Web search skills and use of online information resources by library and information science undergraduates of a Nigerian University of Education

Abstract

The study was designed to investigate web search skills and use of online information resources by library and information science  undergraduates in a Nigerian university of education. Descriptive research design of survey type was adopted for the study while simple  random sampling technique was used to select 181 undergraduates of TASUED. A questionnaire designed by the researcher was used for the collection of data. One hundred and eight one copies of the questionnaires were administered while 170 copies were returned and  used for the analysis. The research questions were answered using descriptive statistics of frequency and percentages while the hypotheses were tested using pearson product moment correlation at 0.05 level of significance. The findings show that online information resources available for use by undergraduate students are electronics forum, wikipedia news, electronic journals, discussion group forum and Google scholar while the level of web search skills possessed by the undergraduates surveyed was found to be high. Findings from the study further revealed online information resources being used by the undergraduates are ONLINE dictionary of LIS, (ODLIS), directpry of open access repositories, Education Resources Information Centre, Google scholar,JSTOR,Library Information Science & Technology  Abstract, Directory of Open Access Journals, Library and Information Science, online theses and dissertations, Science research news, electronic journals, discussion group forum, electronic forums and Online tutorials. Hindrances facing the undergraduates in using online information resources include limited access to Internet facility, time constraints, slow Internet speed, erratic power supply as well as insufficient skill to retrieve needed information. The findings also show that there is significant relationship between the web search skills and the use of online information resources by undergraduate. The study therefore recommends that the university management surveyed should provide uninterrupted power supply such as generators, solar to provide alternative power source while computer literacy programme should be organised among the undergraduates of Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED), Ijagun Ogun State, Nigeria through orientation, seminars etc on the use of online information resource so as to also improve the level of web search skill.

Keywords: Web search skills, Online information resources, Library and information science undergraduates, Tai Solarin University of Education, Nigeria