Descriptive Study of Information Literacy Skills and Utilization of Electronic Information Resources by Undergraduate Computer Science Students in Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study explored information literacy skills and utilization of electronic information resources by undergraduate Computer Science students in Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State, Nigeria. The study adopted descriptive research design, with a population of 398 students comprising 300 and 400 levels students. A sample of 199 students representing 50% of the study population was selected using proportionate stratified sampling technique. A researchers’ structured questionnaire, validated with a reliability coefficient index of 0.81 was used for data collection. The data were analysed using descriptive statistical tools of frequency counts, mean scores and standard deviations. The findings of the study revealed that the undergraduate students’ level of information literacy skills is low, even though they have basic information literacy abilities. It indicated that information literacy skills of the students facilitate the ease of searching, and identifying relevant electronic information sources for quality academic writings using electronic information sources. It also revealed that the perception of the students toward information literacy skills and utilization of electronic information resources is moderately positive. The study concluded that information literacy skills are the major determinants of utilization of electronic information resources by undergraduate students. Thus, it recommended, among other measures, that management of universities should incorporate information literacy course into the curriculum of every programme to enable undergraduate students learn and acquire information literacy skills.