137 research outputs found
Perceptions of final year undergraduate education students about the influence of a reading culture on their academic achievement at selected universities in Tanzania.
No full textDoctor of Philosophy in Information Studies. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2017.The study investigated the perceptions of final year undergraduate education students about the influence of a reading culture on their academic achievement at selected universities in Tanzania. Four universities were involved in the study namely: Sokoine University of Agriculture, Mzumbe University, Teofilo Kisanji University and University of Iringa. Social Cognitive Theory informed the study. Pragmatism paradigm underpinned this study, while mixed methods using survey questionnaire and interviews were used for the data collection. Questionnaire was used to collect data from 312 students and 62 lecturers while interview was administered to 50 subject librarians. Quantitative data were analysed using IBM SPSS version 20.0 to generate tables, charts, percentages and frequencies, while Chi-square was generated to determine relationships between variables. Finally, qualitative data were analysed using thematic analysis.
Reliability and validity were ensured by adopting instruments from studies with acceptable Cronbach’s Alpha value of >0.7. The study adhered to the ethical protocol of the University of KwaZulu-Natal. The findings showed that there was a high level of awareness among students, lecturers, and librarians regarding influence of reading culture on students’ academic achievements. The students perceived their reading self-efficacies as enabler to promoting reading culture. The findings revealed students rarely spent time reading for leisure, for information or for entertainment. The results also showed students rarely visited the library. The results further showed that factors which motivated students to read include reading to gain knowledge, reading for entertainment purposes, reading for examinations, tests, assignments and research projects.
The study concluded that students in universities lacked reading culture but were motivated to read for the purpose of passing examinations, tests, assignments and research projects. There was absence of policy on reading culture and this impacted negatively on students’ academic achievement. The study consequently advanced recommendations among them strategies, policy, curricular transformation, programmes and guidelines in order to improve academic achievement of students
Knowledge management strategies and practices in Nigerian agricultural research institutes.
No full textPh. D. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg 2015.This study was carried out to investigate knowledge management strategies and practices in Nigerian agricultural research institutes. Five institutes located in different geo-political zones of the country were studied namely: Institute for Agricultural Research, Zaria; Institute of Agricultural Research and Training, Ibadan; National Root Crops Research Institute, Umudike; National Cereals Research Institute, Badeggi; and Lake Chad Research Institute, Maiduguri.
The Nonaka and Takeuchi (1995) knowledge creation theory complemented by Boisot’s (1987) knowledge category model, Grant’s (1996) knowledge-based theory, Conner and Prahalad (1996) resource-based view, Sanchez’s (2001a) competence-based view, Ginsberg’s (1994) cognitive-frameworks theory, and Teece et al. (1997) capability perspective theoretical lenses underpinned the study.
The study was underpinned by post-positivists paradigm, while mixed methods (qualitative and quantitative approaches) using survey questionnaire, interviews and documentary analysis were used for the collection of data. A survey questionnaire was administered on 276 research scientists, while a semi-structured interview was conducted with five directors and five heads of information and documentations of the institutes. Qualitative data were analysed using thematic analysis, while quantitative data were analysed using SPSS version 20.0 to generate descriptive and inferential statistics for actualising the objectives of the study. Reliability and validity of the instruments was ascertained through test-retest reliability using Cronbach’s Alpha on 30 research scientists. The expected reliability stood at r=0.786, which is considered acceptable. The study adhered to the ethical protocol of the University of KwaZulu-Natal.
The findings show that the types of knowledge generated by the institutes included: genetic improvement of varieties of cereals, crops, roots, tubers and barley; wheat, rice, soybeans, sugarcane, beniseed, millet; crop production, breeding, weed control, value-addition techniques, fertility of soil and mechanisation; crop improvement and management practices; generation of agricultural technologies and management practices; pest management, agronomic practices and improved seeds; fish production and management practices. The study found that generations of explicit knowledge and tacit knowledge was high in the institutes. Besides, the explicit knowledge generation was enhanced by the constant documentation of research findings and research reports, seminars, workshops and conference papers; while tacit knowledge generation was facilitated by knowledge sharing through formal and informal engagements such as review meetings, cropping scheme meetings, community of practice, community of knowledge, knowledge networks and regular staff meetings. The study further found that personalisation strategy (human-based) was the dominant strategy used to derive research and innovations, compared to codification strategy (ICT-based). The study established that knowledge transmission to stakeholders such as farmers, Agricultural Development Partners (ADPs) and other governmental and non-governmental organisations was done largely via newsletters and bulletins, followed by personal contact with research scientists and extension agents. The study found that the following knowledge management systems were in place: document management systems (word processing and desktop databases); organisational practice and routines (group collaboration systems, discussion forums and work flows); training and knowledge intelligence, (community of knowledge, knowledge networks, knowledge culture, intelligent agents and rule-based personalization). The findings revealed lack of knowledge management policies, knowledge management strategic plans and position of knowledge manager in the institutes’ organogram.
