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Emmanuel E. Baro

Bio: Emmanuel E. Baro is an academic researcher from Niger Delta University. The author has contributed to research in topics: Information literacy & The Internet. The author has an hindex of 15, co-authored 23 publications receiving 536 citations. Previous affiliations of Emmanuel E. Baro include Federal University Otuoke & Delta State University, Abraka.

Papers
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is revealed that male students in the faculty are more aware and use the information sources available in the university more than the female student.
Abstract: Purpose – Research is carried out in the Faculty of Social Sciences, Niger Delta University, Wilberforce Island, Amassoma, Bayelsa State, Nigeria. The purpose of this paper is to determine the undergraduate students' level of awareness of information sources available in the university, to know their level of digital literacy and to determine the different search strategies used by them.Design/methodology/approach – The paper adopts a descriptive survey method and covers the 350 undergraduate students of the four departments in the Faculty of Social Sciences: Economics, Sociology, Political Science, and Geography and Environmental Studies, from which a sample of 105 students is drawn. A questionnaire tagged “Information Literacy among Undergraduate Students of Social Sciences Questionnaire (ILUSSSQ)” is designed to collect data for the paper.Findings – The paper reveals that male students in the faculty are more aware and use the information sources available in the university more than the female student...

59 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors discuss the state of information literacy education in library schools in Africa and present a survey of web sites maintained by library schools to identify the course offered and also to analyze the course contents.
Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to discuss the state of information literacy (IL) education in library schools in Africa. Principally, to understand how prepared the library schools are to take the lead by integrating IL courses into their school curricula.Design/methodology/approach – The survey was carried out in two parts: first, the researcher conducted a survey of web sites maintained by library schools in Africa to identify the IL course offered and also to analyze the course contents. That was followed by sending an e‐mail message containing three research questions to library and information science (LIS) faculty members to ascertain the availability of IL courses in their curricula.Findings – Results from the study revealed that, presently, only a few library schools offer the course IL as a stand‐alone course in their curricula. Many library schools have not yet incorporated “IL” as a stand‐alone course in their LIS curricula, rather, it is briefly discussed as a topic in related courses....

49 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It emerged that the librarians were more familiar with social networking sites, instant messaging, media sharing sites, blogs and wikis, and the popularity of these Web 2.0 tools made them the most frequently used by the librarian.
Abstract: Purpose – The study aims to investigate the level of awareness and use of Web 2.0 tools by librarians in university libraries in Nigeria.Design/methodology/approach – A questionnaire was used to collect data from 176 librarians in 49 university libraries in Nigeria.Findings – It emerged that the librarians were more familiar with social networking sites, instant messaging, media sharing sites, blogs and wikis. The popularity of these Web 2.0 tools made them the most frequently used by the librarians. Web 2.0 tools like Flickr, RSS feeds, podcasts, social bookmarking, were among the least used. The study revealed that librarians use Web 2.0 tools mostly for reference services online, library news/events, training resources, and image and video sharing. Lack of facilities such as computers with internet access, lack of skills, and lack of time were indicated as some of the barriers in the use of Web 2.0 tools by librarians in university libraries in Nigeria.Practical implications – These research results ca...

49 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the extent to which librarians in university libraries in Nigeria and South Africa use Web 2.0 tools was compared using a comparative survey using comparative method, and the results revealed that librarian in Nigeria are confronted with challenges such as power failure, lack of skills, and not willing to embrace emerging technologies.
Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to compare the extent to which librarians in university libraries in Nigeria and South Africa use Web 2.0 tools.Design/methodology/approach – The study is a descriptive survey using comparative method. A questionnaire was used to collect data from 110 librarians from 11 leading university libraries in Nigeria and South Africa.Findings – The results showed that the librarians from both countries use Web 2.0 tools, but differences exist between the librarians in university libraries in Nigeria and South Africa. It emerged that librarians in South Africa use various Web 2.0 tools frequently, more than the librarians in university libraries in Nigeria. This might be as a result of lack of awareness, lack of interest, lack of skills, and not willing to embrace emerging technologies on the part of librarians in university libraries in Nigeria. The results revealed that librarians in university libraries in Nigeria are confronted with challenges such as power failure, lack ...

