Problems Of Educating And Training Of Library And Infor Sciences Students In Nigeria( A Case Study Of The University Of Calabar)

PROBLEMS OF EDUCATING AND TRAINING OF LIBRARY AND INFOR SCIENCES STUDENTS IN NIGERIA( A CASE STUDY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALABAR)

ABSTRACT

The study of the challenges in the training and education of library and information science students is psychological. It is against this that the researcher sees the subject matter worthy of investigation to examine how the challenges pose a threat on the effective training of students of library and information science. This study used descriptive survey design. The data for this study were generated from two main sources; Primary sources and secondary sources. In this study the target population constitute of final year students of the department of library and information science, University of Calabar. The total population of the study was put at 150. A total of one hundred and ten (110) questionnaires were distributed. A total of 73 copies of the questionnaires were duly completed and returned, representing a response rate of 66.4%. The result of the study showed that Cyber Security and Digital Archiving were ranked the least courses included in the departmental curricula. Most of the respondents agreed that Library and Information Science Education is very educative. There is low satisfaction among the respondents in the quality of faculty available in the Library Schools. Facsimiles and Scanners are least accessed and utilized ICTs in the Library Schools. There is a general low rate of ICTs access and utilization in the Library School by the students especially on a daily basis. Power Outage, inadequate computers and limited access and utilization of ICT in the computer Laboratories and departmental Libraries are the major challenges confronting the students in the Library Schools. Recommendations were made for all stakeholders of Library and Information Science Education in Nigeria.

 

PROBLEMS OF EDUCATING AND TRAINING OF LIBRARY AND INFOR SCIENCES STUDENTS IN NIGERIA( A CASE STUDY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALABAR)

 

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1       Background of the study

Library and information science (LIS) training and education play a significant role in the production of high-quality LIS students who occupy a unique position in national development. LIS students are gatekeepers and brokers of information which is essential for knowledge acquisition, decision-making and national development. The success of library, archives and information centres in effectively meeting their obligation of information provision is hinged, in part, on the development of skilled manpower.

Trained personnel, according to Korsah (1996) are a key requirement in library and information work. In this respect, LIS education plays a vital role (Edegbo, 2011). Although early LIS students, particularly librarians did not undergo any formal training (Wikipedia, nd.), the modern-day challenges of library and information work require that personnel should be well-trained and educated to make for effectiveness.

Melvin Dewey, the famous proponent of the Dewey Decimal Classification System was said to have established the first library school in the United States in 1887 at Columbia University (Wikipedia, n.d.). In Europe, the library School established in Barcelona in 1915 is reputed to be the oldest library school in that continent. Many other library schools were said to have been established during the Second World War. In Africa, however, South Africa is credited with the longest history of LIS in the continent dating from 1938 (Ocholla, 2007).

In West Africa, the earliest formal training in librarianship consisted of short courses organized by practicing librarians and these were aimed solely at preparing the participants for the British Library Association examinations (Ojo-Igbinoba, 1995) which then constituted the only gateway for aspiring librarians (Aguolu and Aguolu, 2002). One of such courses took place in Achimota College, Gold Coast (now Ghana) in 1944 and it drew participants from various West African countries including Nigeria. This appears to be the earliest evidence of the strong historical link between Ghana and Nigeria in the education and training of LIS students. Hence this study tends to study the challenges in the training and education of library and information science students.

Library and information science is a discipline encompassing knowledge management, knowledge economy, and knowledge dissemination. Library and information science education is a joint concept that consists of library education and information science education. Library education is the specialised formal training for would-be librarians for the acquisition of skills and competences necessary for both library services and transfer of knowledge. In the same vein, information science education is a field of study that equips learners with information collection, classification, manipulation, storage, analysis, interpretation and dissemination skills as well as competencies in transferring information literacy skills to learners. Through the study of library and information science, a person acquires approved skills, for maximum utilization and management of information resources (Abdulrazaq&Ladi, 2017). Library reserves constitute one of the essential tools for carrying out information science activities. Library is a holding of diverse kinds of information materials and tools for disseminating relevant information.

However, one of the most rapidly emerging inventions in today’s world are technologies used in collecting, storing and disseminating information which is one of the significant characteristics of a functional library. The emerging technologies have advanced the role of a functional library in service delivery and operations. The change dynamics, according to Adeogun (2003), has changed and enveloped librarianship, where “dissemination” is being replaced by “communication”, “repository” replaced by “database” literature by “knowledge”, search by “navigation” The phenomenal changes are inevitable in the present time and era. It is pertinent to state that library services and operations in developed countries are long entrenched in ICT using all the software’s artificial intelligence (AI) for both teaching and service delivery. The continuous advancement in the information society is pushing to re-evaluation of all the institutions which work with information, data, and knowledge – indirectly also with culture (Mirja, 1999). In the modern epoch, a library is said to be functional and effective in its delivery service when it compromise with growing trend of digital innovations (Sun & Yuan, 2012).