The study concluded that knowledge management practices in research institutes studied in Nigeria were influenced by knowledge creation, knowledge acquisition and generation, knowledge sharing and modes of knowledge dissemination. The study recommends an agricultural research impact assessment in the institutes in order to ascertain the contribution of the knowledge generated to the revival of the agricultural sector in Nigeria. Coordination, cooperation and collaboration among the farmers, research scientists, research institutes, Agricultural Development Partners (ADPs), and the National Agricultural Research System (NARS) should be enhanced by establishing a national agricultural research database/databank to facilitate access to agricultural research in the institutes. The research institutes should consider putting in place knowledge management policy for efficient management of knowledge resources.
The originality of the study lies in its ability to investigate how concepts and variables from the Nonaka and another six theories/models played out in the Nigerian agricultural research
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institutes. The study demonstrated the usefulness of these theories and models in the context of Nigerian agricultural research institutes. The study contributes to policy, theory, practice and society. For example, the findings have the potential to influence the formulation of KM policies in the Nigerian agricultural research institutes. In addition the study has provides a deeper understanding of various phenomena pertaining to the KM in the agricultural sector which could serve as a basis for re-evaluation, re-strategising and re-focusing KM practices in the research institutes. The study contributes to the domain body of knowledge and literature, especially in the context of Nigeria. The study proposes a model for KM in agricultural research institutes, which builds upon the weaknesses of the Nonaka model, and other six models discussed in the thesis
Knowledge management capability in nursing care performance in selected teaching hospitals in South-West Nigeria.
No full textDoctor of Philosophy in Information Studies. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2018.This study investigated knowledge management (KM) capability in nursing care performance in selected teaching hospitals in South-west, Nigeria. The specific objectives of the study were: to investigate the factors of KM capability influencing nursing care performance outcomes in health institutions in South-west Nigeria; investigate the relationship between knowledge infrastructure and knowledge process in KM capability; and examine how KM capability can be leveraged to support nursing care performance outcomes.
The study was underpinned by pragmatic paradigm which combines both quantitative and qualitative research methods. A survey research design was employed along with convergent mixed methods design to conduct the research. The sample of the study comprised of registered nurses working in the various clinical units of the selected teaching hospitals in the South-west region of Nigeria. The selected teaching hospitals are University College Hospital, Ibadan and Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ile-Ife. Proportionate stratified sampling was used for quantitative data collection using questionnaires, while a purposive sampling method was used for qualitative data collection using semi-structured interviews. The questionnaire was administered to 320 registered nurses, 298 (93.13%) of whom returned the questionnaires. Semi-structured interviews were also conducted with 9 Deputy Directors of Nursing Services (DDNS) from both hospitals. To ensure reliability and validity of the results, an item-total correlation, and principal component analysis (PCA) was applied on the pre-tested questionnaire, while the internal consistency and reliability was also checked by applying Cronbach’s Alpha (α) Coefficient. The result of the pilot study showed that the research instruments were valid and reliable. The data collected from the main study were initially analysed for missing values, sample, descriptive and normality testing using SPSS version 22.0 with a final number of 298 responses. The two-step approach to structural equation modelling (SEM) was then applied using AMOS version 22.0. The structural models were developed to test the hypothesised relationships and answer the research questions.
The findings indicated that there were more females compared to males in the two teaching hospitals. The majority of the respondents from the two teaching hospitals were between the ages of 31-35 years. The highest qualification held by the nurses is the basic registered nurses (RN) certificate. The findings revealed that most of the younger registered nurses between the ages of 21-30 years from the two teaching hospitals had spent between 1-5 years in the profession. On the other hand, the older nurses between the ages of 46-55 years were found to have more work experience.