39 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors conducted a study on 100-400 level undergraduate students in history in the humanities in three universities in the South-South geo-political zone of Nigeria and found that there is a significant difference between male and female students in the sources they use in obtaining information and in their search strategies.
Abstract: The purpose of this study is to establish the information needs, sources, and the information searching strategies of undergraduate students. The study adopted a descriptive survey method. The study covers 100-400 level undergraduate students in history in the humanities in three universities in the South-South geo-political zone of Nigeria. A sample size of 259 was used for the study. Random sampling technique was used in selecting the sampled respondents. The study opted the use of questionnaires, interviews and observation methods. It emerged that the undergraduate students use sources such as textbooks, journals, Internet, and rely heavily on human resources for information. The study also revealed that undergraduate students use search strategies such as starting, chaining, browsing, differentiating, monitoring and extracting. There is a significant difference between male and female students in the sources they use in obtaining information in the humanities and in their search strategies. Findings will enable library administrators and university management to see the need to integrate information literacy courses into the school curriculum. Also to enable librarians to intensify their efforts to educate students about the information environment rather than simply providing the knowledge of how to use specific tools.

38 citations


Cited by
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The study explores the use of this emerging mobile app using the official WeChat accounts of the top 39 academic libraries in China and uses six aspects of quality to evaluate the interaction and content delivered by WeChat.

113 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
Noa Aharony1
TL;DR: It seems that both kinds of libraries use Facebook simply as a way to deliver information to users, rather than as a venue for discussion.
Abstract: Purpose – The current study aims to present an exploratory analysis of the use of Facebook in American public and academic libraries, with the purpose of understanding patterns of Facebook use in libraries.Design/methodology/approach – This study presents both a statistical descriptive analysis and a content analysis.Findings – The research findings show that both kinds of libraries use the information section and the wall and that there is a difference in the use of other Facebook sections, which was surprisingly limited in both kinds of libraries. In addition, public libraries use the wall and the photos section as major channels of information more than academic libraries. Concentrating on the content of the Facebook wall posts, it appears that there are some differences between the two sections (categories and sub‐categories). However, it seems that both kinds of libraries use Facebook simply as a way to deliver information to users, rather than as a venue for discussion.Originality/value – Research f...

94 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The development and validation of an instrument to measure youth's new media literacy (NML) and a two-dimensional framework for indicators in prosuming literacies are reported.
Abstract: The rapid development of mobile technology have proliferated new media to most aspects of our daily life. This new way of consuming and creating information is in particular attractive to youths as a platform and space for activities not passible in the face-to-face context. This highlights the importance for educators and policy makers to understand where our youths are in terms of their capabilities to participate in the new media ecology. This capability can be conceptualized as new media literacy (NML) that has been theorized into four quadrants with ten fine-tuned indicators. However, existing instruments have yet to explore the prosuming aspect of NML. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to develop an instrument to measure youth's NML. This paper reports the development and validation of this instrument. This instrument can be used for further studies, contributing to theory building of NML and assessing students' NML for informing practice in schools. Data were collected from 574 Singapore students range from grade 4 to grade 11 (age 10-17). Results suggest that the instrument is reliable and valid. We developed and validated a survey for assessing students' New Media Literacy.We developed a two-dimensional framework for indicators in prosuming literacies.We shared how some of the challenges in developing the instrument were minimized.

85 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors discuss the state of information literacy education in library schools in Africa and present a survey of web sites maintained by library schools to identify the course offered and also to analyze the course contents.
Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to discuss the state of information literacy (IL) education in library schools in Africa. Principally, to understand how prepared the library schools are to take the lead by integrating IL courses into their school curricula.Design/methodology/approach – The survey was carried out in two parts: first, the researcher conducted a survey of web sites maintained by library schools in Africa to identify the IL course offered and also to analyze the course contents. That was followed by sending an e‐mail message containing three research questions to library and information science (LIS) faculty members to ascertain the availability of IL courses in their curricula.Findings – Results from the study revealed that, presently, only a few library schools offer the course IL as a stand‐alone course in their curricula. Many library schools have not yet incorporated “IL” as a stand‐alone course in their LIS curricula, rather, it is briefly discussed as a topic in related courses....

49 citations