ROLE OF DIGITAL LIBRARY ON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF EDUCATION
Deedenwii, Bariture Neele
(Nd, D.CL)
Tel: +234-7012543482 or +234-9050517580
School of Management Sciences
Department of Office Technology and Management
Kenule Beeson Saro-Wiwa Polytechnic
P.M.B 20
Bori
Abstract
The work examines role of digital library on the effectiveness of education. The aim of the study was to to examine the benefits of digital library on the effectiveness of education and to examine the impacts of digital library of the effectiveness of education. Two research questions guided the study. Descriptive Survey Design was adopted. The entire population of (20) staff of different departments in Bori Library, out of which (17) was derived as sample size. A five point rating scale was used for data collection Pearson Product Correlation was used to establish the reliability of the instrument which yielded and overall coefficient of 0.87. The researcher administered the instrument with the help of two research assistants. Data collected were analyzed using mean and standard deviation to answer the research questions and determined the homogeneity or otherwise of the respondents meaning rating. It was found out that digital library is beneficial to the effectiveness of education and digital library have a great impacts on the effectiveness of education. Based on the findings, it is recommended that Governments in all the tiers of governance including the Federal and State legislative houses respectively should make policies and legislate bills that can improve on the power supplies and the Internet Architecture Infrastructures because this is the platform and bane through which we can meet up with the developed Nations of the world technologically in the 21st century.
Keyworks: Library, Digital Library, Traditional library, E-learning, Education
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study
For decades now, libraries have been the guardians and distribution of “books journals, maps and other materials that are used by students in the learning process. In an era of digital information, electronic technology, digital libraries offer a huge range of multimedia information, everything from movies, speeches, images and photos to sound, text and beyond. The responds of libraries to the current challenges was development of new digital information resources supplemented by new content delivering services.
Presently, libraries display successfully both their traditional and digital faces and efficiently serve different purposes and different audience. One of the purpose in which libraries participate successfully is e-learning. However, before now, libraries have been already introduced to the scene of learning (education) and computer-based learning in the mid 20th century and they are now connected in the unity of libraries and learning. Libraries serve as specific media to implement the learning process. Libraries support learning by offering carefully selected information resources and a variety of ICT supported services to facilitate access to their holdings, which includes, learning materials as well (Hermosa and Amday, 2008).
Digital libraries offer technology based information resources and services to enable learners to access relevant knowledge anywhere anytime. However, digital libraries are inseparable from learning process because they made education possible and easy for student. The role digital libraries in learning cycle are so important in old form of education, people study and write consistently and approximately the total flow of education is unilateral. By apply digital libraries in education, individual could change lifestyle in short time form advent, and it will bring out the basic skills an individual needs in learning and adopting digital libraries.
Learning based on new information technologies, with fundamental changes in the traditional education, concept, could solve lots of flows and short comings of educational system and made essential transformation in education using virtual world in learning achieved new and appropriate methods. Reasons for digital libraries usability in education are better, easier, and faster learning. In this manner is no obligation to face to face and physical attending classes and is expected learning to become possible out of physical place in a way that learners can share and use information limitlessly. This evolution makes changes in role of instructors and librarians (Whitaker, 1995).
More so, the services of digital libraries includes: online bibliographic instructions, computerized library catalogs, digital libraries distance learning services, e-databases, instant messaging, services, inter library loan, and document services, ready references, virtual classrooms, virtual references etc (Li, 2006). In an era of ubiquitous learning in which learners of all age use electronic devices on daily basis to access learning materials on local computer network as well as on the internet, libraries are expected to make an extra effort to adapt and prepare content in their existing digital collections and their online libraries services supported by rapidly changing information and communication technologies.
Research conformed existence of such a trend in which students of today have closely embraced modern technologies to enhance their learning and libraries have become their partners in role of knowledge organizer offering various services that are ICT incorporated. Having this in mind, this paper seeks to examine the role of digital library on the effectiveness of education in Nigeria.
