Availability And Accessibility Of Information Resources As Predictor Of Lecturers' Teaching Effectiveness

Background to the Study

Availability of information resources plays a major role in teaching and learning. For effective teaching to take place information resources must be provided and teachers must have access to various types of resources particularly in their areas of specialization. This will not only broaden their knowledge base but also prepare them ahead of the challenges that may face them in the course of imparting knowledge. A variety of activities that are performed by teachers in the course of carrying out their professional duties is hinged on close interaction with the various information resources in their areas of specialization. These include preparation of course materials, communicating in the language of the discipline, facilitation of learning activities with relevant materials, engaging in elaborate conversation with learners, giving exercises that involve critical thinking to learners, and so on. Existing literature affirms that availability and accessibility of information resources are two inseparable factors in determining information resources utilization (John-Okeke, 2006). Availability of information resources is key to use. After all, an information system that is not available to users when needed is almost as useless as none at all (University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine, 2008). Consequently, such resources cannot be accessible. Teachers as the mainstay of educational goal cannot but make use of information resources if they are to impart knowledge adequately and successfully, regardless of the level of teaching. Nowadays, varieties of trends are affecting the education sector globally, and educators are being urged to shift from an emphasis on teaching to that of learning, but with an alignment of teaching, learning and assessment which boils down to the concept of effective teaching. The primary goal of teaching is to ensure that meaningful learning occurs (Ogunyemi, 2000). It is assumed that whenever teaching occurs, learning is likely to take place. As a result, one may be right to conclude that teaching in all ramifications should be made effective in order to produce a well-rounded human being, thereby bringing about teaching effectiveness. Hence, teaching effectiveness can be described as an embodiment of activities (cognitive, affective and psychomotor) that the teacher undertakes in the course of discharging his duties, which in turn yield professional fulfillment on the part of the teacher and knowledge transfer that brings about academic achievements on the part of students (Odunlade, 2012). At the center of these activities lie information resources and its day to day application to teaching and learning.