EXTENT OF UTILIZATION OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY- BASED LIBRARY RESOURCES BY POSTGRADUATE RESEARCHERS IN UNIVERSITIES IN SOUTH EAST NIGERIA
By
Author
Presented To
Department of Library and Information Science
ABSTRACT
This study was conducted to evaluate the ICT-based library resources in Nigerian
universities. This is with the aim of investigating the extent of utilization of ICT-based
library resources for postgraduate research in Nigerian Universities (federal, state, and
private). Six objectives and six research questions guided the study. A sampling technique
was used in carrying out the work. A total number of five hundred and ten (510) respondents
were used for the study. The instruments for data collection were questionnaire and
observation checklist. Five hundred and ten (510) copies of the questionnaire were
distributed to the postgraduate researchers in the three universities in the South East Nigeria
and three hundred and sixty-six (366) were returned representing 72% return rate. The
following statistical measures were employed for the data analysis: frequency table, mean
(X) and Standard deviation (SD). The findings revealed that there was a significant
difference in the mean ratings of postgraduate students in Federal, State and Private
universities on the utilization of ICT-based library resources for research. However, the
researcher observed that faculty of Education postgraduate researchers were predominant
users of ICT-based library resources. The findings also revealed that postgraduate student’s
lack of fund, high cost of internet use, incompetence of library staff, lack of access to ICT
resources, lack of ICT skills by users and lack of awareness of ICT-based library resources
are some of the challenges affecting the use of ICT-based library resources. Based on the
findings, it was recommended that university libraries should make the cost of ICT-based
library resources affordable; update the skills of librarians on ICT-based resources; educate
the postgraduate research students on the use of ICT-based library resources and make
university websites freely available to the postgraduate student researchers.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study
Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is a merger of computing and
telecommunication technologies for information acquisition, storage, retrieval, and
dissemination (Alhassan, and Afolabi, 2013). ICT has become a global tool often used by
individuals, organizations, governments and intergovernmental organizations for personal or
official activities. Its application cuts across all fields of human endeavour like medicine,
commerce, engineering, architecture, education, library services, and agriculture. According
to Aina (2004), Information Technology (IT) is an omnibus term that combines computer and
telecommunication technology, hence it is sometimes called Information and Communication
Technology (ICT). It is concerned with the technology used in handling, acquiring,
processing, storing, and disseminating information.
The computer is useful for processing information while the telecommunication
facilities provide means for information communication or transfer using networks.
However, for computers to be able to communicate with one another there has to be a
network which provides a link, and when this link is across the globe, an international
network called the internet results. The internet is a connection of millions of computers all
over the world by networks (Ogbomo, 2004, Ibegwam, 2002). The availability of the internet
as a major component of ICT has improved access to information by information users
tremendously.
Libraries are established on university campuses to serve primarily the students and
staff of that university and other institutions. The main function of university libraries is to
provide educational and information resources and research support for students and staff of
the institution. Some university libraries are accessible to members of the general public as a whole. In the university, the library plays a major role in making the university achieve its
objectives of teaching, research, and community service through the provision of information
resources for undergraduate instruction as well as postgraduate research needs (Ifidon, 1999).
The library is a key player in education, research, and information provision; it has thus been
in the forefront in ICT application to its services. Libraries are repositories of information in
whatever format it may appear. A library is primarily set up to acquire, organize, store and
make accessible to users within the quickest possible time all forms of information materials
which they require (Nwalo,2003). Libraries use ICT for information acquisition, processing,
and provision to library users. Madu and Adeniran (2005) summarizes the values of ICT to
libraries and library users to include better access to information, encouraging active library
co-operation, encouraging resource sharing, efficient and effective delivery of service and
providing access to international databases.
ICT is a convenient tool for research activities. According to Ifidon and Ifidon
(2007), research is man’s systematic and empirical investigation into existing but hidden
elements in nature with a view to unearthing, understanding, and explaining such elements
for the purpose of development. Specifically, it is a human activity whereby answers are
sought, with as great an approximation of truth and accuracy as human knowledge makes
possible, to basic or fundamental questions concerning the phenomena of the universe
(Alhassan, and Afolabi, 2013). This perception of research cuts across all fields of human
pursuit like education, arts, social sciences, medicine, engineering, and agriculture.
