Keywords
ICT Literacy skills
Public polytechnic students
Socioeconomic status
How to Cite
Abstract
Web-based Information Resources (WBIR) are valuable tools for students to accomplish academic tasks. Limited subscription to and renewal of academic web-based information resources have been observed in many polytechnic libraries in Southwestern Nigeria. The study, therefore, investigated the relationships between socioeconomic status, ICT literacy skills, accessibility, and the use of web-based information resources for academic tasks among public polytechnic students in Southwestern Nigeria. The study was anchored to Digital Divide and Access Gap Theory, while correlational survey design was adopted. Six public polytechnics were selected through stratified random sampling, and data were collected from 1,387 Higher National Diploma students using a validated questionnaire. However, data were collected from 1,387 students giving a 94.9% response rate. The instrument included subscales measuring socioeconomic status (α = 0.81), ICT literacy skills (α = 0.93), access to web-based information resources (α = 0.79), and use of web-based information resources (α = 0.98). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression at the 0.05 significance level. SeS (r = 0.59), ICTLS (r = 0.31), and accessibility (r = 0.64) each showed significant positive relationships with the students’ use of web-based information resources explained by 54.5% of the variance in web-based information resource use. The findings indicated that the students’ effective use of web-based information resources was strongly associated with their socioeconomic background, digital competencies, and level of access. Polytechnic management should strengthen ICT infrastructure and expand the students’ access to web-based information resources in institutional e-libraries.
References
Abubakar, D., & Adetimirin, A. (2015). Influence of computer literacy on postgraduates' use of e-resources in Nigerian university libraries. Library Philosophy and Practice, Article 1207. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/libphilprac/1207
American Psychological Association. (2009). Socioeconomic status. https://www.apa.org
Antonoplis, S. (2022). Studying socioeconomic status: Conceptual problems and an alternative path forward. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 18(2), 284–297. https://doi.org/10.1177/17456916221093615
Buba, A. A., Song, U. M., & Abdullahi, Z. M. (2021). Information literacy skills and use of e-resources by undergraduate students in Nigeria in relation to Kuhlthau’s model of Information Search Process (ISP). Library Philosophy and Practice, Article 4992. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/libphilprac/4992
Cantoni, S. L., Jereissati, T., & Lins, L. M. (2019). A2I for decent work and economic growth. In M. Garrido & S. Wyber (Eds.), Development and access to information (pp. 9–35). International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions. https://www.ifla.org
Chen, C.-C. (2015). Assessing the activeness of online economic activity of Taiwan’s Internet users: An application of the super efficiency data envelopment analysis model. Social Indicators Research, 122(2), 433–445. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-014-0701-0
Elebe, M. I. (2014). Repositioning polytechnic education for self-reliance and economic development in Nigeria. International Journal of Economic Development Research and Investment, 5(3), 52–59.
Finch, H., & Finch, M. E. H. (2022). The relationship of national, school, and student socioeconomic status with academic achievement: A model for Programme for International Student Assessment reading and mathematics scores. Frontiers in Education, 7, Article 857451. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2022.857451
Garrido, M., & Wyber, S. (Eds.). (2017). Development and access to information. International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions. https://da2i.ifla.org/sites/da2i.ifla.org/files/uploads/docs/da2i-2017-full-report.pdf
Gaur, K. L. (2013). Socioeconomic status measurement scale: Thrust area with changing concept for socioeconomic status. International Journal of Innovative Research & Development, 2(9), 139–145.
Guru-Raj, M. S., Shilpa, S., & Maheshwaran, R. (2015). Revised socioeconomic status scale for urban and rural India: Revision for 2015. The Scientific Journal for Theory and Practice of Socioeconomic Development, 4(7), 167–174.
Hargittai, E. (2010). Digital natives: Variation in internet skills and uses among members of the “Net Generation”. Sociological Inquiry, 80(1), 92–113. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1475-682X.2009.00317.x
Harris, C., Straker, L., & Pollock, C. (2017). A socioeconomic related 'digital divide' exists in how, not if, young people use computers. PLOS ONE, 12(3), Article e0175011. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0175011
Hinostroza, J. E. (2017). ICT education and social development in Latin America and the Caribbean. UNESCO. https://cetic.br/media/docs/publicacoes/1/PolicyPapers-Ministros-TIC-ENG-web.pdf
International ICT Literacy Panel. (2007). Digital transformation: A framework for ICT literacy. Educational Testing Service. https://www.ets.org/Media/Tests/Infomation_and_Communication_Technology_Literacy/ictreport.pdf
Kelsey, A. H., McCulloch, V., Gillingwater, T. H., Findlater, G. S., & Paxton, J. Z. (2020). Anatomical sciences at the University of Edinburgh: Initial experiences of teaching anatomy online. Translational Research in Anatomy, 19, Article 100065. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tria.2020.100065
Kumar, B. P. R., Dudala, S. R., & Rao, A. R. (2013). Kuppuswamy’s socioeconomic status scale: A revision of economic parameter for 2012. International Journal of Research & Development of Health, 1(1), 2–4.
Litt, E. (2013). Measuring users' internet skills: A review of past assessments and a look toward the future. New Media & Society, 15(4), 612–630. https://doi.org/10.1177/1461444813475424
Lyons, A., Kass-Hanna, J., Zucchetti, A., & Cobo, C. (2019). The future of work and education for the Digital Age: Leaving no one behind, measuring the multidimensionality of digital literacy in the age of AI and other transformative technologies. T20 Japan.