In spite of these global changes, the teaching and learning of library and information science in Nigeria has not witnessed much evolution with time, because great constraints exist in the utilization of emerging information technologies for library services delivery, teaching and learning process (Abdulrazaq&Ladi, 2017). Surprisingly, various library services such as resource acquisitions, management, dissemination, teaching and learning are not yet free frommanual delivery in most university libraries in Nigeria. However, Diso and Njoku (2007) had earlier noted that unstable political culture, poor infrastructure, illiteracy, insecurity, poor reading culture, poor policy formulation and implementation are constraints that have undermined the involvement of ICT in Nigerian Libraries.

In the present perspective, education in Africa may continue to be stagnated if necessary steps arenot taken Okojie (2008) stressed that for reforms in the library and information science sector especially in the library schools, ICT in LISE curriculum and standard facilities should be a top priority to bridge the gap. However, the key issues are to embrace technology in its entirety, review the LISE curriculum and incorporate emerging technologies in LIS education for broad learning. The fact remains that technology today has modernised the methods of teaching and learning, broadened the curriculum which is now dynamic and basically learner-centred, making learners more involved in the experience that brings changes in behaviour, and makes teaching simpler for teachers through utilisation of projectors, smart boards, various technologies like video conferencing, andwhatsapp to communicate. To this, Hargreaves in Adeogun (2003), describes education systems now as “mere porous and permeable” because time and distance has been eliminated, thereby making the traditional classrooms wall collapsed into a super highway where students and teachers now need new skills to navigate the world wide web for information. Aina (2007) reiterated that most library schools in Nigeria have not departed from the traditional library courses and methods of teaching even in the wake of new technologies.

 

 

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The study of the challenges in the training and education of library and information science students is psychological. It is against this that the researcher sees the subject matter worthy of investigation to examine how the challenges pose a threat on the effective training of students of library and information science.

The need for education arose as early as man evolved in a society of fellow beings. Educators and educational philosophers, social reformers and political pace-setters have propounded many theories on what is the purpose of education (Orji, 1982). Education is the most important ingredient through which a nation can attain development (Kalisu, 2007). Since the early 1960’s, many countries have tried to relate education to the need of the child, his community and his world (Fafunwa, 1991). There has been rising commitment to strengthening the delivery system of education in Nigeria. In the process of getting to the root of the educational problems of Nigeria, government since 1977 began searching for alternative models to the traditional system which was restricted and limited in space. Based on this, the need to create opportunities for those who have some form of formal education to update their knowledge and ultimately improve their productive capacity became more apparent. According to Nkanu and Usang (2007), Nigerians have absolute confidence in education as the spring-board for change and development.

Many students arrive the various LIS schools with high expectations, hoping to be well trained and prepared for the work life after graduation but it seems these expectations were not be met as the various LIS schools seems to battling with a lot of challenges such as inadequacies in the education and training, provision of ICTs and lack of ICTs skilled faculty.

 

1.3       Objectives of the study

The main objective of the study is to examine the challenges in the training and education of library and information science students in Nigeria.

1. To determine students’ perception of the curriculum in use.
2. To determine the students’ satisfaction of the quality of faculty available.
3. To determine the students’ access and utilization of ICTs in their LIS schools.
4. To identify challenges encountered in the course of their studies in the LIS schools.
5. To seek solutions in confronting the challenges of LIS training and education in Nigeria.

 

1.4       Research questions

1. What is the students’ perception of the curriculum in use?
2. What is the level of students’ satisfaction of the quality of faculty available?
3. What is the level of students’ access and utilization of ICTs in their LIS schools?
4. What are the challenges encountered in the course of their studies in the LIS schools?
5. What are the solutions to the challenges of LIS training and education in Nigeria?

 

1.5       Significance of the study

A critical study of various literatures reveals that efforts have been made in the past to train and educate the library and information science students therefore, this research is thus an improvement on earlier ones as it focuses on the challenges in training and education of library and information science students.

However, this study will be of immense value to undergraduate students, librarians and researchers in their research on challenges in training and education of library and information science students.

 

1.6       Scope and limitation of the study

The project covers the challenges of training and education of library and information science students using the department of library and information science, University of Calabar as a comparative study.

PROBLEMS OF EDUCATING AND TRAINING OF LIBRARY AND INFOR SCIENCES STUDENTS IN NIGERIA( A CASE STUDY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALABAR)

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