In the university system, there are specialists (postgraduate) in these various subject
areas who are involved in teaching, research and community service. Researches in the
various fields of science education, arts and social sciences are imperative for the
development of any nation and the world in general in view of the strategic importance of
education to man and its contribution to the economy of many nations.
However, it is worrisome to note that Nigerian universities are lowly rated in terms of
research within Africa and the world over (http://www.webometrics.info/en/Africa)
(http://www.webometrics.info/en/world). This fact is evident in various authentic world
rankings of universities. One then begins to wonder where the problem lies, if the university
libraries in Nigeria are no longer functioning to provide the needed support for postgraduate
students to improve their research, or if ICT facilities are not sufficiently used to further
research activities as is the case in other countries. It is against this backdrop that this study
examines the extent of utilization of ICT for postgraduate research in Nigerian federal, state
and private universities. It specifically examines the types of ICT facilities used, the extent of
utilization and constraints on their utilization.
Statement of the Problem
Over the last few years, enormous progress has been made in fast-tracking post
graduate studies and research in Nigerian universities. The information on designation of
UNN as intensive computer is given by (Ezeani and Ezema, 2011). This has resulted in the
need to ensure that postgraduate researchers in Nigerian universities can access the ICT-
based library resources. Support has been provided in acquisition of relevant hardware and
software and setting up the necessary networked infrastructure. Negotiation with publishers
by the librarian has resulted in scholarly electronic publications being made available free or
at heavily discounted prices through programmes like OPAC, JSTOR, AGORA, HINARI,
EBSCHOST, and PERI (Ogbomo, 2013). These initiatives in Nigeria’s university system are
a recent development and are changing the culture of research, knowledge production and
dissemination. This development seems to pose serious challenges (such as ability to use
computer in accessing, manipulating, and evaluating electronic information resources and devices) to post graduate students in their utilization of ICT-based library resources in
Nigerian universities. Hence experts have suggested that the use of ICT-based library
resources by postgraduates is low in Nigerian universities.
Besides the problem of inaccessibility, other factors like ownership status of the
university and influence of area of study may also contribute to rate of use of ICT by
postgraduate students. These challenges call for an empirical study to analyze the situation
for in-depth understanding of the issues at play with a view to devising appropriate measures
to be taken to address observed deficiencies. Consequently, this study will investigate the
influence of university ownership status and influence of area of study as predictors of
postgraduate students’ utilization of ICT-based library resources for research in selected
federal, state, and private universities in South-East Nigeria.
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this study is to investigate the extent of utilization of ICT-based
library resources for postgraduate research in Nigerian universities (federal, state, and
private). Specifically, the study intends to:
(1) ascertain the ICT-based resources available for utilization by postgraduate
researchers in Nigerian university libraries.
(2) determine the extent of utilization of available ICT-based library resources for
postgraduate research.
(3) find out the extent to which university ownership status (federal, state, and private)
affect the extent of utilization of ICT-based library resources for postgraduate
research.
(4) ascertain the extent to which area of study specifically the Faculties of Education,
Social Science, and Arts affect the extent of utilization of ICT-based library resource
for postgraduate research.
(5) Determine the problems associated with utilization of ICT-based library resources
for postgraduate research.
(6) Ascertain ways to enhance the utilization of ICT-based library resources for
postgraduate research in the libraries.
Research Questions
In the light of the foregoing discussions and purpose of study, the following research
questions were formulated to guide the study:
1) What are the ICT – based library resources available for postgraduate research in
Nigerian Universities?
2) To what extent do postgraduate students utilize the available ICT-based library
resources in research?
3) To what extent does the University ownership Status (Federal, State and Private)
affect the extent of utilization of ICT-based library resources for postgraduate
research?
4) To what extent does area of study represented by faculties (Faculty of Education,
Faculty of Social Science and Faculty of Arts) affect the extent of utilization of ICT-
based resources in postgraduate research?
5) What problems are encountered in the utilization of ICT-based library resources for
postgraduate research?
6) What are the possible ways to enhance utilization of ICT-based library resources for
postgraduate research?
