Towards Internet Usage in Selected Library Schools in Nigeria

This study examined the attitude of Library and Information Science Postgraduate students towards Internet usage. Survey research design was adopted, the population was Library and Information Science postgraduate students in two selected library schools. The instrument used for data collection was the questionnaire, two hundred and thirty nine (239) copies of the questionnaire were administered, while two hundred and seven (207) copies were sucessfully retrieved representing 86.6% response rate. Data analysis was done using descriptive and inferencial statistics. Results show that LIS postgraduate students in Nigeria use the Internet for academic endeavours. The study recommended that drastic measures should be taken by LIS  educators/administrators to provide functional internet facilities to LIS postgraduate students in their various schools to eliminate any barrier confronting them in order to enhance efficiency and quality of learning and research activities. Keywords : ICTs; Internet; Positive Attitudes; cyberspace; Web use


Introduction
In this information age where Information and Comminication Technologies (ICTs) are becoming more sophisticated for information handling among librarians, there is an urgent need for library schools to make much efforts in preparing Library and Information Science (LIS) postgraduate students to be more effective on internet usage in their workplace.In addition, positive attitudes could be an important factor in helping the students develop internet skills and use internet for information access, use and service delivery.Today, technology is challenging institional structures that have traditionally facilitated learning, teaching and reserach.Advances in the use of modern technologies such as personal computers, softwares, databases, and network resources over the last decade heralded the development and use of new and innovative teaching, learning and research strategies.In integrating internet resources in higher education, positive attitudes towards its use is expected and could be important factors in helping postgraduate students learn internet search skills and use of internet.

Article
Information Impact: Journal of information and knowledge management 2018, Vol. 9 (3) Pg 140-150 ISSN: 2141 -4297 (print) ISSN: 2360 -994X (e-version) Most importantly, the use of Internet in education allows a wide range of informational resources to be accessed globally.Information resources are very well organized on the Internet, to allow for easy access and exchange (Hicks, 2002)..The Internet allows students and teachers to "exchange greetings, engage in intellectual discourse, conduct meetings, share knowledge, offer emotional support, and make plans, brainstorm ideas, learn about other cultures, broaden their mental horizon" (Baker, 2000).This correlates with the educators' directions who considered the Internet as a new medium for education.In addition, institutions strongly encourage the instructors to adapt information technologies in their regular teaching.Therefore, the advancement of information technology and easy access of computers are changing educational platform, resulting in a widespread use of the Internet as an education medium by institutions for both online and traditions face-to-face learning.Furthermore, the growing use of Internet as a source of information has affected learning capabilities and research (Aba, Kwaghga, Ogban & Umogbai, 2015).
Globally, computer technology is changing the way educators teach and students learn, therefore, library school administrators need to understand what can and cannot be achieved with the current technology to allow them (LIS postgraguate students) to utilize the maximum potential of technological innovation.This advancement can be a critical component to the educational experience, opening more opportunities for learners and educators, thus providing a skilled workforce for the nation's economic development.These developments and challenges have serious implications for the library and information science (LIS) postgraduate students.With the development of technology and implementations of online learning in other institutions, and the demands for a skilled workforce, the institution has been challenged to make a shift to virtual classrooms as well as provide students realistic experiences in the applications of technologies.LIS postgraduate students are now obligated to be knowledgeable and confident in their ability to use the new emerging ICTs to deliver instruction more efficiently and effectively.

Statement of the Problem
In preparing Library and Information Science (LIS) postgraduate students for effective internet usage in schools and their workplace, positive attitudes could be important factor in helping the students develop internet skills and use internet for information access, use and service delivery.It is also expected that LIS Postgraduate students should be knowledgeable and comfortable with electronic resource usage.There is also little evidence that library schools are integrating ICTs into their instruction.The use of Internet in the library schools in Nigeria still seems to be in the state of infancy, it is also expected that LIS Postgraduate students should be knowledgeable and comfortable with electronic resource usage via internet.It is against these backdrops that this study sought to examine the attitudes of LIS Postgraduate Students toward internet usage in library schools in Nigeria.

