How Students Seek Information When Studying at Home? A Case Study in Pekalongan High Schools

In March 2020 Indonesia faced a deadly disease namely Coronavirus Disease 2019 or Covid 19. The virus reportedly originated in Wuhan, China. It is transmitted from animal to animal,and it turns out that the virus can also be transmitted by humans which can interfere with the respiratory system and is very easily transmitted (Yunus & Rezki, 2020). Therefore, the government issued a policy to regulate health protocols, namely implementing social distancing, school from home, and works from home. (Yunus & Rezki, 2020). Some parts of Indonesia at that time have implemented the health protocol standards, including in Pekalongan district. The Government of Pekalongan issued a policy in the form of Circular Letter No. 443.1/001 in mid-March 2020. This letter contains the temporary closure of schools and restrictions on movement outside the home except for emergency matters (Merdeka, 2020). The government implements health protocols in the form of social distancing and works from home with the purpose that it can prevent the transmission of Covid-19. The health protocol is applied to government institutions and educational institutions, including Pekalongan Public Library, which was closed for two months to implement the policy (Perpustakaan Daerah Kota Pekalongan, 2020). Covid-19 has had a changing impact on life, including in the education field. During the pandemic, the learning process is virtually conducted. Every element in the school must adhere to the health protocols. Students in Pekalongan were unable to come to school, as the government also implemented an online learning system at home to prevent the spread of the virus by limiting crowding activities in the school area. This is where learning from home is widely known as "school from home" (SFH). This distance learning is the method made by the government to avoid the transmission of Covid-19 in schools (Pemerintah Kota Pekalongan, 2020). This method fully uses online media or internet networks. Therefore, technology is needed to support the learning activities such as mobile phones and laptops (Handarini & Wulandari, 2020). Information channels or media used during school from home usually through WhatsApp, video conference, Google Form, Telegram, or other social media as a medium for connecting students and teachers (Nadia, 2020). The existence of Covid-19 inhibits the freedom of students to do activities outside the home. Adolescents in general have unstable emotions so vulnerable to psychological disruption, it can happen if their freedom is limited (Putro, 2017). Student activities to visit the library become hampered. This can impact or even change the seeking information behavior of every student. Seeking information behavior is all the actions of a person in conducting information searches related to sources and channels of information and the use of information (Wilson, 1999). There were a few studies related to information-seeking behavior in high schools during the pandemic. Similar research has previously been used in supporting the current study. For instance, a research conducted by Tom Kwanya, that discussing the information-seeking behavior of private school students in Kenya. The focus of the study was on analyzing the unique demographics and psychographics of age-determined and geographic contexts of private school students in Kenya. Besides, it also investigated information needs and information-seeking behavior. Another similar study was conducted by Fakir Ashraf Shah Sattar Shah. His papers focused on search behavior, information needs, and the extent to which information needs can be met by the library system and its services to students at Mohammadi Urdu Terpur Middle and High School. A lot of research on information-seeking behavior was done before the pandemic, and all of them gave different variations of behavior. Meanwhile, studies on this subject during the pandemic are still relatively new. In fact, there must be a significant change in how people access information in the current condition. We did searches through Google Scholar, researchgate, and other research websites and found out the fact that until now there has been little research about information-seeking behavior since the pandemic. Therefore, this study examines how high school students in Pekalongan access information when they study from home.

This quantitative study was conducted from November 2020 until July 2021. The quantitative method, according to Sugiyono (2013) is research data in the form of numbers and produces statistical analysis. The population in this study was the public high school students in Pekalongan as many as 3.404 students. Suliyanto (2018) stated that if the study population is 100 persons, then the population will be included in the study, but if the population is more than 100 persons, 10 to 15 percent of the whole population is enough. Hence, the research sample of the current study is 97 students. The data were gathered through observation, literature documents, interviews, and online questionnaires. The latter used Google Forms and then analyzed with Likert scale. The questionnaires were distributed via WhatsApp. The gathered data is then analyzed by using descriptive statistical analysis which is a statistical method used to process research data that has been collected by making generalized conclusions (Siyoto & Sodik, 2015). It used Microsoft Excel during tabulation before examining it using the SPSS 26th version. The range of assessment scales to measure the weight of answers from research data obtained with the categories: very high (3,25 – 4,00); high (2,50 – 3,25); low (1,75 – 2,50); very low (1,00 – 1,75). To ensure the validity and reliability of the data, both must be carried out to maintain the quality of the study (Suliyanto, 2018). Sugiyono (2013) said that research data is considered valid if the measuring instrument can be used to measure what should be measured. The validity test in the study used the product-moment formula with the criterion of r value table 28, calculations from 30-2=28 with a significant 5% which is 0.374 valid question points are an absolute requirement to obtain valid research results. Therefore 3 points of questions that are proven invalid will be removed or not carried out. While 32 questions that prove valid will be processed in the results of the study (Sugiyono, 2015:122). Reliability in research can be achieved if the measurement of data measured repeatedly still obtains the same results or remains (Siyoto & Sodik, 2015). The reliability test performed in this study uses the Cronbach Alpha formula. Reliability test results from the study showed that all the question items compiled from each research indicator showed that the reliability had a Cronbach Alpha value of more than 0.20 (Budi, 2006).