Statement of the Problem
Rapid advances information technologies have revolutionalized the role of libraries as a result; libraries in Nigeria face new challenges, competitor’s demands and expectation. Libraries are redesigning services and information products to add value to their services and satisfy the changing information needs of the user community. Traditional libraries are still handling largely printed materials that are expensive and bulky in Nigeria.
Information seekers are no longer satisfied with only printed materials. They want to supplement the printed information with more dynamic electronic resources, whereby demands for digital informational are increasing in Nigeria. Also in Nigeria, highly relevant for learning, digital libraries haven’t been used in education to their full capabilities, due to their unequal development, legal and technical barriers and the fact that the industrial (Commercial Publishers) still manages access to digital content used in education on commercial basis (making it inaccessible to audience without paying a fee).
A library existence does not depends on the physical form of documents, its mission is to link the past and present and help shape the future by preserving relevant records of human culture, as well as integrating emerging information technologies. This mission is unlikely to change in the near future. Having this in mind, this paper will discuss the roles and perspective of digital libraries on the effectiveness of education.
Aims of the Study
The main aim of this paper is to investigate the role of digital libraries on the effectiveness of educations. Specifically, other aims are;
1. To examine the benefits of digital library on the effectiveness of education.
2. To examine the impacts of digital library of the effectiveness of education.
Research Questions
The following questions will guide the study they are;
1. Is there benefit of digital library to the effectiveness of education?
2. Is there impact of digital library on the effectiveness of education?
2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW
Definition of Digital Library
A digital library is a library in which collections are stored in digital formats (as opposed to print, microform, or other media) and accessible by computers. The content may be stored locally, or accessed remotely. The first published use of the term may have been in a 1988 report to the Corporation for National Research Initiatives.
The term was first popularized by the NSF/DARPA/NASA Digital Libraries Initiative in 1994. Bush (1945) created a vision based on experience (Digital library). The Digital Library Federation defines digital libraries as “Organizations that provide the resources, including the specialized staff, to select, structure, offer intellectual access to, interpret, distribute, preserve the integrity of, and ensure the persistence over time of collections of digital works so that they are readily available for use by a defined community or set of communities” (Shiri 2003).
Digital libraries are electronic libraries in which large numbers of geographically distributed users can access the contents of large and diverse repositories of electronic objects networked text, images, maps, sounds, videos, catalogues of merchandise, scientific, business and government data sets they also include hypertext, hypermedia and multimedia compositions (Yerkey and Jorgensin, 2006).
A digital library is understood to have the information stored predominantly in an electronic or digital medium. The digital information collection may include digital books, digital scanned images, graphics, textual and numeric data, digitized films, audio-video clips, etc. A digital library is expected to provide access to the digital information collections.
A digital library may be considered to be any of these (William, 1995):
v Machine-readable data files
v Components of the emerging National Information Infrastructure.
v Various online databases and CD-ROM information products.
v Computer information storage devices on which information resides.
v Computerized networked library systems
As practitioners today, we find this definition to be the most useful one: A digital library maintains all, or a substantial part, of its collection in computer-processible form as an alternative, supplement, or complement to the conventional printed and microfilm materials that currently dominate library collections (Williams, 2005).
The component characteristics of digital libraries are the storage of information in digital form, direct usage of communication networks for accessing, obtaining information, and copying by either downloading or online/offline printing from a master file. Digital librarians enable managing very large amounts of data, preserve unique collections, provide faster access to information, facilitate dealing with data from more than one location, and enhance distributed learning environments. They also help to perform searches that are manually not feasible and offer to protect the content of the owner's information (Husler, 1996).