The findings of the study established that information technology was found to have significant influence on nursing care performance, while organisational culture and organisational structure was not a significant predictor of nursing care performance. However, the indirect positive effects were confirmed by the data. The results also indicated that knowledge process positively influenced nursing care performance.
The study revealed that information technology, organisational structure, and organisational culture in KM infrastructure are found to influence KM process positively and significantly (knowledge acquisition, conversion, application, and protection) in the two teaching hospitals. The study further revealed that the combined relationship between the dimensions of knowledge infrastructure (information technology, organisational structure, and organisational culture) and knowledge process strongly and significantly influence nursing care performance in the teaching hospitals.
In leveraging knowledge management capability to support nursing care, the identified challenges in the study were: lack of knowledge management policy; paucity of information technology infrastructure; lack of information technology support for the nurses; shortage of nurses; out-dated and obsolete equipment; dilapidated infrastructure; inconsistent supply of consumables and materials; power failure and erratic electricity; insufficient budget from the Federal Government; lack of motivational incentives; inadequate working conditions and poor salary. Some of the solutions proffered were provision of adequate financial resources and replacement of out-dated equipment by the government; implementation of information technology facilities; provision of consistent power supply and employment of more skilled nurses, while ensuring continuous re-training.
The study concluded that the performance of the registered nurses is primarily informed by the influence of information technology support, type of organisational culture and organisational structure of the teaching hospitals. Based on the findings of the study, the recommendations are made in the following areas: knowledge management policy, investment in information technologies (IT), knowledge management infrastructure, knowledge management strategies, change management, top management support, knowledge management measurement, and training
Cyber Security of Children
No full textThis author discusses issues and threats to children’s cyber security vis-à-vis access to useful children online literature and the implications for sub-saharan Africa. The author points out that whereas the benefits of online children literature are immense especially in Africa where there is paucity of print literature, increasing cyber security and crime targeting children is of growing concern to governments, school teachers, parents, and Internet service providers. The chapter observes that whereas the developed world has made attempts to put in place mechanisms and systems such as acceptable user policies and protection software to mitigate undesirable consequences of online insecurity to which children are the most vulnerable, Africa is lagging behind despite the pervading Internet on the continent. The author notes that censorship of online literature is not the panacea to cyber insecurity, but parents should work closely with teachers and service providers to find pragmatic ways of protecting children online. Africa could learn a lot from developed countries on how to balance between access to useful online information resources against the growing cyber crime targeting children. The author cautions that the future of online security with regard to children’s safety in cyberspace is bound to become more complex as technologies become more advanced and online predators evolve sophisticated ways to circumvent online security measures, calling for the development of a proactive security strategy to protect children online.</jats:p
Records management readiness for open government in the Kenyan judiciary.
No full textPh. D. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg 2015.Records are valuable assets that need to be managed by any organization or nation. They are vital to virtually every aspect of the governance process and fulfill important functions in society by providing evidence of and information about the transactions of individuals and organizations. Records are fundamental to the efficient and effective operation of the legal system of any country and are more critical to the administration of law than to any other function of the public sector.
This study sought to investigate records management practices in the Kenyan judiciary with a view to promoting transformation and facilitation of open government for effective and efficient justice delivery. It sought to address the following research questions: How are records created, accessed and used, stored and maintained, appraised and disposed of, and preserved?; What records management policies, plans, and guidelines are available?; What skills and competencies do the records management staff have?; What is the level of awareness and attitude of staff towards sound records management practices? and What strategies is the Kenyan judiciary using to achieve openness?
The study was underpinned by the Records Continuum Model, the IRMT e-records Readiness Tool and the Open Government Implementation Model. Literature was reviewed based on themes gleaned from the research questions, the underpinning models and broader areas of the study. The study adopted a pragmatic paradigm associated with the mixed methods approach (MMR) where the qualitative aspects were dominant and quantitative less dominant. The study adopted an embedded case study design and data was collected through the use of interviews, questionnaires, observation and document review methods. The population of the study comprised court registrars, deputy registrars, records officers, registry assistants, judges and magistrates in the high court and magistrates’ courts in Nairobi and Uasin Gishu counties. Since the population was considered small, a complete enumeration of the population (census sampling) was included in the study. Reliability and validity of the instruments was ascertained through the use of peer debriefing, triangulation, member checking and Cronbach’s alpha. The data collected were presented and analyzed both qualitatively and quantitatively where the qualitative data were analyzed thematically and presented in narrative description
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while the quantitative data were coded and analyzed using computer software (SPSS) and then presented in tables, graphs and charts where applicable.
