Coevaluación de los Docentes

exhaustion.

1.4 Strategies to Manage Information Overload

Because the issue of information overload has become a source of concern worldwide, researchers have identified countermeasures to be implemented to address it. Some solutions to the problem of information overload have been identified by Saxena and Lamest (2018) and GausulHoq (2014), which are presented below.

1. Filtering strategy: a method of weeding out useless information from sources chosen for use based on symbiotic attempts. Filtering is a valuable mechanism for reducing information overload by eliminating useless information sources, in this regard information is extracted to meet users’ needs. According to Savolainen

(2007), He defined a filtering strategy as "a disciplined and systematic attempt to focus on relevant information from selected sources by specifying criteria for removing items from consideration immediately."

3. Withdrawal strategy: to protect oneself from information overload, a withdrawal strategy is used to reduce the number of daily information sources to a bare minimum. According to Saxena and Lamest (2018) "information withdrawal" is "a conscious decision to keep the number of sources to be considered to a minimum, ideally combined with intake filtering and rapid weeding of relevant but low-value materials." An example of this is avoiding daily newspaper or TV news.

4. Training programme to augment information user education and information literacy skills: A better approach would be for librarians to focus on training and teaching information literacy skills, as well as library instruction, to improve users' information and digital literacy and assist them in dealing with the information tsunami. Because of the increased efficiency of an ever-increasing volume of information search engines, etc., learning information search skills and web skills is a prerequisites for dealing with information overload.

5. Enhanced capacity to manage information: information overload in some cases results from the inability to manage information properly. Therefore, it is recommended that every organization need to have a comprehensive system of information processing, which in fact, is a part of its knowledge management infrastructure, including standerdised operation procedure that encourages collaboration in information processing, and handling.

Fig. 17: Strategies to Manage Information Overload

Source: NeiKakkar (2019) How to Deal with Information Overload

4.0 CONCLUSION

In conclusion, the term "information overload" is also used to describe the simple concept of receiving too much information. This can make it difficult to find and use information to support decision making or fill a knowledge gap. Information overload has been recognized as a problem in every sector of the society, and is of concern to information specialist in all environment including academic, special and public libraries. Several scholars pointed out that information overload frequently leads to the premature abandonment of online search and unfulfilled information needs. For

example, Fan and Smith (2021) indicated that feelings of stress, confusion, pressure, anxiety or low motivation are the crucial factors that signal the occurrence of information overload. "Information overload" is a problem with both technological and human components. The causes of information overload include among others;

multiple sources of information, difficulty to manage information, irrelevant Information or unimportant information. Because the issue of information overload has become a source of concern worldwide, researchers have identified countermeasures to be implemented to address it. Some solutions to the problem of information overload include enhanced capacity to manage information, withdrawal strategy, filtering strategy among others.

5.0 SUMMARY

The lesson in this unit is summarized as follows:

• Information overload is defines information overload as receiving more information than is required or desired to function effectively and further an individual's or organization's goals.

• Causes of information overload include: multiple sources of information, lack of time to understand information, irrelevant information or unimportant information, difficulty to manage information and too much information.

• Effects of Information Overload such as stress, distraction, poor decision making, and waste of time are highlighted among others.

• Lastly, strategies to reduce information overload are filtering strategy, withdrawal strategy, training programme to augment information user education and information literacy skills and increased information management capacity.

5.0 SELF-ASSESSMENT

a) Highlight the causes of information overload?

The following are the causes of information overload Multiple sources of information

Too much information

Difficulty to manage information

Irrelevant Information or unimportant information Lack of time to understand information

b) Enumerate the effects of information overload on individual and organisations

Some other effects of information overload were enumerated as follows

1. Time is wasted: due to the large volume of information available online people waste a significant amount of time searching for information.

2. Delays in decision-making: It is believed that having too much information causes decisions to be delayed or influenced negatively.

3. Distraction: A lot of people are often diverted from their primary tasks due to the large quantum of information available to scan through to execute some task.

4. Stress: The resultant frustration and displaced aggression tend to cause tension among coworkers, a loss of job satisfaction, ill health, decreased social activity and exhaustion.

7.0 TUTOR-MARKED ASSIGNMENT a. Define the term information overload

b. What are the causes of information overload?

c. Discuss the effects of information overload on individual and organisations

d. As an information professional provide strategies that will reduce information overload

8.0 REFERENCES/FURTHER READING

Bawden, D. and Robinson, L. (2020). Information Overload: An Overview. In: Oxford Encyclopedia of Political Decision Making. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Fan, J., & Smith, A. P. (2021). Information Overload, Wellbeing and COVID-19: A Survey in China. Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland), 11 (5), 62.

https://doi.org/10.3390/bs11050062

Holm, D.B., Drogendijk, R., & Haq, H. (2020). An attention-based view on managing information processing channels in organizations. Scandinavian Journal of Management, 36, 101106.

Hong, H., & Kim, H.J. (2020). Antecedents and Consequences of Information Overload in the COVID-19 Pandemic. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17.

Hoq, K. M. G. (2016). Information Overload: Causes, Consequences and Remedies - A Study.

Philosophy and Progress, 55(1-2), 49–68. https://doi.org/10.3329/pp.v55i1-2.26390Mahdi, M., Ahmad, A., Ismail, R., Subhi, M., Abdulrazzaq, M., &Qassim, Q.

(2020). Information Overload: The Effects of Large Amounts of Information. 2020 1st.

Information Technology To Enhance e-learning and Other Application (IT-ELA, 154-159.

Rajabzadeh, A., Nejadirani, F., Soroodian, R., & Kermani, R.A. (2011). Informational Overload; Roots and Consequences. Australian Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences, 5(12): 353-359,

Savolainen, R. (2007). Filtering and withdrawing: strategies for coping with information overload in everyday contexts. Journal of Information Science, 33, 611 - 621.

Saxena, D., & Lamest, M. (2018). Information overload and coping strategies in the big data context: Evidence from the hospitality sector. Journal of Information Science, 44, 287 - 297.

Schneider, S. (1987). Information overload: Causes and consequences. Human systems management, 7, 143-153.

Zou, Y., & Webster, J. (2014). Information Overload in using Content Management Systems:

Causes and Consequences. PACIS.

MODULE 4: DIGITAL INFORMATION RESOURCES