Purpose of Digital Library
1. To expedite the systematic development of procedures to collect, store, and organize, information in digital form.
2. To promote efficient delivery of information economically to all users.
3. To encourage co-operative efforts in research resource, computing, and communication networks.
4. To strengthen communication and collaboration between and among educational institutions.
5. To take leadership role in the generation and dissemination of knowledge.
6. It gives room for Institutional collaborations and exchange programmes.
Function of Digital Library
v Access to large amounts of information to users wherever they are and whenever they need it.
v Access to primary information sources.
v Support multimedia content along with text
v Network accessibility on Intranet and Internet
v User-friendly interface
v Hypertext links for navigation
Different Libraries Generation
Form structural view point, libraries developed in five steps:
1. Traditional Libraries: In this kind of libraries most resources are printed materials. Most of library services like as cataloguing, classification, and reference servicing to client are manually and down by librarians.
2. Automated Libraries: Resources did not change or differ from first generation but library services were down by automated and Computational machines.
3. Electronic Libraries: In this generation electronic resources are added in addition to printed materials. But voluminous part of library services was down electronically.
4. Digital Libraries: Distinctive feature of this generation is that several resources and services are provided quickly for users.
5. Virtual libraries: This modern generation can be illustrated with term of "libraries without walls". This means that all resources, services, and access to library are provided through web
Libraries and Education
Generally libraries, both traditional and digital one have three roles in education: place for sharing reach information, maintaining ideas, and give awareness to bring together individual with learning aims. Primary purpose of each library is supporting, facilitating, and expanding formal education in mother organization. Next step is to supporting informal education. Resources in libraries are collected to support learning. Digital libraries provide immediate access to a wide range of sources not exist physically, in a comparison with traditional libraries that are limited to place and time.
Digital libraries without physical obstacles can provide resources via an internet connection each moment from each place. Because of these advantages, in digital libraries learning is independent process. Digital libraries provide appropriate opportunities for learners, because of including up to-date information. Collecting multimedia resources made it possible to remote learning. Digital libraries by storing and feasible retrieve of educational resources from computer networks provided worth aid to electronic and networked learning. Without existence of organized and retained electronic resources by digital libraries, accessibility to up-to-date eLearning resources is impossible.
Difference between Digital and Traditional Libraries
The most major differences between digital and traditional form of libraries are:
1. Being local versus being global: Being out of place limits is one of general feature of internet. With the advent of networked communication and possibility of resource retrieve through network, active domains of libraries changed to be globalized both in collection and services.
2. Just-in-case vs. Just-in-time: Usually collection development is continuous process to achieve library's prophecy aim. If library could not provide needed resources, it will not be able to meet users' requisition instantly. In the other words, trend to develop collection in non-electronic libraries tends to be "when needed ".
3. Ownership versus accessibility: Traditional libraries maintain physical materials, but today's large amount of information is electronically and transformed to digital Objects that can be stored in networked computers. Maybe it seems that to meet urgent needs of users, accessibility is more important than ownership, but it is not true. Ownership and accessibility are complementary of each other. If a library just notice to accessibility and forgets ownership, it will remain only as a network. In this manner resources will be exclusive to publishers and the library will change to be "lifeless and ghostly" system with some old and out of date resources.
4. Separation versus Coordination: Digital libraries' users do not need to have physical attending in library to earn information. Most of the time, library provides valid information access more than merely circulation of materials. In addition to collecting data, the library by organizing resources in networks, directly or indirectly make collection accessible for users.
5. Acceleration of Information circulations: In networks, everyone how is author is publisher too. Information circulates in the moment of time. Creating and sharing information become more faster than preceding. This high speed of information circulation has challenges for libraries. Because of that they must have new strategically planning view to collection via internet.