Objectives of the Study
The specific objectives of this study are to  examine the attitude of LIS postgraduate students in Nigerian library schools towards the usage of the Internet; and  ascertain the differences among LIS postgraduate students attitudes toward internet usage with regards to gender

Literature review
The Internet, according to Wells (2000), is a computer mediated communication tool providing the individual with access to a broad spectrum of information using unique communication technologies.It is a giant network of computers that connects people and information all over the world.It is one of the newest and most exciting information sources.Its huge collection of information is also referred to as the "information superhighway" or a cyberspace" (Sacramento Public Library, 2007).Internet emerges as the educational tool by being a good source of getting the right information and solution to problems in an academic environment (Fasae & Aladeniyi, 2012).More, so Internet is acknowledged globally as a technology dominated by young people, and particularly students who are more inclined to exploit Internet resources for education, social interaction and entertainment (Salako & Tiamiyu, 2007).Shitta (2002) as cited by Fasae and Aladeniyi, (2012) posited that Internet is a communication super highway that links, hooks and focuses the entire world into a global village, where people of all races can easily get it touch, see, or speak to one another and exchange information from one point of the globe to another.Internet appearance in higher education was used as a tool for researchers to communicate and share project data (Jagboro, 2004).Jagboro (2003) study on Internet usage in Nigerian universities revealed that high number of the respondents sought for Internet.On specific uses of Internet, two-third of the respondents indicated that they used it for e-mail, to get research materials followed while course materials had 39.73%.The recorded low level of utilization of the Internet was attributed to the low level of connectivity and the high cost of cybercafé facilities.Akporido (2005) in her study on Internet use in a Nigerian sub-urban setting-Abraka, Delta State, observes that in order to enable students at Delta State University, Abraka to use the Internet, users must pay for access in cybercafés.They are usually given a ticket password that is keyed into the system before getting access.As soon as the access time paid for expires, the system automatically logs the user off.
Watson & Edwards ( 2010) conducted a research on the use of Web 2.0 technology by Malaysian students.The general opinion gathered about the integration of Web 2.0 tools into learning was positive.Result showed that students preferred using e-mail to disseminate and share digital contents.Similarly it was also found that for finding information related to education, students prefer to use search engines instead of asking friends or teachers.
In the study of Tella, et al (2007) as cited by Okello-Obura and Ikoja-Odongo (2010) it was argued that the students' ability to find and retrieve information effectively is a transferable Information Impact | Journal of Information and Knowledge Management skill useful for their future life as well as enabling the positive and successful use of the electronic resources whilst at school.They noted that in this digital era any student at the higher level who intends to succeed academically should have the ability to explore the digital environment.Students are increasingly expected to use electronic information resources whilst at the university.To make use of the growing range of electronic resources, students must acquire and practice the skills necessary to exploit them (Okello-Obura & Magara, 2008).Given their apparent lack of use of electronic resources, the study of Okello-Obura and Ikoja-Odongo, 2010 revealed that LIS postgraduate students at Makerere University have the required skills and ability to access and use electronic resources.
According to Bimber (2000) gender gap in the Internet is larger where more intensive Web use is concerned.Women are substantially less likely to be frequent users, equally likely to be infrequent users, and more likely to be intermediate users.In short, females are less intensive Internet users than males.Bimber attributes this finding to a combination of gendered technology embodying male values, content that favours men, sex differences in cognition and/or communication, and socioeconomic differences.Concern about gender inequality has now shifted from access to intensity.These findings appear to reinforce the widespread assumption that men prefer to use the Web for information gathering and entertainment compared to women who prefer to use the Internet for communication (Shaw & Gant, 2002).Traditionally, technology is a male sphere, and research has previously shown that boys have a greater interest in technology itself than girls (Enochsson, 2005).