Hypotheses
The following null hypotheses have been formulated to guide the study and will be
tested at 0.05 level of significance.
Ho1: There is no significant difference in the mean ratings of postgraduate student in Federal,
State and Private Universities on their utilization of information and communication
technology-based library resources in universities in South-East Nigeria.
Ho2: There is no significant difference in the mean ratings of postgraduate researchers in
Education, Social Sciences, and Arts on their utilization of Information and
communication Technology-based library resources for research in universities in
South-East Nigeria.
Ho3: The university status (Federal, State, and Private) and Faculty affiliation
(Education, Social Sciences, and Arts) have no significant difference in the mean ratings of
postgraduate researches in Federal, State and Private universities in South-East Nigeria on
the problems that hinder utilization of ICT-based library resources for research.
Significance of the Study
The findings from this study of postgraduates’ use of ICT-based library resources in
their research would be significant in the formulations of ICT-based library resources use
policy. Policy making institutions usually rely on research data, such as the one to be
generated from this study. The data will assist the policy makers in making sound policies regarding ICT research usage by reflecting valuable ideas generated from there. Furthermore,
the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) will benefit from the
findings of this study. This important federal agency which has the responsibility for
successful implementation of the National Information Technology (NIT) policy in Nigeria
will gain one or two useful insights from the facts and analysis in this work to improve on its
performance. The results of the study will also serve as an evaluation tool to the commission,
a reference point to crosscheck and validate prior assumptions. It will also show data on the
level of utilization, problems hindering the utilization and strategies for enhancing ICT-based
library resources in research.
The results of the study would reveal the factors that influence ICT-based library
resources adoption and use in the context of university education in Nigeria. This would
provide facts that will enable the ministries of education, the National Universities
Commission, university administrators and libraries to formulate appropriate ICT-based
library resources use policy.
The incentives to invest in ICT-based library resources could be a likely benefit of
this study. By revealing the extent of adoption and use of ICT-based library resources in
Nigerian universities and the challenges involved, the study will create incentives for
university funding bodies, universities management, external donors and the individual
researchers to invest in ICT-based library resources.
The supervisors and lecturers of postgraduate students are also expected to find the
outcome of the study useful. Effective supervision of a research implies effective utilization
of modern resources and current information at the right time. The research outcome will
further inform both the lecturers and supervisors of postgraduate researchers about the
challenges faced by the students regarding ICT-based library sources of data for research and
how to address those challenges.
Curriculum experts will also benefit from the results of this study. As curriculum
experts review curriculum occasionally, irrelevant contents are discarded while novel and
relevant ones are introduced. The study will provide data for evaluating existing curricula on
the utilization of ICT-based resource for teaching and research in Nigerian Universities.
Parts of the findings of the study will reveal the available ICT-based library resources
in each of the universities (federal, state, and private) and this may form the basis for
consortium formation agreements among the universities or revision of existing consortium
agreements to enhance information resource sharing.
It is also expected that the findings of the study would add to the data pool on this
topical subject. This is a major significance of the study as data to be generated from the
study will add to the pool on ICT research in respect of the usability and utilization of ICT
resources in research. Researchers and other scholars interested in ICT-based library
resources usage will also find it useful for their study.
Scope of the Study
This study will cover utilization of ICT-based library resources by postgraduate
researchers in three faculties (education, social sciences and arts) of three categories of
universities as selected (federal – University of Nigeria, Nsukka, in Enugu State; State –
Ebonyi state University, Abakiliki, in Ebonyi State; Private – Madonna University, Okija in
Anambra State) in the south-east of Nigeria. ICT-based library resources included in the
study are: Google, viable Computers, E-mailing, World wide web (www), Reprographic
resources, CD-ROM resources, E –library and E–book, Library website, internet banking,
Catalogue searchable online, Machine readable resources, Information technology assisted
project based learning (PBL), Auditing web document, Collaboration on projects, Digitization of books, Amazon website, Telnet, E-learning/discussion group, Tele-access,
Tele-presence, Usenet news group, and Tele-mentoring/tele-sharing. Research is the only
aspect of postgraduates’ functions covered.
Variables covered are influence of university ownership status, influence of area of study and
utilization of ICT-based library resources.
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