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
Social Information Processing Theory
The theory was developed in 1992 by Joseph Waither (Asemah 2011). Social information processing theory is an interpersonal communication theory which suggests that online interpersonal relationship development might require more time to develop than face-to-face relationships, but when developed, it has the same influence as face-to-face communication. This means, the more students use social media, the more they influence their disposition to studies, given the fact that friends from social media will begin to exert influence on each other. Thus, Griffin (2000), cited in Asemah and Edegoh (2012) notes that media are equal to real life. He further noted that what Reeves and Nass’s equation suggests is that we respond to communication media as if they were alive. This theory says that people now treat computers, television and the new media like real people and places. Going by the media equation theory, we tend to give human attributes to inanimate objects in our homes.
The relevance of the theory to the paper cannot be overemphasized. People treat the computer like human beings, so whatever people see in the computer, they tend to believe because they respond to the new information, the way they will respond to human beings.
EMPIRICAL FRAMEWORK
Fahime and Solmaz (2012), investigated Digital libraries and its role on supporting E-Learning. In twenty first century change is considered key element and makes lots of challenges for individuals' life which most imposed in result of technology influence. Education is one of areas that have been affected form technology. In recent years, by development of information and communication technologies, new forms of education appeared named web or online learning. Purpose of Study: The aim of this paper is to review digital libraries' role in supporting e-learning. Methods: at first a definition of digital library is provided and then differences are discussed between it and traditional one and at the end eLearning definition and position of digital libraries are explored in providing new form of education. Findings and Results: with attention to online education based on web there is lots of advantage in comparison with traditional libraries, like as place and time limitless, possibility of information representation in multimedia form, and creating equivalent educational opportunities for every nation. It caused to notice to this kind of education accurately. Digital libraries unlike traditional one can make services and library resources available via internet, to support eLearning.
3.0 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research Design
A survey research was employed since the study was to find out the problems associated with the role of digital library on the effectiveness of education in Nigeria. For the collection of primary data, the questionnaire and interview method of survey were the tools used due to the nature of the topic. These instruments were considered adequate and convenient under investigation.
Sources of Data
The researcher used two sources of data for this research. These are the primary and the secondary sources of data. The basic primary sources of data collection method were oral interview and questionnaire. This was collected from information published in journals, magazines, reports presented at various seminars and meetings, past write-ups, textbooks, libraries and research projects.
Population
The population of the study is twenty (20) workers drawn from different departments studied. These departments are: library assistance, computer support specialists and public relations specialists.
Sample and Sampling Techniques
The sample size of the study is 17 drawn from the population. The random sampling was used to enable all the items in the population to have equal chance of being selected and included in the sample. The sampling technique used was the simple random sampling method. This provides equal variance for every item in the population to be selected and included in the sample.
Instrument for Data Collection
The instruments used for data collection are questionnaires and oral interview. This research instrument is a compilation of structured questions which were given to respondents for their completion or responses. The questions were close-ended multiple- choice questions giving respondents a choice from a range of answers based on the 5-point Likert-style rating scale. They had choices either to agree or disagree with the statements made within the range. This was to ensure that the choice of answers directly addressed issues at stake and make collation and analysis of the data simple.
Method of Data Analysis
In this research study, the researcher will use Likert’s five point rating scale to determine the mean score.
SA /A /U /D/SD x 100
Total respondent 1
Where SA /A /U /D/SD = Number of respondents to each question.
Total respondents = total number of questionnaires.
Method of Data Collection
In determining the method for the collection of data, the questionnaires were administered and retrieved in person by the researcher in order to get information from respondents who responded to the questionnaires. The table below shows the distribution and retrieval of the questionnaires.
Table 1: Distribution and Retrieved of Questionnaire
S/no
|
Name of Organizations
|
No. of Questionnaire Distributed
|
No. of Questionnaire Retrieved
|
No. of questionnaire not retrieved
|
Bori Library
| ||||
1
|
Library Assistance
|
3
|
3
|
0
|
2
|
Computer Support Specialist
|
7
|
6
|
1
|
3
|
Public Relations Specialist
|
10
|
8
|
2
|
Total
|
20
|
17
|
3
|
Source: Survey Data, 2020.