Methodology
Survey research method was adopted for this study.The population was limited to the LIS Postgraduate Masters Students of University of Ibadan and Delta State University Library Schools.The total population of this study were 239 Postgraduate Masters LIS students of the two selected Library Schools.Total enumeration (census) sampling technique was adopted because of the small size of the population.All the total number of 239 Postgraduate Masters LIS students constituted the population of this study.Questionnaire was the instrument adopted for data collection; total numbers of 239 copies of questionnaire were administered to the LIS Postgraduate Masters students, in the two Library Schools.The research instrument was subjected to rigorous face and content validity.In establishing the reliability of the instrument, a pilot study was conducted; Cronbach's Alpha method was adopted in pre-testing the instrument to determine the reliability coefficient of the variables.The reliability coefficient of 0.92 was obtained.
The questionnaires were distributed to the Postgraduate students in their lecture rooms, hall, and library with the permission of the Heads of Departments in the library schools.Some of the filled questionnaires were retrieved by the researcher on the same day after completion, while others were retrieved and sent to the researcher through friends and colleagues in the library

Attitudes of Library and Information Science (LIS) Postgraduate Students Towards Internet Usage in Selected
Library Schools in Nigeria schools.Responses from research questions were analysed, both descriptive and inferential statistics methods were used.Pearson correlation, frequency count, tables and percentages were used to show the rate of scores of the responses that were obtained within a particular range of respondents.A total of two hundred and thirty nine (239) copies of the questionnaire were administered to respondents in the two library schools under study.One hundred and seventy eight (178) questionnaires were administered to University of Ibadan library school and sixty one (61) to Delta State University library school.However, a cumulative of two hundred and seven (207) copies were successfully retrieved, that is, one hundred and fifty four (154) from University of Ibadan library school and fifty three (53) from Delta State University library school representing 86.6% response rate.The two hundred and seven (207) copies that were filled, returned, certified were used for data analysis as shown in table 1 above.Table 2 shows age distribution of LIS postgraduate students in the two library schools studied.The respondents between ages 26-35 years were found to have the highest concentration of LIS postgraduate students with 130 (62.8%), followed by the respondents between ages 18-25 with 39 (18.8%) and respondents between ages 36-and above with 38 (18.4%) respectively.

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This analysis however shown that the postgraduate students of the two library schools studied are predominantly young adults with high response rate of 169 representing 81.6%.In the contemporary research, gender issues cannot be over looked particularly when such research has the tendency to throw up matters regarding presumed existing difference in attitudes towards Internet usage as regards to gender.Table 3 therefore, shows the gender composition of respondents in the two library schools, with female 106 (51.2%) and male 101 (48.8%).This then means that, there were more female than male postgraduate students who would soon become information professionals.However, this could be interpreted to mean that female dominated their male counterpart.) and those married 71(34.3%),Separated 2 (1.0%) and windowed 1(0.5%) respectively.This analysis clearly shows that majority of the LIS postgraduate students in the two Library Schools were still single which represented the highest response rate of 64.3% in the table above, closely followed by postgraduate students who are married with 34.3%.Table 5 shows the results of the attitudes of LIS postgraduate students' internet usage.The results revealed that the respondents strongly believed that the internet will never replace human life with 165(79.33%),22(10.6%), 5 (2.4%) and 11(5.3%)respectively, and that the internet do not make them uncomfortable, with 98(47.3%),36(17.4%),25(12.1% and 43(20.8%)respectively.The perception and belief of the respondents that the internet is responsible for the timely completion of research work were high with 101(48.8%),67(32.4%),8(3.9%) and 22(10.6%)respectively.The respondents in their responses, demonstrates that they are not intimidated by the internet with 80(38.6%),51 (24.6%), 26(12.6%)and 38(18.6%)respectively.

