Assessing the Factors Affecting Effective Utilization of E Library Resources Among Staff And Students of Jigawa State College of Education Gumel, Nigeria

ABSTRACT The management of Jigawa State College of Education had made several efforts to educate both staff and students on the importance of using c-library resources. In the face of all the efforts, the utilization of the college c-library resource by the students and staff is still low. This study investigated the factors that affect the effective utilization of c-library resources among staff and students of Jigawa State College of Education, Gumel. Nigeria. The objectives of the study were (i) to examine human factors that affect the utilization of c-library resources in Jigawa State College of Education, Gumel, (ii) to determine the institutional factors that affect the utilization of c-library resources among staff and students’ in Jigawa State College of Education. Gumel, (iii) to investigate the system factors affecting the utilization of c-resources among students and staff in the Jigawa State College of Education, Gumel, (iv) to propose strategies for enhancing utilization of c-library resources among staff and students in Jigawa State College of Education, Gumel. The study employs Descriptive Survey, both for quantitative and qualitative data collection. The target population was 9,063 participants and the sample size was 365 respondents. The main research instruments used were questionnaires, Focus Group Discussion as well as Key informant interviews. Quantitative data collected was analyzed using SPSS while qualitative data was also analyzed using thematic method.The study ibund that the human Fictors affecting the utilization of c-library resources include; user awareness and willingness to use e library resources and lack of computer skills while institutional factors affecting the utilization included unstable power supply, weak internet, and insufficient facilities among others, This study has found that lack of integrated information system and limited sharing ol information affects utilization, With regards to the enhancement of utilization of c-resources in the College, it was revealed that measures such as capacity building and proper orientation for stall and students, stable power supply and dedicated internet connections, provision ol suflicient resources and so on were believed to be potential utilization arid improvement measures according to the respondents. This study has found that user awareness and willingness to use the c-resources among both staff and students were found to be satisfhctory. The study concluded that human factors, institutional factors, and system factors all affect the effective utilization of the c-library resources in the College. Eventually, this could affect teachers’ productivity and students’ academic performance. Therefore, the study recommends the lhllowing~ provision of stable power supply and resources, capacity building training, provision of strong internet sei’vices, provision of integrated information system and provision of enough manpower etc.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Declaration

Approval

Dedication

Acknowledgements iv

Table of contents

List of tables

List of figures

List of plates

List of abbreviation & acronyms xi

Abstract

CHAPTER ONE 1

INTRODUCTION 1

1 .0 Introduction 1

1 . 1 Background to the Study 1

1 . 1. 1 Historical Perspective 2

1 .1 .2 Theoretical Perspective 3

1.1 .3 Conceptual Perspective 5

1.1.4 Contextual Perspective 6

1.2 Statement of the Problem 10

1.3 General Objective of the Study 11

1.3.1 Specific Objectives 11

1 .4 Research Questions 11

1.5 Scope of the Study 11

1.5.1 Geographical Scope 12

1.5.2 Theoretical scope 12

1.5.3 Content Scope 12

1.5.4 Time Scope 12

1.6 Significance of the Study 12

1.7 Operational Definition of key Terms 13

CHAPTER TWO 14

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE 14

2.0 Introduction 14

2.1 Theoretical review 14

2.1.1 Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) 14

2.1.2 Theory of Planned Behavior 15

2,1.3 Technology Acceptance Model 2 (TAM2) 16

2.2 Conceptual framework 18

V

2.2.1: Explanation of the Framework .19

2.3 Human Factors Affecting the Utilization of e-library Resources 19

2.3.1 Awareness of E-library Resources 19

2.3.2 Perception of Using E-library Resources 20

2.3.3 ICT Skills and Knowledge 21

2.4 Institutional Factors affecting the Utilization of E-Iibrary Resources 22

2.4.1 Management Style in the E-library 22

2.4.2 Availability of e-resources 23

2.5 Strategies for Enhancing Utilization of E-Library Resources 24

2.6 Study Gaps Identified 26

CHAPTER THREE 27

METHODOLOGY 27

3.0 Introduction 27

3.1 Research Design 27

3.2 Target population 28

3.3 Sample Size 28

3.4 Sampling Technique 29

3.5 Data Collection Methods 30

3.6 Data Collection Instruments 30

3.6.1 Questionnaire 30

3.6.2 Key Informant Interviews 31

3.6.3 Focus Group Discussion 31

3.7 Validity and Reliability 32

3.7.1 Validity of the instruments 32

3,7.2 Reliability of the instruments 32

3.8 Data Collection Procedure 33

3.9 Data Analysis 33

3.10 Ethical Considerations 34

3.11 Limitation of the Study 35

CHAPTER FOUR 36

DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS, AND INTERPRETATiON OF THE FINDiNGS 36

4.0 Introduction 36

4.1 Response Rate 36

4.2. Demographic characteristics of student respondents 36

4.3 Demographic characteristics of staff respondents 39

4.4 Human factors that affect the utilization of e~library resources in Jigawa State College of

Education, Gumel 42

4.4.1 Comparison of questionnaire responses of staff and students’ respondents on human factors

46 4.5 Institutional factors that affect the utilization of c-library resources among staff and students

in Jigawa State College of Education, Gumel 48

vi

4.5.1 Comparing questionnaire responses of students and staff on institutional ibcors affecting

utilization of c-resources in the College 53

4.6 The system factors affecting the utilization of e-library resources in Jigawa State College of

Education, Gumel 54

4.6.1 The system factors affecting the utilization of e-library resources in Jigawa State College of

Education, Gumel 54

4.7 Strategies for enhancing effective utilization of c-library resources among staff and students

of the Jigawa State College of Education, Gumel 56

4.7.1 Comparison of staff and students questionnaire responses to strategies for enhancing

utilization of e-resources in the college 60

CHAPTER FIVE 61

DISCUSSIONS OF THE FINDINGS, CONCLUSION, AND RECOMMENl)j~TjONrS ,... 61

5.0 Introduction 61

5.1 Discussions of the research findings 61

5. 1 . 1 Demographic characteristics of the respondents (students) 61

5.1.2 Demographic characteristics of the respondents (staff) 61

5.2 Specific Objectives 61

5.2.1 Human factors that affect the utilization of c-library resources in Jigawa State College of

Education, Gumel 61

5.2.2 Institutional factors that affect the utilization of c-library resources among staff and

students in Jigawa State College of Education, Gumel 63

5.2.3 The system factors affecting the utilization of c-library resources in .Jigawa State College of

Education, Gumel 66

5.2.4 Strategies for enhancing effective utilization of c-library resources among staff and

students of the Jigawa State College of Education, Gumel 67

5.3 Conclusion 68

5.4 Contribution to New Knowledge 69

5.5 Recommendations 69

5.6 Area of further studies 70

REFERENCES 71

APPENDICES 81

APPENDIX I A: QUESTIONNAIRE FOR STUDENTS 81

APPEND1X I B: QUESTIONNAIRE FOR THE TEACHING STAFF 85

APPENDIX II: INFORMED CONSENT 89

APPENDIX III: DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS PLAN 90

APPENDIX IV: PLAN FOR FIELD DATA COLLECTION 91

APPENDIX V: FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSION 92

APPENDIX VI: KEY INFORMANT INTERVIEW 93

APPENDIX VII: TRANSMITTAL LETTER 94

APPENDIX VIII: INTRODUCTORY LETTER 95

APPENDIX IX: RESEARCH ADVISORS TABLE 96

APPENDIX X: PICTURES 97