Correlation Between Postgraduate Students’ Computer Literacy, Information Retrieval Skills, and Use of Electronic Resources in South East Nigeria

Chika Jacinta Chinemerem; Ifeka Ejikeme Okeke

doi:10.61227/jetti.v3i2.215

Authors

Chika Jacinta Chinemerem Nwafor Orizu College of Education Nsugbe
Ifeka Ejikeme Okeke Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.61227/jetti.v3i2.215

Keywords:

computer literacy, information retrieval skills, electronic resources, digital competencies, postgraduate students

Abstract

The rapid expansion of digital technologies in Nigerian university libraries has created increased opportunities for postgraduate students to access electronic information resources. However, effective use of these resources depends largely on students’ digital competencies, particularly their computer literacy and information retrieval skills. Despite significant investments in digital infrastructure across South East Nigeria, concerns persist regarding whether postgraduate students possess the skills required to maximize these resources for academic research. The study adopted a correlational design to examine how postgraduate students’ digital skills relate to their use of electronic information resources in university libraries across South East Nigeria. The study involved all 172 Library and Information Science postgraduate students in five universities, using a census approach. Data were collected through a validated researcher-designed test and questionnaire. Trained research assistants supported data administration. Pearson correlation and regression analyses were used to determine the strength and predictive power of relationships among variables, with hypotheses tested at a 0.05 significance level using SPSS version 24. The findings show a strong positive correlation (r = 0.81) between postgraduate students’ basic computer literacy skills and their use of electronic information resources. Regression results also confirmed a significant relationship, with 65.9% of the variation in electronic resource use explained by computer skills, leading to rejection of the null hypothesis. In contrast, information retrieval skills showed a weak correlation (r = 0.16) with electronic resource use, and regression analysis revealed no significant relationship. Only 2.66% of the variation could be attributed to information retrieval skills, resulting in acceptance of the null hypothesis for this variable. Findings revealed a strong and significant relationship between basic computer literacy and electronic resource use, while information retrieval skills showed a weak and non-significant correlation. The study concludes that although computer literacy plays a major role in resource utilization, more attention is needed in strengthening students’ retrieval competencies. It recommends targeted digital literacy programmes to enhance research productivity and effective use of electronic resources.

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