A study of information and communication technology (ICT) skills of staff of tertiary institutions in Benue state, Nigeria

Abstract

Information and communication technology has become an indispensable tool for effective information processing, storage and retrieval. Staff of academic institutions of all types are saddled with the responsibility of providing services to an elite clientele and require serious deployment of ICTs and enormous skills to increase efficiency in the way they serve the clientele. This study looked at the ICT skills of staff of university libraries and that of polytechnics/monotechnics and colleges of ed ucation in Benue state. The study identified the ICT facilities available in these institutions, compared the differences in ICT skills level between staff of universities and the other tertiary institutions in the state and variation in the training methods used by the staff of these institutions (universities and others ) for the acquisition of the skills. The entire population of 248 library staff was surveyed with the use of a structured questionnaire by the researcher through the help of research assistants within the period of two weeks. Frequencies, mean ( X ) scores and ranking as well as percentages were used to analyse the data in answer to the research questions. Results indicate very sharp differences in the ICT facilities available, the skills acquired as well as the training facilities used for the acquisition of the skills in favour of universities. While university libraries have a good number of the f acilities and the staff possess most of the skills listed, staff of polytechnics/monotechnic and colleges of education show a paucity of these facilities and skills. While the staff of university libraries enjoy library sponsorship for the acquisition of some ICT skills in addition to personal efforts, staff of ot her institutions’ libraries acquire their skills through self-sponsored efforts only. The study recommended the purchase of more ICT facilities and involvement in skills training by the authorities of polytechnics and colleges of education. Staff of these institutions are also expected to purchase basic ICT facilities on personal level and engage in self training among others.

Keywords: ICT, Facilities, Skills, Academic, Libraries, Tertiary, Institutions..