CHAPTER 2: OPERATIONALISATION OF THE KEY CONCEPTS AND
4.7 CHALLENGES OF ACCESS TO ONLINE INFORMATION RESOURCES
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learning, increase the preparation of students for most careers and abilities, and improve confidence and attitude of students (Cakir, 2012). The best predictors for achievement gain in the use of ICT and the internet had positive attitudes towards the use of the internet by both academics and students, consistent access to the technologies, and training in the use of technology, among others (Al-Hariri & Al- Hattami, 2016).
Emanating from that view, ICT and the internet are important for modern educational development for any country in the world. Thus, developing countries including South Africa should recognise and enhance the fundamental roles of ICT, and ensure the better use of the internet in the institutions of higher learning. This recognition could bring about development of specific ICT related policies so that the country’s education system could take advantage of the importance of ICT and the internet for educational purposes.
The subsequent section discusses the challenges related to access to online information resources.
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According to Annuobi (2009) the difficulties in using online information resources arise mostly from information overload, information insecurity, sociotechnical issues and possible lack of control over access to some of the irrelevant information. The study further indicate that information overload ascends from dysfunctional distribution of information that is caused by firstly the volume of information offered that surpasses the aptitude of students to scrutinize, sieve, and to assimilate relevant information, and secondly, by providing incorrect information resulting in inappropriate decisions. Ugwu and Orsu (2017) highlight that the increase production of sources for articles and the amount of information accessible may be confusing to some students, since retrieving too much information is a problem, as students may get lost and not knowing when to quit searching. In a similar observation, Gbaje (2007) state that the almost limitless availability of information due to developments on the digital space, is creating information anxiety and new behavioural patterns. Case and Given (2016), mention that lack of information technology knowledge hinders effective use of internet for academic purposes by students.
In a study, Ray (2018) states that students at one institution of higher learning criticized the low access to online information resources which eventually hindered their academic career. Even though not many of the students agreed to deterrents as they did to enhancements, the top three hindrances mentioned comprise; online access is time consuming if they lack skills to navigate through the internet. Further difficulties of online information resources and services which directly affect most African states as defined by Chandel and Saikia (2012) comprise poor and insufficient telecommunication facilities, poor level of computer literacy among many university students, poor level of awareness of internet facilities, poor computer facilities, and lack of implementation of policies in enhancing the use of ICT and the internet in particular for academic purposes. Okonoko, Njideka and Mazah (2015) are of the view that the funding of higher education in some of the African countries has been relatively poor. The consequence is that academic libraries are unable to acquire and install ICT facilities.
Johnson and Simonsen (2015), describe the following challenges as hindering students’ access to online information resources: financial constrictions, lack of proper training on how to browse the internet, little and/or lack of knowledge of web sites and
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search engines in searching for information on the internet, slow speed of the students in typing, lack of concern from some of the students, and lack of knowledge on how to use computers efficiently. Pain (2016) records a study on the difficulties that students had with regard to accessing online information resources validates the above argument by established that 33% of participants specified inadequate use of computers, 28% highlighted lack of knowledge on how to evaluate information obtained through online resources. In trying to alleviate the challenges students are facing with the use of online resources. Ford (2015) is of the view that libraries must play a vigorous role in providing subject access to information on the internet, and creating convenient resources for students.
Several researchers state how such factors like effective leadership, current trends in Library and Information Services field and self-development could assist in improving students’ use of online resources (Pareek & Rana, 2013; Pontis, et al., 2017; Makinde, Jiyane & Mugwisi, 2019). According to Mole (2017), proper governance, elimination of corruption, and sufficient funding of institutions of higher learning will go a long way in improving students’ use of online information services. Brown and Malenfant (2017) suggested that ministries of education, science and technology; libraries of institutions of higher learning, and special research institutions should embark on networking, web site designs and computerization of their libraries.
In the framework of this subject, the above challenges are characterised into direct and indirect factors. Direct factors are defined as the problems that students come across while using online resources. Such aspects comprise insufficient online resources, lack of skills to use online resources and constrained access to some of the online resources. The indirect factors are regarded as factors which deals with human interactive dimensions which play part to students’ technical hitches with the use of online information resources. For example, if a student finds it difficult to access online resources because of some direct factors, there may be other secondary factors such as lack of instructional and emotional support from academics, and students’
features that contribute also to this problem. The students’ characteristics comprise of age, gender, specialty, computer literacy, ownership of laptops or computer systems, and access to internet at home (Shaquor & Daher, 2010). Previous researchers have
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revealed positive relationships between these factors (direct and indirect) and students’ use of online information resources.
The next section describes the challenges and opportunities of using social media in