Spark: Students Describe Curiosity and Passion for Learning

abstract:This article explores the connection between curiosity and feelings of joy in information seeking. The authors interviewed 41 transfer students about their transition to their new campus. As part of the interviews, the investigators asked students to describe a time when they felt curious or excited to learn more about something. The researchers found that emotions were inherently connected to students’ curiosity and identified patterns among students’ descriptions of curiosity. The themes included excitement in discovering the resources of a large academic library; interest in ideas; curiosity inspired through hands-on learning experiences, such as labs, study abroad, or internships; and curiosity initiated by connecting with personal values or relevance to life or career. Curiosity was also sparked through a mixture of these modalities. This range of curiosity suggests an array of connection points for librarians to support students engaged in information seeking. The authors note implications for librarians who work with students across this curiosity spectrum.