

Chien, E. (2005). Informing and involving newcomers online: Users’ perspectives of Settlement.Org. Unpublished Master’s thesis, University of Toronto.

Nadia Caidi [email_address] Associate Professor Faculty of Information University of Toronto 416 978 4664

Nadia Caidi

[email_address]

Associate Professor

Faculty of Information

University of Toronto

416 978 4664