Computer Literacy, User Education and Online Searching Skills: Predictors for Undergraduates’ Use of E-Resources in Al-Hikmah University

Abstract

This study examined how computer literacy, user education and online searching skills could assist undergraduate students at Al-Hikmah University to benefit from the e-resources of the libraries. The study adopted the survey design method using the Raosoft online sample size calculator with a 17% precision level and a 95% confidence level. In all, 185 undergraduate students were sampled for the study. A simple random sampling technique was used to arrive at the sample. Data was collected using a questionnaire and the data was subsequently analysed using SPSS version 21.0. The study discovered a significant relationship between computer literacy skills and the use of electronic resources among the undergraduates in the study. It was discovered that there was no significant relationship between undergraduates’ perception of user education and the use of electronic resources. A significant relationship was also discovered between online searching skills and the use of electronic resources among the students, while computer literacy, user education and online searching skills had a joint effect on the use of e-resources among the students. The study revealed that the majority of the respondents (74.1%) rated insufficient ICT (information and communications technology) infrastructure as the main hindrance to undergraduates’ usage of e-resources, followed by a lack of support to use the e-resources (71.8%); slow internet connectivity (69.1%) was rated third; the high cost of access to databases (68.0%) was rated fourth; power outages and restricted access to e-resources received the same rating (64.7%) while low computer literacy skills (56.9%) received the lowest rating. Similarly, it was concluded that computer literacy, user education and online searching skills influence the usage of e-resources among undergraduates at Al-Hikmah University. The study recommended that facilitators of user education should ensure that students are well tutored and equipped with relevant computer literacy and online searching skills. In order to eliminate the factors inhibiting the usage of e-resources among undergraduates at Al-Hikmah University, management of the university and the library should ensure that challenges facing the undergraduates in the use of e-resources are addressed.