The findings of the study revealed that although records management had been improved in the Kenyan judiciary it was still weak. Records were not managed well in a continuum of care from creation to disposition. Further, there were no records management policies and trained records officers were inadequate. Furthermore, though records were recognized as pivotal in the administration of justice, records management had not been fully supported by the top management. There was no independent budgetary allocation for records management for instance and records management had not been accorded the status of a directorate like other administrative functions such as human resources. Moreover although the Kenyan judiciary was only in its initial phase of implementing its openness, there were notable benefits that had already accrued to the judiciary. However, there were challenges facing the judiciary that needed to be addressed if justice was to be delivered effectively and efficiently.
The study therefore concluded that the current state of records management was most likely going to impede successful implementation of judiciary transformation and openness and the delivery of justice thereof. The study therefore recommended that among other things, records management in the judiciary needed to be improved by: formulation of records management policies; building records management capacity by either hiring qualified persons or retraining the available staff; soliciting top management support; and using the Open Government Implementation Model (Lee and Kwak, 2011) as a bench mark for the implementation of open government in the judiciary
The use of social media technologies (SMTs) in the provision of library and information services in academic libraries of South-West, Nigeria.
No full textDoctor of Philosophy in Information Studies. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg 2018.The purpose of this study was to investigate the use of Social Media Technologies (SMTs) in the provision of library and information services in academic libraries of South-West, Nigeria. This study is motivated by the fact that SMT adoption and use in academic libraries in Nigeria have not been embraced to a large extent in providing information services.
The study adopted the post-positivist paradigm and a survey research design using structured questionnaires and semi-structured interview. The structured questionnaires were utilised to collect quantitative data from 107 academic librarians and 222 4th year Computer Science students, while the interview schedule was used to elicit qualitative data from 6 university librarians. Six universities were purposively selected, namely: University of Ibadan, University of Lagos, Ekiti State University, Lagos State University, Babcock University and Covenant University. Response rates of 96.8% and 83.2% for 4th year Computer Science students and academic librarians were achieved respectively.
Findings revealed that the degree of awareness of SMT for each group of respondents in the study was the same. Conferencing tools, Chatting tools, Image and video sharing were the three major SMT technologies respondents were aware of in their day-to-day interaction with the libraries. The results also showed that the respondents were aware of all the listed SMTs in the study. Chatting tools such as Facebook messenger, Blackberry messenger, WhatsApp and Google Talk, MSN had the highest level of accessibility, hence its highest adoption; Blogging such as WordPress and Blogger had the least access suggesting they are the least adopted in all the libraries sampled.
The study further revealed that majority of students accessed the Library Services offered through SMT from their classrooms or lecture theatres, while the minority accessed the services from Off-campus. The study further revealed that social networking, chatting tools and image and video sharing tools, were the first set of three most used SMTs by academic librarians in the surveyed universities. The aversion to the use of Podcast was evident in the high number of academic librarians (79.8%) who claimed they never used it regularly. One of the most revealing facts, about the frequency of usage, was the high percentage of respondents who claimed they never used Blogs, Microblogs, Collaborative tools, Podcast, Social tagging and bookmarking,
Scheduling and meeting tools as frequently as possible. Majority of the students (66%) were of the view that as at the time of the study, their information needs in the surveyed university communities were not being met via SMT by academic librarians, while the remaining 34% believed otherwise.
The intercorrelation matrices for both groups of respondents revealed that at p < .05, there were no multicollinearities between or among the variables of study. All the predictor variables in the study were found good enough to be part of the model in ascertaining the influence of the independent variables on the dependent variable. Moreover, the study showed there is a paradigm shift in library service delivery which negates the conventional method of service provision where clienteles accept whatever the library offers them.
