DETERMINANTS OF THE USE OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY BY LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SCIENCE STUDENTS IN NIGERIAN UNIVERSITIES

Abstract

The study explored the determinants of ICT use by library and information science students in universities in Southern,Nigeria. The study adopted a descriptive surveydesign. The population for this study was 6,249 regular undergraduates of Library and Information Science from the 12universities in Southern Nigeria. 10% of the total population were selected via simple random sampling,which amount to the sample size 624 respondents used for the study. The instrument used for data collection was a structured questionnaire designed by the researcher: The data retrieved via the questionnaire were analysed using descriptive statistics. The standard used for judgment to determine the mean in the research questions was 2.50 (criterion mean) derived from the 4-point-scale.The findings revealed that the Library and Information Science students have high level of access to ICT facilities in universities in Southern Nigeria. The findings also show that the only ICT skills the students possessed is the use of computers.The Library and Information Science Students do not possess skills required for the use of database, electronic formats (PDF,JPEG),online acquisition procedures/techniques, interactive platforms. The extent of skills possessed by undergraduates in library schools in the Southern Region was low. From the findings it is glaring that though the students could access ICT facilities in their universities, they lack the skills to use the available ICT tools for their various educational and information needs. The low usage could be attributed to lack of skills to use the ICT facilities and not poor accessibility to the facilities. It was suggested that the management of universities in Southern Nigeria should as a matter ofurgency,create functional and sustainable computer and information literacy programmes so as to enable students to effectively harness and use the available ICT facilities to optimum extent and maker space should be created in universities where students can freelyexplore and use ICT to gain more knowledge and competence.