ACCESS, ATTITUDE AND COMPUTER LITERACY SKILLS AS PREDICTORS OF USE OF DIGITISED DATABASES AMONG ENGINEERING STUDENTS IN FEDERAL POLYTECHNICS IN SOUTHWESTERN NIGERIA

Abstract

Survey into academic activities of engineering technology students in federal polytechnics in Nigeria vis-à-vis the use of digitised databases reveal minimal utilisation arising from some challenges. Studies abound on the use of digitised databases in relation to access, attitude and computer literacy in tertiary institutions, with few of them focusing on polytechnics in Nigeria. This study investigated the extent to which access, attitude and computer literacy skills predicted the use of digitised databases among engineering technology students in federal polytechnics in Southwestern Nigeria. Uses and gratifications and Information utilisation theories were adopted, while descriptive survey research of correlational type was employed. Total enumeration technique was used to select 770 male and 177 female totalling 947 Higher National Diploma II engineering technology students in four federal polytechnics in Southwestern Nigeria. Access (α = 0.91); Attitude (α = 0.77); Computer literacy skills (α = 0.76); and use of digitised databases (α = 0.93) scales were used to collect data. Data were analysed using simple percentages, mean, standard deviation, Pearson’s product moment correlation and Multiple regression at 0.05 level of significance. Respondents’ ages ranged from 21-26 years, with Electrical Electronics Engineering Technology 25.3%, Computer Engineering Technology 27.8%, Mechanical Engineering Technology 27.6%, and Civil Engineering Technology 19.3%. The mean score of respondents were 38.01 (Access), 46.82 (Attitude), 75.71 (Computer Literacy Skills), and 46.93 (level of Use of digitised databases). Students’ attitude (61.5%), levels of access (72.8%) and computer literacy skills (68.4%) were above average. Use of digitised databases significantly correlated with access (r = 0.32), attitude (r = 0.92), computer literacy skills (r = 0.30). The joint contribution of access, attitude and computer literacy skills on the use of digitised databases was significant (F(3:943) = 2017.87, R = .930) this accounted for 86.5% (R2 0.865) of the variation in the use of digitised databases. Their relative contributions to the use of digitised databases were: attitude (β = 0.910; t = 70.23); computer literacy (β = 0.133; t = 10.83) and access (β = -.04; t = -3.11). Attitude had the highest relative contribution to the use of digitised databases among engineering technology students in Nigerian federal polytechnics. xiii Access, positive attitude and computer literacy skills significantly predicted the use of digitised databases among engineering technology students in federal polytechnics in Southwestern Nigeria. Polytechnics should provide access to related digitised databases, and include computer literacy programme in their curricula. Keywords: Access and attitude to digitised databases, Computer literacy skills of engineering technology students, Federal polytechnics in Southwestern Nigeria Word count: 418