The study recommends the University Management and Library Management to work together in developing strategies of creating awareness about the different SMTs which can be harnessed for the provision of library and information services; and the formulation of policy to guide the adoption and use of SMT in the provision of library services in academic libraries of South-West Nigeria
The effectiveness of web 2.0 in marketing academic library services in Nigerian universities: a case study of selected universities in South-South Nigeria.
No full textDoctor of Philosophy in Information Studies. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg 2017.The purpose of this study was to explore the effectiveness of using Web 2.0 to market
academic libraries services in three purposively selected universities in South-South Nigeria.
The following research questions were addressed:
1) What are the Web 2.0 tools used by academic libraries in South-South Nigeria?
2) To what extent do academic libraries in South-South Nigeria use Web 2.0 tools to market
their services?
3) What policies do academic libraries in South-South Nigeria have to guide the
implementation of Web 2.0 tools for effective marketing of their services?
4) What are the attitude and perception of librarians in South-South Nigeria towards the use
of Web 2.0 tools to market their services?
The post-positivism paradigm was used to underpin the study with an exploratory survey
research design. The population of the study consisted of librarians and students in the
institutions surveyed. Purposive random sampling was used to select the respondents. The
validity and reliability of the data collection instruments were achieved through the piloting
and triangulation. Survey questionnaires and semi-structured face-to-face interviews were
used to collect data. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to sort, code and
analyse quantitative data, while thematic content analysis was used to analyse qualitative
data.
The results revealed that librarians and students in the selected universities in South-South
Nigeria were active users of Web 2.0 tools. The results further revealed that the most used
Web 2.0 tools were Facebook, Twitter, Instant Message, and Internet Forum. Moreover, it
was found that Web 2.0 tools were being used to promote library services, reach a new
audience of potential users, push library news and press releases to users and provide quick
updates about the services to users as well as provide reference services online. The results
showed that librarians and students in the institutions surveyed have positive attitude and
perception towards the use of Web 2.0 tools, and librarians desire to use Web 2.0 tools.
Students were interested in using Web 2.0, as librarians were anxious to learn modern ways
of marketing library services. The results revealed a lack of policies to guide the
implementation of Web 2.0 tools for the marketing of library services in the institutions
surveyed. The results found the need to optimise the use of Web 2.0 tools to market library services through training of librarians, the provision of stable and/or alternative power
supply, the provision of adequate funding and facilities for the implementation of Web 2.0
tools.
This study has implications for practice, policy, methodology and theory. From the practical
perspective, the study creates awareness about using Web 2.0 tools to market academic
library services widely to users anytime anywhere. The study also provides baseline
information for improving access and use of library services in an environment of rising cost
of journals and other information resources. The study also provides information upon which
relevant training programmes for librarians and students can be based to enhance provision
and use of library services respectively. As far as policy is concerned, the study provides a
framework for developing relevant policies and availing necessary resources to leverage
opportunities created by new technologies for effective marketing of library services to the
users. Theoretically, the study contributes towards validating UTAUT in an academic library
environment and from a developing country perspective regarding the constructs of
behavioural intention, effort expectancy, performance expectancy, social influence and
facilitating conditions.
The study recommends among other things the provision of adequate budget to libraries for
information technology infrastructure development, capacity building, creating enabling and
conducive institutional environment through relevant policies to optimise the use of Web 2.0
tools. The study also recommends the infusion of Web 2.0 into the General Studies (GS)
curriculum, a compulsory course at the entry level into the university that exposes students to
liberal education
eReadiness of public university libraries in Malawi with special reference to the use of mobile phones in the provision of library and information services.
No full textDoctor of Philosophy in Information Studies. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg 2016.It was observed that public university libraries in Malawi were failing to adequately serve their clients due to, among others, inadequate ICT infrastructure and and and limited opening hours. The use of mobile phones in the provision of library and information services was viewed as an alternative solution to this challenge. This study was, therefore, undertaken to investigate the eReadiness of public university libraries in Malawi to use mobile phones in the provision of library and information services. The study addressed the following questions: What is the level of preparedness of public university libraries in Malawi in terms of ICT infrastructure, policy framework and human capacity for the adoption and use of mobile phones in providing library and information services? What electronic information resources and services are currently available in public university libraries in Malawi that can potentially be adopted and used through mobile phones? What is the current status of providing and accessing library and information services through mobile phones in public university libraries in Malawi? What are the attitudes of library staff, academic staff and students towards the potential use of mobile phones in providing and accessing library and information services? What factors influence the adoption and use of mobile phones by library staff, students and academic staff in providing and accessing library and information services? The study was underpinned by two theories: Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), and Technology, Organization, and Environment (TOE) Framework. The study used the pragmatic paradigm, mixed methodology and case study design to understand the research phenomenon. The population of the study comprised students, academic staff, university/college librarians and ICT Directors. The samples of the population studied were 370 students, 255 academic staff, 5 university/college librarians and 5 ICT Directors. Qualitative data was collected through interviews from university/college librarians and ICT Directors while quantitative data was collected from students and academic staff using questionnaires. Qualitative data was analysed using Nvivo whilst quantitative data was analysed using IBM SPSS Software version 23.
