Provision and Awareness of Digital Library Resources in a Multi-Mode University: Perspectives of Distance Learners and Librarians.
Provision and Awareness of Digital Library Resources in a Multi-Mode University: Perspectives of Distance Learners and Librarians.
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Date
2020
Authors
Owusu-Ansah Mfum, Christopher
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Publisher
All Nations University Journal of Applied Thought (ANUJAT)
Abstract
The purpose of the study was to explore the extent to which digital library provision affects
awareness and use of digital contents, digital reference services, and information literacy among
stakeholders in distance education at a large multi-mode public teacher education university in
Ghana. The study makes use of the concurrent mixed-method design. The population of the study
was 1,834 distance students with a sample size of 641 distance learners reading programmes in
Basic Education in three distance education Centres of the University of Education, Winneba
namely Winneba (247), Kumasi (276) and Asante-Mampong (118). A total of 453 (70.67 percent)
distance learners, selected randomly, completed a 31-item questionnaire. Also, the population
consisted of four librarians from three Campuses in the vicinity of the Centres. A combination of
probability and non-probability sampling methods were used for this study. The study found that
awareness and use of digital library resources in the three distance education Centres were very
low, if not non-existent. The findings revealed that for all the three main classes of digital library
resources and services; digital contents, digital reference services and educative services,
provision was very poor or non-existent for the distance learning community. This negatively
impacted awareness and use of these resources. Among others, the study recommends a regular
collaborative needs assessment of distance learners; establishment of dedicated library services
for distance education; and the development of embedded library services which can appreciably
raise the visibility of digital library resources in distance education.
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OWUSU-ANSAH, C. M. (2020). Provision and Awareness of Digital Library Resources in a Multi-Mode University: Perspectives of Distance Learners and Librarians. All Nations University Journal of Applied Thought, 8(1), 53-76.