Misirli, Z. A., & Akbulut, Y. (2013). Development of a scale to explore technology literacy skills of Turkish 8th graders. Contemporary Educational Technology, 4(4), 249–262.
Nwosu, J. C., John, H. C., Izang, A. A., & Akorede, O. J. (2018). Assessment of information and communication technology (ICT) competence and literacy skills among undergraduates as a determinant factor of academic achievement. Educational Research and Reviews, 13(15), 582–589. https://doi.org/10.5897/ERR2018.3530
Ogunniyi, S. O., & Nwalo, K. I. N. (2015). Utilisation of resources as correlates of undergraduates’ academic achievement in cataloguing and classification in library schools in Southern Nigeria. Journal of Teaching and Education, 4(3), 103–118.
Olatoye, O. I. (2019). ICT literacy skills and demographic factors as determinants of electronic resources use among undergraduate students in the University of Fort Hare and Rhodes University, Eastern Cape, South Africa [Doctoral dissertation, University of Fort Hare].
Olatoye, O. I., Nekhwevha, F., & Muchaonyerwa, N. (2021). ICT literacy skills proficiency and experience on the use of electronic resources amongst undergraduate students in selected Eastern Cape universities, South Africa. Library Management, 42(6/7), 471–479. https://doi.org/10.1108/LM-02-2021-0010
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. (2013). PISA 2012 assessment and analytical framework: Mathematics, reading, science, problem solving and financial literacy. OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1787/9789264190511-en
Oyeboade, J. A. (2017). Socioeconomic status, peer pressure and use of social media by undergraduate students in University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria. Library Philosophy and Practice, Article 1495. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/libphilprac/1495
Patel, U. (2015). Utilisation of web-based information sources and services in engineering college libraries in Charotar region: A study. Journal of Information Technology and Sciences, 1(1), 1–9.
Popoola, S. O. (2008). The use of information sources and services and its effect on the research output of social scientists in Nigerian universities. Library Philosophy and Practice, Article 166. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/libphilprac/166
Rifat, A. H., & Bithi, I. J. (2023). Mental stress, socioeconomic status, and academic performance: A critical analysis among university students of Bangladesh. In Education. IntechOpen. https://doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.109151
Sá, M. J., & Serpa, S. (2020). The COVID-19 pandemic as an opportunity to foster the sustainable development of teaching in higher education. Sustainability, 12(20), Article 8525. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12208525
Siddiq, F. (2016). Assessment of ICT literacy: A comprehensive inquiry of the educational readiness for the digital era [Doctoral dissertation, University of Oslo].
Singh, T., Sharma, S., & Nagesh, S. (2017). Socioeconomic status scales updated for 2017. International Journal of Research in Medical Sciences, 5(7), 3264–3267. https://doi.org/10.18203/2320-6012.ijrms20172989
Soysal, F., Coskun, E., & Alma, B. (2017). Proposal of a framework for the assessment of ICT literacy and examining the structure of high school students’ ICT literacy: A case of Turkey. In Proceedings of the 9th International Conference on Computer Supported Education (CSEDU 2017) (Vol. 1, pp. 276–283). SCITEPRESS. https://doi.org/10.5220/0006325902760283
Udida, L. A., Ukwayi, J. K., & Ogodo, F. A. (2012). Parental socioeconomic background as a determinant of student’s academic performance in selected public secondary schools in Calabar Municipal Local Government Area, Cross River State, Nigeria. Journal of Education and Practice, 3(16), 129–135. https://www.iiste.org/Journals/index.php/JEP/article/view/3705
van Deursen, A. J. A. M., & van Dijk, J. A. G. M. (2014). Digital inequality: Unlocking the information society. Palgrave Macmillan.
van Dijk, J. (2005). The deepening divide: Inequality in the information society. SAGE Publications.
van Dijk, J. (2006). Digital divide research, achievements and shortcomings. Poetics, 34(4–5), 221–235. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.poetic.2006.05.004
World Bank. (2019). Bangladesh tertiary education sector review: Skills and innovation for growth. World Bank Group.
Yemi-Peters, O. E., Abdulrahman, A. B., Oladokun, B. D., & Ufedo, F. (2022). Awareness and access to electronic information resources by students at Kogi State University, Anyigba, Nigeria. Library Philosophy and Practice, Article 7305. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/libphilprac/7305
Yeşilyurt, E., & Vezne, R. (2023). Digital literacy, technological literacy, and internet literacy as predictors of attitude toward applying computer-supported education. Education and Information Technologies, 28, 8013–8043. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-022-11311-1
Yilmaz, R., & Yilmaz, F. G. K. (2020). Examination of the effectiveness of the task and group awareness support system used for computer-supported collaborative learning. Educational Technology Research and Development, 68(3), 1355–1380. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-020-09741-0
Zhao, N., Valcke, M., Desoete, A., & Verhaeghe, J. P. (2012). The quadratic relationship between socioeconomic status and learning performance in China by multilevel analysis: Implications for policies to foster education equity. International Journal of Educational Development, 32(3), 412–422. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijedudev.2011.08.005
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Copyright (c) 2026 WVSU Research Journal