Findings of the study reveal that libraries surveyed had most of the ICT infrastructure necessary for offering library and information services through mobile phones. Students and academic staff possessed mobile phones which they could use to access information services offered by the libraries. Moreover, the mobile telecommunications network was pervasive in the country making the delivery and access to library services through mobile phones easier. However, ICT policies were not available whilst human resources and requisite skills were inadequate to provide effective library and information services through the use of mobile phones. The results further revealed that institutions surveyed had e-resources such as OPAC, e-books, e-journals, and repositories of local content that could be implemented through mobile phones. Findings also revealed that COM Library had fully implemented library and information services offered through mobile phones but MZUNI, KCN, The Polytechnic and LUANAR were all planning either to introduce or fully implement these services. The attitudes of library staff, academic staff and students towards the potential use of mobile phones in providing and accessing library and information services were largely positive. Network quality, service costs, and response times were factors that influenced the use of mobile phones in providing library and information services. The overall conclusion from this study was that public university libraries in Malawi were generally e-ready to offer library and information services through mobile phones notwithstanding certain infrastructure and skills issues that must be addressed. Consequently, the study recommended that public university libraries in Malawi that had not implemented the delivery of library services through mobile phones should speed up their implementation. The study further recommended that infrastructure and skills issues that were discovered should be addressed to ensure effective operations of library and information services provided through mobile phones. The researcher recommends that a much broader study covering all students in the four public universities in order to provide a holistic picture of the eReadiness of public university libraries in Malawi to offer library and information services through mobile phones
Knowledge sharing strategies in university libraries of Malawi.
No full textDoctor of Philosophy in Information Studies. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2018.This study was carried out to examine the strategies of knowledge sharing in University libraries of Malawi. Four public universities were studied namely: University of Malawi (UNIMA), Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR), Mzuzu University (MZUNI), and Malawi University of Science and technology (MUST). The study addressed the following research questions: (1) What types of knowledge is generated or acquired by university libraries in Malawi? (2) What is the rationale for knowledge creation and sharing by university libraries in Malawi? (3) What mechanisms and infrastructure are used for knowledge sharing in university libraries in Malawi? (4) What are the factors influencing knowledge sharing in university libraries in Malawi? (5) What is the attitude of librarians towards knowledge sharing in university libraries in Malawi? in addition (6) What framework is needed for effective knowledge sharing in university libraries in Malawi?
The Social Capital Theory (SCT) (Nahapiet and Ghoshal, 1998) complemented by Ajzen and Fishbein‘s (2000) theory of reasoned action (TRA), and Nonaka and Takeuchi’s (1995) knowledge conversion theory underpinned the study.
Pragmatism ontology which supports mixed methods epistemology was used to collect both quantitative and qualitative data. A survey within case study research designs and self-administered questionnaires were used. Interviews, observations and document review were used to validate the results from the survey questionnaire. The target population of the study consisted of all library staff (professional and paraprofessional) with a qualification in Library and Information Science (LIS), working in public universities. A census of the entire university library staff population was reached for study. Reliability and validity of instruments were achieved using triangulation, factor analysis; adapting research instruments from previous related studies which surpassed the minimum threshold of 0.70 for Cronbach alpha values; and a reliability test using Cronbach’s alpha (a coefficient of reliability or consistency) which was used to determine how well a set of items measures a single unidimensional latent construct. Quantitative data were analysed using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 20.0 to generate descriptive and inferential statistics; while qualitative data were analysed thematically.