Context of Information Need This indicator aims to find out whether the students have a relationship with others to meet information needs during school from home. Table 1. Context of information Indicator Sub Indicator Statement Score Category Context of Information Person-in context Getting information from the teachers 2,88 High Getting information from the family 2,81 High Getting information from the friends 2,96 High Total Score 8,65 Average Score 2,88 High Activating Mechanism The activating mechanism indicator aims to find out whether the students have self-control that can activate information search behavior during school from home. Table 2. Stress/Coping Indicator Sub Indicator Statement Score Category Activating Mechanism Stress/Coping Be able to understand news/information 3,11 High Have an internet quota 3,10 High Have good and fast internet speeds 3,05 High Can distinguish valid information and hoaxes 2,82 High Visit the library during the Covid-19 pandemic or SFH 1,38 Very low Total Score 13,46 Average Score 2,69 High Table 3. Sub Indicator of Risk/reward Indicator Sub Indicator Statement Score Category Activating Mechanism Risk/Reward Understand the impact or risks of seeking information 3,07 High Intervening Variables The intervening variables aim to find out whether the students have driving factors that can influence the occurrence of information search behavior. Table 4. Sub indicator of psychological Indicator Sub Indicator Statement Score Category Intervening Variables Psychological Need for entertainment 3,10 High Need to fill my free time 2,80 High Encouragement from within myself 3,33 Very High Total Score 9,23 Average Score 3,08 High Table 5. Sub Indicator of demographic (Age) Age (Years Old) Frequency % 15 12 12,4% 16 40 41,2% 17 35 36,1% 18 10 10,3% Total 97 100% Table 6. Sub Indicator of Demographic (Gender) Gender Frequency % Boys 21 21,6% Girl 76 78,4% Total 97 100% Table 7. Sub indicator social responsibility Indicator Sub Indicator Statement Score Category Intervening Variables Social responsibility The duty as a student 3,22 High Follow online learning 3,42 Very High Doing schoolwork 3,47 Very High Total Score 10,11 Average Score 3,37 Very High Table 8. Sub Indicator Environmental Indicator Sub Indicator Statement Score Category Intervening Variables Environmental Keep up with the latest developments 3,21 High Maintaining health 3,13 High See a review of a product 3,11 High Entrepreneurship 2,48 Low Total Score 11,93 Average Score 2,98 High Table 9. Sub Indicator of Source Characteristics Indicator Sub Indicator Statement Score Category Intervening Variables Source Characteristics (Media or channels information) Handphone and laptop 3,58 Very High Information in text-shaped 3,19 High Information in video-shaped 2,93 High Digital materials from the school 2,59 High Information in image-shaped 2,56 High Printed book 2,30 Low Infographic-shaped information 2,21 Low Audio/sound recording 2,07 Low Total Score 21,43 Average Score 2,68 High Table 10. Sub Indicator of Source Characteristics (Information Searching Platform) Platform Frequency Respond Percentage Youtube 81 97 84% Line 8 97 8% WhatsApp 64 97 66% Tiktok 49 97 51% Instagram 65 97 67% Twitter 33 97 34% Facebook 21 97 22% Telegram 43 97 44% Google 83 97 86% Internet 58 97 60% Online news sites 28 97 29% Television 31 97 32% Radio 3 97 3% Printed Materials 18 97 19% E-book 17 97 18% Information-Seeking Behavior This indicator aims to identify search behavior by the students during school from home. Table 11. Sub Indicator of Passive Search Indicator Sub Indicator Statement Score Category Information Seeking Behavior Passive Search Looking for additional information to strengthen understanding of the information obtained 3,07 High Table 12. Sub Indicator of Active Search Indicator Sub Indicator Statement Score Category Information Seeking Behavior Active Search Collect, sort, and compare information obtained 2,87 High Every day we search for information 2,70 High Total Score 5,57 Average Score 2,79 High Table 13. Sub Indicator of Ongoing Search Indicator Sub Indicator Statement Score Category Information Seeking Behavior Ongoing Search Unsatisfied with the information obtained and will continue to look for the information needed 3,04 High Table 14. Sub Indicator of Information Processing and Use Indicator Sub Indicator Statement Score Category Information Seeking Behavior Information processing and use Share the information with others 2,74 High

Information-seeking behavior while studying at home shows different behaviors. In terms of access to information, students generally prefer to obtain or exchange information with their friends. This is due to the ability possessed by teenagers like this in finding information, especially digital information today. They are more updated and quickly master technology media, even though in-person visits to the library are not allowed at this time. Their behavior is influenced by risk and reward. They realize that if they don't seek information to do schoolwork they will get in trouble, otherwise they will get appreciation from the teacher. This is all, based on this research, done of their own will. Therefore, they keep follow of the latest developments and try to stay active using technology communication media such as mobile phones and laptops. Meanwhile, what is interesting to note is that their behavior in seeking information has different levels. Some are very active, passive, and even to the point of utilizing information and sharing it with other friends.