Effectiveness Of Information Literacy Program In Promoting Utilization Of Electronic Information Resources By Postgraduate Students In Kenyatta University Post- Modern Library

ABSTRACT

Information literacy in the 21st century is considered as a tool to individual empowerment and community development it forms the basis for lifelong learning it‟s common to all disciplines, to all learning environments and to all levels of education; however underutilization of electronic information resources in Kenyatta university library indicate that the postgraduate students lacks the information literacy skills required despite going through the IL training program offered to them by librarians, therefore the study sought to establish the reason why e- resources are underutilized by assessing the effectiveness of the IL program in enhancing acquisition of information literacy skills to the postgraduate students. The study objectives were to establish the content covered in IL training program; finding out the post graduate students views about the relevancy and adequacy of the program; determine the IL skills acquired by the postgraduate students from IL programs and to find out students views on effectiveness of the program for instance timing, time allocated to the program among others. The target population was 1026 postgraduate from which a10% formed the sample of 126; 81 masters and 45 PhDs students were chosen. Descriptive research design was used to report the situation with regard to IL program effectiveness. Research instruments included questionnaires and an interview schedule; pilot study was carried out in JKUAT library. Data analysis was done using descriptive statistics and the computer – based statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) for analysis purpose. Quantitative data was presented in form of frequency distribution tables, pie charts, percentages, and graphs. Data was discussed and inferences were made that resulted in a report. The Findings indicated that the program was not effective due to the reason that the program covered only orientation and was very short, the number of student was too big for induction during orientation, the orientation schedule is too overloaded to allow time for IL Program, time allocated for e-resource training is not enough and time allocated for IL Program training is not adequate. The study recommends that the program should emphasize and offer more training on user instructions, computer information literacy, online databases and information searching and that the program be offered to students after registration not during registration. The study also recommends that an effective information literacy program be integrated into education curriculum to enable postgraduate students acquire information literacy skills that will enhance their utilization of electronic information resources.