Digital information resources use as predictor of academic achievement among undergraduates in Jigawa State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study investigated digital information resource use as a predictor of academic achievement among undergraduates in Jigawa State, Nigeria. Data was gathered through a structured questionnaire and a predictive correlation methodology was applied to a sample of 313 undergraduate students. The instrument was subjected to internal consistency and obtained Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.943, while the Analysis of Variance revealed a P-value˂α (f = 17.718, df = 37, p < 0.001) indicating high reliability. The findings offer light on the complex predictive strength of digital resources including ease of access, reliability, familiarity, and interactive features, and found that the libraries have a significant number of digital resources (Mean=3.3, SD=1.1) for academic use. There is a high degree of digital literacy (Mean=4.4, SD=1.1) among undergraduates which influences their access to digital resources for academic purposes. Undergraduate students' digital resources use significantly predict their academic achievements (β=0.839, t=23.141, r2=.703, p <.001, df = 227). Promoting digital literacy initiatives and expanding the availability of digital resources are two useful recommendations offered. The study’s general conclusion is that resource descriptions, ease of accessibility, variety of formats, and interactive platforms for digital sources predict academic performance.