Information literacy in Nigerian universities trends, challenges and opportunities

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this study was to determine the information literacy trends, challenges and opportunities in Nigerian universities, With focus on its characteristics; content and adequacy for students’ information literacy development and lifelong learning. The effort to ensure that university students are empowered to acquire the competences needed for all round education and lifelong learning has been the primary focus of the university curriculum. University regulatory body in Nigeria emphasised the need to provide students with a study plan which provides them with capacity to locate information resources, access, evaluate and use them in legally acceptable manner. The programme is differently captioned with varying contents. With evolving approach to literacy, this study was designed to determine whether the programme has evolved from use of library education to information literacy or still at its traditional mode. Design/methodology/approach Descriptive survey research method was adopted for the study. The population consists of federal and state university libraries in Nigeria. The characteristics, content and adequacy of the programme as offered in Nigerian universities was the measure to determine the type of literacy. Questionnaire derived from literature and personal experience was designed to elicit information. A copy of the questionnaire was sent to each university that constituted the sample of the study by mail and telephone interviews were given to the heads of the sampled libraries. Findings It was discovered that majority of the universities studied were yet to consolidate the library literacy programme offered in their universities. Hence, the provision of information literacy content is yet to be realised in Nigerian universities. Practical implications There should be constant evaluation and monitoring of the programme by the regulatory bodies to ensure that the programme is reviewed at the appropriate time and that they also abide to the minimum standard. Originality/value For the effective implementation of programme to reflect the current development in research and information sourcing, retrieval and use; collaboration in content development as well as teaching between faculty and library; increasing or splitting the programme content to accommodate first year and higher level undergraduates, the regulatory bodies like Librarians’ Registration Council of Nigeria should ensure constant evaluation of the programme.

Assessment of information literacy skills

“…In Dubicki’s (2013) study, several faculty members mentioned that academic integrity needs to be discussed with students regarding referencing borrowed ideas and citing sources used in research, including specific format requirements. The study by Anunobi and Ukwoma (2016) reported that citation interpretation and investigating authors’ expertise were not part of the content of the programmes in 60 per cent of the universities studied.…”

“…It should be noted, however, that Michalak and Rysavy (2016) in their study found that students tend to overate their information literacy skills. Previous study by Anunobi and Ukwoma (2016) found that the key areas of information literacy namely: problem identification, development of research Assessment of information literacy skills strategy, and information synthesis were lacking in many of the Nigerian university programmes.…”

The Role of the Faculty in Information Literacy Instruction

“…For many years, libraries have been conducting library orientation or user education, essentially designed to acquaint new students with the available library resources and to enable them to explore effectively the existing knowledge base and ameliorate their information search skills (Anunobi and Ukwoma, 2016). In many universities, this has been the mere introduction of students to collections and services, with the primary aim of transferring the skills that would enable the library users to identify, select, locate and retrieve the relevant information resources and make the users appreciate the library as the top source of inquiry, by using the collection effectively (Idiodi, 2005).…”

The methodology used to deliver information literacy instruction by a select group of academic librarians: a case study

“…Swapna and Biradar (2017) argued that while the concept of information literacy has been embraced by many universities, it is important that initiatives are effectively promoted and executed to produce more confident and independent information seekers. Anunobi and Ukwoma (2016), in their study on information literacy in Nigerian universities, posited that the underdevelopment of information literacy programs in higher education institutions can be attributed to the attitude of key stakeholders including administrators, academics, students and libraries. They noted additionally, "the lack of essential management commitment, ignorance of what information literacy stands for, the willingness of various departments to collaborate for effective development of programs, aversion, to innovative curricula and inadequate technological infrastructure as a hindrance to the growth of effective information literacy programs."…”