4.0 DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
A total of 20 questionnaires were administered to the respondents the selected staff. The total number of questionnaire retrieved is 17.
Research Question One
Are there benefits of digital library to the effectiveness of education?
The respondents mean rating on the benefits of digital library to the effectiveness of education in Nigeria
s/no
|
Benefits of digital library to the effectiveness of education
|
SA
(5)
|
A
(4)
|
U
(3)
|
D
(2)
|
SD
(1)
|
Mean
|
SD
|
Remark
|
1.
|
Give access to multiple contents with a potentially infinite number of resources
|
7
|
5
|
3
|
2
|
-
|
4.00
|
1.03
|
Accepted
|
2.
|
Help the scientific society
|
5
|
6
|
4
|
2
|
-
|
3.82
|
0.98
|
Accepted
|
3.
|
Instant access to educational content
|
8
|
5
|
2
|
2
|
-
|
4.12
|
1.02
|
Accepted
|
4.
|
Fighting against deterioration
|
9
|
4
|
2
|
1
|
1
|
4.12
|
1.18
|
Accepted
|
Source: Survey Data, 2020
Research Question Two
Are there impacts of digital library to the effectiveness of education?
The respondents mean rating on the impacts of digital library to the effectiveness of education in Nigeria
s/no
|
Impacts of digital library to the effectiveness of education
|
SA
(5)
|
A
(4)
|
U
(3)
|
D
(2)
|
SD
(1)
|
Mean
|
SD
|
Remark
|
5.
|
Provide excellent opportunities for a broad range of patrons to find appropriate research materials all in one place.
|
9
|
4
|
3
|
1
|
-
|
4.24
|
0.94
|
Accepted
|
6.
|
The access to information is not dependent on the patron being in one location.
|
8
|
6
|
2
|
1
|
-
|
4.24
|
0.88
|
Accepted
|
7.
|
Digital libraries can be customized so user can have access to what they want and need to use
|
6
|
5
|
4
|
2
|
-
|
3.88
|
1.02
|
Accepted
|
8.
|
The digital library is ideal in support of receiving information in using distance learning education.
|
8
|
5
|
2
|
2
|
-
|
4.12
|
1.02
|
Accepted
|
Source: Survey Data, 2020
DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS
Benefits of Digital Library to the Effectiveness of Education
1. Table 1 show that, 7 of the total respondents strongly agreed, 5 agreed, 3 undecided and 2 disagreed. Making the mean rating of the item 4.00 and the standard deviation 1.03 and it was rated “Accepted”.
2. The second item on the table shows that, 5 strongly agreed, 6 agreed, 4 undecided, and 2 disagreed and the mean of the item is 3.82, and standard deviation of 0.98. It was also rated “accepted”.
3. The third item in the table, shows that 8 of the respondents strongly agreed, 5 agreed, 2 undecided and 2 disagreed, and the mean of the item is 4.12 and standard deviation 1.02. It was remarked accepted by the researcher.
4. The last two items on the table shows that 9 of the respondents strongly agreed, 4 agreed, 2 undecided, 1 disagreed and 1 strongly disagreed, the mean and standard deviation of the item are 4.12 and 1.18 It was also rated “accepted”. It can be deduced that digital library is beneficial to the effectiveness of education.
Impacts of digital library to the effectiveness of education in Nigeria
1. Table 2 shows that, 9 of the total respondents strongly agreed, 4 agreed, 3 undecided and 1 disagreed. Making the mean rating of the item 4.24 and the standard deviation 0.94 and it was rated “Accepted”.
2. The second item on the table shows that, 8 strongly agreed, 6 agreed, 2 undecided, and 1 disagreed and the mean of the item is 4.24, and standard deviation of 0.88. It was also rated “accepted”.
3. The third item in the table, shows that 6 of the respondents strongly agreed, 5 agreed, 4 undecided and 2 disagreed, and the mean of the item is 3.88 and standard deviation 1.02. It was remarked accepted by the researcher.