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The respondents strongly agreed that the over use of internet is harmful and damaging to humans with 90(43.5%)closely followed with 65(31.4%)as against those that was of the opinion that internet is not harmful with 23 (11.1%) and 22(10.5%)respectively.
More so, the respondents perceived and believed strongly that the internet can eliminate a lot of tedious work with 129(62.3%)and 51(24.6%)and compared to those that did not belief with 14(6.8%) and 7 (3.4%)respectively.The result to a very high extent shows that the respondents use the internet for information needs with 119(57.5%)and 57(27.5%)as against those who do not use internet for information needs with 7(3.4%) and 14(6.8%)respectively, that also believed that the internet is the fast and efficient means of gaining information with 151(72.9%),35(16.9%),10(4.8%) and 5(2.4%) respectively.It was also show that despite the complexity of internet, it does not intimidate the respondents with 71(34.3%)and 57(27.5%)as against those who perceived that the complexity of the internet intimidates them with 51 (24.6%) and 21(10.1%)respectively.
Finally, the respondents strongly holds the view that the use of internet is an evolving phenomenon in the academic environment with (59.4%) and 59(28.5%)as against those who were of the contrary view with 14 (4.8%) and 6 (2.9%) respectively, but it further revealed that highest responses shown that the internet usage seems to be in the state of infancy or early maturation in their librarian schools with 97(46.9%)strongly agreed, 43(20.8%) agreed as against those who disagreed with 20 (9.7%) and 42 (20.3%)respectively.
Research question 2: What are the differences among LIS postgraduate students in attitudes toward internet usage with gender?Table 6 shows the differences among LIS postgraduate students with gender.It revealed that both the male and female to a very high extent have positive attitude towards internet usage with male 95 (94.1%) and female 95(89.6%)respectively.Judging with the results in table 6 above, it is evident that, positive attitudes of Internet usage exist among the respondents.

Attitudes of Library and Information Science (LIS) Postgraduate Students Towards Internet Usage in Selected
Library Schools in Nigeria The internet as revealed in this study, offers vast opportunity to users to meet their information needs, this was not far from the view of Fasae and Aladeniyi, (2012) that Internet emerges as the educational tool by being a good source of getting the right information and solution to problems in an academic environment, it also corroborate with the study of Jagboro, (2004) which affirmed that Internet appearance in higher education was used as a tool for researchers to communicate and share project data.
The findings of this study revealed that the LIS postgraduate students strongly believed that internet is an evolving phenomenon in the academic environment.The findings of this study revealed that the internet usage seems to be in the state of infancy or early maturation in the library schools.Akporido (2005) in her study reported that students must pay access fee in cyber cafes; this is as a result of library schools' inability to provide LIS postgraduate students with functional computer laboratory with little or no fee based internet services.
Finally, on the differences among the variables with gender, the results of the study revealed that female postgraduate students are more ICT nervous than their male counterpart, this support the study of Bimber (2000) that posited that women are substantially less likely to be frequent users, equally likely to be infrequent users, and more likely to be intermediate users of the internet.The result of the study revealed to a very high extent that both male and female have positive attitudes toward internet usage.The findings of this study supported the study of Enochsson (2005) which revealed that research has found that technology is no longer reserved for males.

Conclusion
It is believed that gender would not be an inhibiting factor on postgraduate student's attitudes towards internet usage in the near future.A positive attitude is propelled by high level of motivation given to LIS postgraduate students in the sense of internet users' satisfaction.The overall conclusion of this study is that functional Internet facilities in the library schools can be facilitated by the educators regardless of their access to technology resources and technical assistance that is provided by their various institutions where they are established.

Recommendations
Based on the findings from this study, the following recommendations were made: i. Drastic measures should be taken by LIS educators/administrators to provide computers with functional internet facilities to LIS postgraduate students in their various schools to eliminate any barrier confronting LIS postgraduate students use of the Internet.ii.Educators in Library Schools should provide opportunities for computer instructions through the provision of computers with internet facilities with little or no fee to enable LIS Postgraduates students in library schools have access to Internet.
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