Internet-Based Information Technologies Access and Use by Postgraduate Students for Information Provision: A Case of Kibabii University Library, Bungoma County, Kenya.
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Date
2024-04
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Kenyatta University
Abstract
The study focused on access and use of Internet Based Information Technologies (IBITs) for information provision by postgraduate students in the School of Education (SoE) at KIBU library. The main purpose of the study was to evaluate the postgraduate student’s utilization of IBITs at KIBU Library and propose new model to improve access and use. The following were the study’s objectives: to assess the internet-based information technologies available at KIBU library; to determine perceptions and attitude of postgraduate students towards internet-based information technologies at KIBU library; to determine the awareness of training programs at KIBU library in assisting postgraduate students to access and use internet-based information technologies and to examine postgraduate student’s information needs on the internet-based information technologies at KIBU library. The study was informed by the theory of Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), introduced in 1989 by Davis. The methodology of descriptive research and quantitative approaches were adopted in this study. Simple random sampling was deemed appropriate while the right 316 respondents from the target population was chosen using Slovin’s Formula. Direct approach and assistance from librarians were methods used to administer questionnaires while data was collected through structured and semi structured questionnaires complimented by observations. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and presented using frequency distribution in form of graphs, tables and charts. The findings revealed that KIBU library has IBITs that are easily accessible, positive perception among postgraduate students towards IBITs was good if only supported, availability of training programs designed to provide students new skills, the majority of respondents' major information needs are primarily for academic purposes hence instruction and direction were needed to help access the IBITs more effectively from a variety of devices, further study revealed that the university administration did not adequately encourage postgraduate students to take part in library orientation or training programs for effective IBITs utilization. The study concludes that; postgraduate students were not making the best use of IBITs at the KIBU library; there was generally low awareness of IBITs availability in the university library and low consumption, as well as an overall favorable view of these tools; KIBU library's training programs are ineffective in assisting students in developing the skills needed to successfully access and streamline IBITs usage and findings further indicated that insufficient supporting conditions prevented postgraduate students from using IBITs to access and utilize information from the KIBU library. Recommendations made were as follows: awareness and publicity of IBITs by library management; user education programs to be increased, marketed through school media and tailored towards IBITs access and use; library evaluation in order to closely monitor, increase knowledge of, and evaluate the quality of library services and patron satisfaction and provision of adequate ICT infrastructures; tutors/lectures to enhance marketing through lectures.
Description
A Research Project Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Award of the Degree of Master of Library and Information Science in Department of Computing and Information Sciences in the School of Pure and Applied Sciences of Kenyatta University, April 2024.
Supervisor
Kamau Maina