Impact of Internet Use on Agricultural Research Outputs in Nigerian Universities of Agriculture
| Pages | 12-15 |
| Date | 01 July 2004 |
| Published date | 01 July 2004 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/07419050410554843 |
| Author | A.A. Oduwole |
| Subject Matter | Library & information science |
Impact of Internet Use on Agricultural Research
Outputs in Nigerian Universities of Agriculture
A.A. Oduwole
12 LIBRARY HITECH NEWS Number 6 2004, pp. 12-15, #Emerald Group Publishing Limited, 0741-9058, DOI 10.1108/07419050410554843
Introduction
The Internet provides several
opportunities for the academic. It is a
mechanism for information dissemination
and a medium for collaborative
interaction between individuals and
their computers without regard for
geographic limitation of space (Jansen,
2000). Content created on the Internet
ranges from simple e-mail messages to
sophisticated ``documents'' (sites)
incorporating sounds, images and
words. The Internet is a ``live'',
constantly ``moving'', theoretically
borderless, potentially infinite space for
the production and circulation of
information.
In developed countries, the nature of
the use of library collections is
beginning to change in the wake of
increasing investments in and
availability of online information
sources. This may be so because people
are finding that their information needs
can be met elsewhere and more
conveniently than with a trip to their
local library (Raseroka, 1999)
On the potential of the Internet,
Cabezas (1995) opined that the Internet
phenomenon allows what is being
published or produced in a certain field,
at least, the level of books or catalogues
or periodical publications.
Indeed, with the increased popularity
of online services, more individuals are
daily seeking information. While on
this process, seekers always have one or
more goals in mind. They either want to
familiarize themselves with the
information space or locate an
interesting piece of information, i.e. to,
say, a place of interest. Or they want
specific information which they move
straight to and retrieve. By
accomplishing this, a user should first
of all be computer literate. There must
be a foreknowledge of where to retrieve
the information in the system and
ability to navigate (Chen and Dhar,
1990). A novice to the world of
computers will encounter difficulties,
most especially the vocabulary of the
subject domain (Chen, 1994; Furnas,
1982). According to Vasenin (1996),
``information technologies of Internet,
using audio, video and hypertext,
provide for scientists, lecturers and
students access to non-traditional
source of information at any point of the
globe as well as to the means of data
presentation and manipulation.''
The introduction and application of
the Internet in all spheres of life has
made the educational environment
flexible for teaching and learning.
Hafaied (1996):
Reasonable integration of the new
information and communication technol-
ogies into the process of production and
administration has given rise to new
forms of work, organisation, manage-
ment and planning, which can help
master the processes transfer and facil-
itates the process of adaptation to the
ongoing evolution of the economic,
social and cultural environment.
Hafaied, in the same paper, has
noted that:
... new ICT rise to new modes of
organising the educational environment
at school and new concepts of the
teaching process, and recasting of the
roles played by the participants of the
educational process.
The Internet has emerged as a new
communication channel at the same
time a complementary communication
channel. It is gaining ground and
arousing the interest of many in the
academic environment. The Internet
has spread its tentacles in many
universities throughout the world
(Lazinger et al., 1997) in different
aspect of academics (Abels et al., 1996;
Kaniner, 1997; Liebscher et al., 1997).
Studies have sho wn, according t o
Case (1983), that scholars are willing to
invest in purchasinga personal computer
because they believe that the use of
personal computes would increase their
research productivity or output. Bonzi
(1992) found access to databases and
computer support to be facilitators to
faculty researchproductivity.
In Nigeria, Adomi et al. (2003)
reported the diffusion of Internet cafeÂs
into Edo state. Their finding revealed
that cafes are widely used by students,
businessmen and researchers for the
purpose of study, research, publication
of findings and obtaining general
information.
A learning process is the result of
both structural conditions derived from
the learning infrastructure and personal
characteristics of the actors involved
and the interactions (Plom et al., 1996).
Vitalicy (2003), reporting on the role
played by information technology in
educational institutions, opined that
networking has made it possible for
computers to be connected locally in an
institution or department to form what
is referred to as an internal network.
Statement of the problem
In view of the lack of funds for
libraries, it has not been possible to
stock modern books and journals,
which are now expensive in view of the
economic recession and currency
devaluation compounded by the
information explosion that we have
witnessed. Brabazon (2001) reported
that publication in scholarly journals
allows academics to communicate, in a
disciplined and rigorous manner, with
their national and international
colleagues. Scholarly articles usually
To continue reading
Request your trial