CONSTRAINTS TO ICT ADOPTION IN POLYTECHNICS IN BENUE STATE

1.1 Introduction

Adopting ICT innovations in libraries is the major driving force for the effective use of libraries. It also promotes the quality of service delivery and library users’ satisfaction. ICTs are a combination or an amalgam of both hardware and software to access, retrieve and disseminate information. The use of telecommunications and satellite equipment to provide fast broadband Internet connections for browsing and document downloading is very significant. Given the relevance of ICT in library operations, it is necessary for polytechnic students to catch up with global trends and the adoption of ICT in library operations. Polytechnic education as a career-focused, applied education that spans trades through advanced degrees, delivered in an environment where students receive hands-on training that enables them to apply their skill (Doern, 2008).

As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Research hypothesis and questions, Limitations of the Study and Definition of technical terms.

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1.2 Background of Study

Polytechnics are established with the intention of promoting technology and technical education or producing technical manpower for the technological advancement and promotion of innovation in a country. The need for polytechnic education in the development of a nation cannot be overemphasized. Polytechnic education is expected to promote teamwork, good leadership, effective communication, and practical problem-solving and analytical skills in the learners. The implication of this is that polytechnic education needs to emphasize on the need to blend theory and practice with the intention to solve real-life challenges (Ebele, 2014).

Technological innovation, automation and effective adoption of telecommunication have greatly contributed to library operations all over the world. The importance of technology in polytechnic education is to enhance human reasoning and augment the educational process (Lund et al., 2020; Ahmed, 2019). Acquiring ICT competencies is not just necessary for lecturers but very sacrosanct. It is more so because the era of lecturers surviving and proving to be relevant in their academics without ICT competencies is gone. These competencies are increasingly becoming a prerequisite for every professional practice.

Buabeng-Andoh (2012) defined ICT competencies as being able to handle a wide range of varying computer applications for various purposes. Lecturers’ ability to know ICT tools, effectively manage and operate them is ICT competence. It can therefore be noted that developing competency in ICT use, requires deep foundation of the knowledge of ICT itself and coordination of such knowledge in manners that enable application. Knowledge of ICT can be explained as a fundamental understanding of computer-oriented technologies, as well as their use.

Akpan et al (2011) found out that lecturers with high ICT competence were found to be more efficacious in teaching, research publications and communication than those with moderate and low ICT skills. This implies that ICT skills are very central to the quality of the work of lecturers by enhancing their working methods. With these competencies, lecturers can enrich the intellectual system of their respective universities and remain current in scholarship.

Ayoku and Victoria (2015) highlighted emailing, word processing, formatting, Internet and database searching, database management, web design as some of the ICT skills required by lecturers to possess in order to reap from the manifold potentials of EIRs for their academic output and productivity.

Suffice it to say that from the above consciousness the use of ICT in tertiary institutions library services could provide students, lecturers and researchers in developing countries the opportunity to bridge the knowledge gap between them and their counterparts in developed countries (Adetimirin, 2007). With the installation of ICT facilities in polytechnic libraries, most of the anti-social attitudes, unfriendliness to information resources and malpractices from library staff and students, like delinquency, theft and mutilation of books and journals would be a thing of the past. The Internet provides multiple accesses to many information seekers/users at the same time due to its use of such time sharing techniques as multiprocessing, parallel operation and multiprogramming when compared to the traditional library (Onwubiko, 2010; Nwokocha, 2010). So polytechnic libraries that are unable to brace up with the challenges of the ICT digital age in its operations is really wanting to go extinct.

Therefore, in Benue State where the research was carried out, the activities that was conducted is to know the Constraints to ICT Adoption in Polytechnics.

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1.3 Statement of Problems

Investigation revealed that there are lots of challenges or inhibiting factors to result-oriented application of ICT facilities to the workings and services of polytechnic libraries in Nigeria. These among others include: poor policy planning and implementation, project funding and sustainability; insufficient and unrealistic infrastructural facilities; and epileptic and erratic power supply. Others are inadequate or complete lack of appropriate technical skills, education and training; negative attitude of information professionals towards ICT; lack of technical support from vendors or software agents/gateways; lack of partnership in ICT assisted networking and co-operative projects; and political and economic problems.

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1.4 Aim and Objectives of Study

The aim of the study is to investigate the Constraints to ICT Adoption in Polytechnics in Benue State. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows:

1. To investigate the factors that influences the behavioural intention to use ICT technologies among polytechnic students in Nigeria;
2. To determine whether polytechnic students in Nigeria are aware of ICT technologies;
3. To determine the potential challenges that polytechnic student may face in the use of ICT technologies;
4. To find out the potential benefits of ICT technologies in library operations; and
5. To assess the infrastructural facilities that need to be put in place to promote polytechnic students’ readiness to adopt ICT technologies.

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1.5 Research Questions

The study came up with research questions so as to be able to ascertain the above stated objectives. The specific research questions for the study are stated below as follows:

• Are there factors that influence the behavioural intention to use ICT technologies among polytechnic students in Nigeria?
• Are polytechnic students in Nigeria aware of ICT technologies?
• What are the potential challenges that polytechnic students may face in the use of ICT technologies?
• What are the potential benefits of ICT technologies in library operations?
• What are the infrastructural facilities that need to be put in place to promote polytechnic students’ readiness to adopt ICT technologies?

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1.6 Research Hypothesis

In order to pursue the objective of this study, the following generalized statements have been designed to guide and aids in obtaining the result for the experiment to be conducted. For this work, the null hypothesis will be represented with H0 while the alternative hypothesis will be represented with hypothesis H1.

Hypothesis One

• H0: There are no potential challenges that polytechnic students may face in the use of ICT technologies
• H1: There are potential challenges that polytechnic students may face in the use of ICT technologies

Hypothesis Two

• H0: There are no significant factors that influence the behavioural intention to use ICT technologies among polytechnic students in Nigeria
• H1: There are significant factors that influence the behavioural intention to use ICT technologies among polytechnic students in Nigeria

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1.7 Significance of Study

The study will provide sustainable access to relevant scholarly outputs in addition to the available ones, and government at all levels should show more commitment to the development of ICT competencies of lecturers by making available ICT grants to the universities and lecturers on annual basis. The political and economic will of polytechnic administration will certainly determine the level of Information Commutation Technology (ICT) implementation and application in the libraries.

This study will be of immense benefit to other researchers who intend to know more on this study and can also be used by non-researchers to build more on their research work. This study contributes to knowledge and could serve as a guide for other study.

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1.8 Scope of Study

The scope of the research is focused on the Constraints to ICT Adoption in Polytechnics in Benue State.

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1.9 Limitations of the Study

During the course of this study, many things militated against its completion, some of which are:

1. Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
2. Research material: availability of research material is a major setback to the scope of the study.
3. Frequent power failure: This made the researcher append more money on fuel to ensure sustainable power.
4. Financial Constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).

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1.10 Definition of Terms

ICT: Refers to all forms of technologies such as internet, computers, websites, telephones mobiles, wireless devices, networks, hardware, software and telecommunication equipment.

ICT Facilities: Are a technological device used to processing, analyzing, synthesizing, sharing different kinds of information and information processing activities and tools that are necessary to improve teaching and learning process.

Amount of ICT Materials: Are the quantity or number of ICT materials and that are found in the schools to enhance teaching and learning process.