EDUCATION AND TRAINING OF LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SCIENCE STUDENTS IN THE DEPARTMENT OF LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SCIENCE, UNIVERSITY OF CALABAR, CALABAR
Author(s): Offem, Christopher Okoi; Inyang, Obia Gopeh; Igajah, Mayen Ndaor
Institute(s): Department of Library and Information Science University of Calabar, Nigeria
Volume 5 / Issue 1
Abstract
The main aim of this study is to examine the education and training of library and information science students in the Department of Library and Information Science (LIS), University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria. To achieve this objective, four null hypotheses were generated to direct this study. As a basis for the study, a literature review was conducted in line with the variables under the study survey research design. A sample of two hundred and eighty (280) LIS students were selected for the study. Selection was performed using purposive and accidental sampling technique, with which 40% of the population was drawn for the study. Questionnaire was used for data collection. The instrument was subjected to face and content validation by the experts in measurement and evaluation. The reliability of the instrument was established through split-halt reliability method with very high reliability estimates. Population t-test analysis was the statistical analysis technique adopted to test the hypotheses under study to ascertain whether to reject or retain them. All hypotheses were subjected to testing at 0.5 level of significance with relative degrees of freedom. The result of the analysis revealed that there were significant teaching resources for education and training of LIS students, LIS students have significant awareness of emerging topics in their field, there is no significant provision of ICT training for LIS students and the quality of staff in the Department of LIS, UNICAL is significantly high. Based on the findings of the study, it was recommended among others that staff should continue to prioritize their proficiency in ICT so that they can properly educate and train potential librarians to serve the present and future information users. In addition, LIS students should be introduced to emerging topics especially with trending technological advancement to enhance the abilities to operate in the digital age.
Number of Pages: 13
Number of Words: 6662
First Page: 32
Last Page: 45