4. The last two items on the table shows that 8 of the respondents strongly agreed, 5 agreed, 2 undecided, and 2 disagreed, the mean and standard deviation of the item are 4.12 and 1.02 It was also rated “accepted”. It can be deduced that digital library have a great impacts on the effectiveness of education.
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Conclusion
The aim of the study is to examine the role of digital library on the effectiveness of education. Clearly, digital libraries have important roles to play in teaching and learning. Existing physical schools and libraries will continue to exist, since they serve cultural and social as well as informational roles. There will always be a need for physical objects and social settings in learning; the vicarious is not enough. Parents will continue to demand child care, assurances of organized and shared culture beyond television, and human direction and guidance in learning at all levels. These demands will also be augmented by digital environments.
Digital libraries will allow parents, teachers, and students to share common information resources and to communicate easily as needed. In special cases, work, school, and play may become one novice and professional learners collaborating with common information resources to solve real problems. In many respects, digital libraries will become digital schools. This represents a return to Alexandria, in which learners of all types will come together to share and explore information and expertise.
Recommendations
Based on the findings and conclusion, it is recommended amongst others that
1. Governments in all the tiers of governance including the Federal and State legislative houses respectively should make policies and legislate bills that can improve on the power supplies and the Internet Architecture Infrastructures because this is the platform and bane through which we can meet up with the developed Nations of the world technologically in the 21st century.
2. Because of interdisciplinary nature of digital library's concept, expert must collaborate and assist including: librarians and information science experts, computer and information technology scientists, instructors, and etc. digital libraries must improve learning and education and increase relation between learners and instructors to make sense of scientific collaboration and knowledge sharing.
REFERENCES
Asemah, S. (2011). Face book and academic performance. Computers in Human Behaviour, (26), 1237–1245. McGraw Hill, pp 96-97,118-119
Asemah, S., Edegoh, R. (2012). Influence of social media on the academic performance of the undergraduate students of Kogi State University, Anyigba, Nigeria, Research on Humanities and Social Sciences, 3(12), pp. 90-96.
Bush, L. (1945) Libraries for the new millennium: Implication for managers. London: Library Association Publishing.
DESIDOC Bulletin of Information Technology 17(6) (November 1997) (Special Issue on Digital Libraries).
Fahime Abbasi and Solmaz Zardary (2012), Digital libraries and its role on supporting E-Learning. AWER-Procedia Information Technology & Computer Science (1) 809-813
Griffin A. (2000), Factors affecting academic performance of undergraduate students. Uganda Christian University.
Hermosa, N.N. and Anday, G. (2008) “Distance learning and digital libraries: the UP open university experience”, Journal of Philippine librarianship, vol. 28, pp. 90-105,.
Husler, R (1996) An Assessment of the Implementation of Digital Library Technologies in Institutions of Higher Learning: A Case Study of Kenyatta University", International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, vol. 4, 532-541, 2014.
Li, C. (2006) Developing Library Resources to the Virtual Learning Environment, Electronic Library and Information Systems, 39(2005): 3949.
Shiri, A. (2003) Digital Library Research: Current Developments and Trends. Library Review, 52(5): 198- 202.
Whitaker, P. (1995) Managing to Learn: Aspects of Reflective and Experiential Learning in Schools. London, Cassell.
William, D.I (1995) Social Roles of Digital Libraries, Exploring Digital Libraries: Foundations, Practice, Prospects. London: Facet Publishing, 2014.
Williams, D.I (2005) Libraries for the new millennium: Implication for managers. London: Library Association Publishing.
Yerkey, L. and Jorgensin, D (2006) “Evolving Roles of Library & Information Centres” in World library and information congress: 76th IFLA general conference and assembly, 2010, Retrieved October 22, 2016. from http://www.ifla.org/past-wlic/2010/107-dhiman-en.pdf
No comments:
Post a Comment