The study revealed that knowledge generation and acquisition of tacit and explicit type was common in the university libraries. Knowledge generation was due to endless research reports, procedure manual handbooks, circulation statistics, policy documents, curriculum documents, rules and regulations, bibliographies and indexes, workshops and conference proceedings and their reports, emails and memos, and the codification of the same in the case of explicit knowledge. Tacit knowledge generation on the other hand, was through staff socialisation, formal and informal interactions such as during tea breaks, and regular staff meetings. The study also found out that the rationale for knowledge generation and acquisition by staff was for their capacity to improve the delivery of library services and innovations. It was also established that staff were happy to share their knowledge with others outside the organisation through paper presentations at conferences and documents. The results indicated that library staff were intrinsically motivated to share their knowledge, suggesting that they were not motivated by organisational rewards for knowledge sharing.
However, the said knowledge was not codified. The study recommended that university libraries management should put in place a policy aimed at documenting, codifying and storing in databases tacit and explicit knowledge generated and acquired by staff in university libraries. The study concluded that staff did not use mentoring, improved documentation of existing knowledge, storytelling and Communities of Practice for knowledge sharing. The findings of the study also revealed a presence of Information and Communication Technology infrastructure tools like computers connected to the internet, and fixed phones that were mainly used for internal communication. Despite the presence of such Information and Communication Technology infrastructure, institutions depended on face-to-face communication to enhance social ties and collaboration between and among the workers. The study recommended that top library managers put in place a formal mechanism and Information and Communication Technology infrastructure solely for knowledge sharing. The study found out that there was lack of trust among staff, inflexible structures, budget constraints and lack of policy framework for knowledge management. The findings revealed that lack of knowledge management policies resulted in provision of inadequate budgets for organising knowledge sharing forums. This affected rewarding of staff to motivate them to share knowledge between and among themselves. The study recommended that university libraries management should establish decentralised or horizontal organisational structures and empower co-workers to freely share personal knowledge and concerns, which in turn would enhance trust and openness
in organisations thereby promoting active knowledge sharing among employees. The study also recommended an overall Knowledge Management policy that would lead to university management allocating resources for Knowledge management activities. The researcher further recommends a broader study be conducted of all university staff to determine the strategies, practices and challenges of knowledge sharing in universities. The study also recommends a comprehensive study of all private universities as well as public and private organisations, to investigate their knowledge sharing strategies, practices and to compare the findings
Information literacy learning experiences of fourth-year psychology students in Kenyan universities.
No full textDoctor of Philosophy in Information Studies.This study explored the information literacy (IL) learning experiences of Kenyan
undergraduate students by focusing on fourth-year psychology students in four universities.
Although there is a growing advocacy for IL in higher education, there seems to be little effort
to understand how it is experienced by students. Several studies have concentrated on firstyear
students, with a limited number focusing on those who are exiting the university. This
study addresses the following key questions: What are the IL learning experiences of
psychology students in Kenyan universities; what are the goals of the IL programme; what
pedagogical approaches are applied in delivering IL; what is the role of information
communication technology (ICT) in the delivery of IL; what are the perceptions of students
and staff towards IL; and what are the challenges affecting delivery of IL.
This research adopted the seven faces of IL model by Bruce as its theoretical framework; and
applied both qualitative and quantitative methodologies. Empirical data collected from indepth
interviews, questionnaires and document reviews demonstrate the different conceptions
and experiences of IL by students. Results revealed that IL learning experiences of fourthyear
psychology students positively related to activities such as using ICTs, interaction among
students and interactions between students and librarians. There appeared to be no single
experience or set of activities that affected IL learning. The findings place academic librarians
at the forefront in championing IL learning in their respective universities, but note that they
cannot do it alone; there is need for a collaborative approach that includes faculty and senior
administrators.
Challenges that faced IL initiatives included lack of adequate learning resources and facilities,
low number of qualified staff to teach IL, lack of IL training for lecturers and librarians and
large class sizes. Further challenges included limited time allocated for IL learning,
unavailability of students during IL sessions and lack of an IL policy framework at
institutional or national level. The study recommended that all stakeholders in the university
be involved in IL initiatives to produce an information-literate graduate, because successful IL
interventions are a shared responsibility. The study further recommended increased lecturerlibrarian
collaboration and support from academic leadership. Universities must ensure there
is an IL policy that would guide development and implementation of IL
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