Cognitive Abilities, Information Literacy Knowledge and Retrieval Skills of Undergraduates: A Comparison of Public and Private Universities in Nigeria

Janet O. Adekannbi, Testimony Morenike Oluwayinka

Abstract


This study investigated the differences in the cognitive abilities, information literacy knowledge and skills as well as information retrieval skills between students in public and private universities in Nigeria. Multistage sampling technique was adopted. Two colleges, Natural Sciences and Management Sciences were purposively selected from the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) while three schools, Basic and Applied Sciences, Computing and Engineering and Babcock Business School were selected from Babcock University. The colleges/schools were later stratified into six related departments/courses for ease of comparison. Convenience sampling was used to select the total of 235 respondents that participated in the study. Four hypotheses were tested. Result of the test of hypotheses showed no significant difference in the cognitive abilities, information literacy knowledge and skills of students in public and private universities. However, a significant difference was observed in information retrieval skills of the students. Students of Babcock University, a private institution had higher level of information retrieval skills than FUNAAB students, a public university. The study recommends library and information professionals in public universities should be encouraged by administrative heads of such institutions to periodically organize practical workshops on information retrieval skills for students.


Keywords


Cognitive Abilities, Information Literacy Skills, Information Retrieval Skills, Babcock University, Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta.

Full Text:

PDF

References


Ajiboye, B. A., Oyedipe, W. J. & Alawiye, M. K. (2013). Use of information retrieval tools by the postgraduate students of selected universities in South Western Nigeria. Information and Knowledge Management, 3(5), 53-59.

Al-Maskari, A. & Sanderson, M. (2010). A review of factors influencing user satisfaction in information retrieval. Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, 61(5), 859-868.

American Library Association and Association for Educational Communications and Technology (1998). Information power: Building partnerships for learning. American Library Association, Chicago.

Association of College and Research Libraries (2000). Information literacy competency standards for higher education. American Library Association, Chicago, 2000. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/acrl/ilcomstan.html.

Bilal, D., Sarangthem, S. & Bachir, I. (2008). Towards a model of children's information seeking behavior in using digital libraries. In: Proceedings of the second international symposium on Information interaction in context, London, United Kingdom. ACM, New York, pp. 145-151.

Eisenberg, M. B. (2008). Information Literacy: Essential Skills for the Information Age, DESIDOC Journal of Library & Information Technology, 28 (2), 39-47.

Eisenberg, M. & Berkowitz, R. (1990). Information problem solving: The Big Six Skills approach to library and information skills instruction. Norwood, NJ: Ablex Publishing Corporation.

Ekenna, M. & Mabawonku, I. (2013). Information retrieval skills and use of library electronic resources by university undergraduates in Nigeria. Information and Knowledge Management, 3(9), 6-14. Retrieved from http://www.iiste.org/

Fordjour, R., Badu, E. E. & Adjei, E. (2010). The prospects and challenges of information retrieval by university students: A case study of Post Graduate Students of the University of Ghana, Legon. Paper presented at the Joint 3rd African Association of Agricultural Economists (AAAE) and 48th Agricultural Economists Association of South Africa (AEASA) Conference, Cape Town, South Africa, from 19-23 September, 2010.

Herring, J. E. (2010). School students, information retrieval and transfer. Library and Information Research, 34 (107). Retrieved from http://www.cilipjournals.org.uk/lir

Ilogho, J.E. & Nkiko, C. (2014). Information literacy search skills of students in five selected private universities in Ogun State, Nigeria: A Survey. Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal). Paper 1040. Retrieved from http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/libphilprac/1040

Jegede, P.O. & Owolabi, J. (2005). Effects of professional status, subject discipline and computer attitudes among Teacher educators in Nigerian Colleges of Education. Information Technology Journal 4(2), 158-162

Kim, K.S. & Allen, B. (2002). Cognitive and task influences on Web searching behavior. Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, 53 (2), 109-119.

Kuhlthau, C. (2004). Seeking meaning: A process approach to library and information services. 2nd ed., Westport CT.: Libraries Unlimited.

Mazumder, Q.H. (2013). Student satisfaction in private and public universities in Bangladesh International Journal of Evaluation and Research in Education, 2(2), 78-84

Mazumder, Q.H. (2014). Analysis of quality in public and private universities in Bangladesh and USA. International Journal of Evaluation and Research in Education, 3(2), 99-108

Meyers, E.M., Nathan, L.P. & Saxton, M.L. (2006). Barriers to information seeking in school libraries: Conflicts in perceptions and practice. Information Research, 12(2), Retrieved from http://www.informationr.net/ir/12-2/paper295.html

Newton, A. (2005). What is information literacy? Retrieved from http://www.ldu.leeds.ac.uk/news/events/documents/informationliteracy.pdf

Nwana, O.C. (1981). Introduction to education research for student teachers. Ibadan: Heinemann Educational Books

Obadara, O.E. (2012). Comparative analysis of public and private universities administration in Nigeria. Journal of Social Sciences 32(3), 357-363

Ojedokun, A. A. (2007). Information literacy for tertiary education students in Africa. Ibadan: Third World Information Services Limited.

Ojo, R. A. & Akande, S. O. (2005). Students access, usage and awareness of electronic information resources at the University College Hospital, University of Ibadan, Nigeria. Lagos Journal of Library and Information Science 3(1), 16 – 24.

Omiunu, O. G. (2014). Conceptualizing information need: A phenomenological study. Journal of Library and Information Sciences, 2 (2), 29-54.

Palmquist, R. A. & Kim, K. S. (2000). Cognitive style and on-line database search experience as predictors of Web search performance. Journal of the American Society for Information Science, 51 (6), 558-566.

Quadri, G.O., Adetimirin, A.E. & Idowu, O.A. (2014). A study of availability and utilization of library electronic resources by undergraduate students in private universities in Ogun State, Nigeria. International Journal of Library and Information Science 6(2), 28-34

Royal College of Nursing. (2011). Finding, using and managing information: Nursing, midwifery, health and social care information literacy competences. London: Royal College of Nursing. Retrieved from http://www.rcn.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/357019/003847.pdf

Schedl, M., Flexer, A. & Urbano, J. (2013). The neglected user in Music information retrieval research. Journal of Intelligent Information Systems, 41(3), 523-539.

Seneviratne, T.M. & Wickramasinghe, V.M. (2010). Information literacy skills of undergraduates of University of Moratuwa. Journal of the University Librarians Association of Sri Lanka. 14 (1), 15-30.

Thirion, P. & Pochet, B. (2009). Information literacy in students entering higher education in the French Speaking Community of Belgium: Lessons learned from an evaluation. IFLA Journal 35(2), 152–170.


Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


ISSN: 1694-2507 (Print)

ISSN: 1694-2108 (Online)