INTERNET USAGE PATTERN AMONG ACADEMICS IN FEDERAL UNIVERSITIES IN SOUTH EAST NIGERIA

AUTHOR: Ukwueze Cornelius Aghadiegwu
DEPARTMENT: Mass Communication
FACULTY: Social Sciences
AFFILIATION: Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka

Internet recently is useful to academics in the areas of accessing wide range of information and teaching materials, research and publication and serve as measurement matrix for universities’ webometrics but the usage pattern, seem to vary from institution to institution. This study investigates the Internet usage pattern of the academics in the federal universities in South East Nigeria in terms of exposure, skill, access, impact, availability, search engines in use, frequency and purpose of use. It also identifies the challenges faced by the academics while using the Internet and the possible strategies to curb them as well as the relationships between the usage pattern and their demographics like age, rank and length of service. The study is anchored on the Uses and Gratifications Theory which explains what people do with
any emerging media and the Technological Determinism Theory which states that culture changes with any new technology in the society. The study adopts a triangulated methodology i.e. a mixture of quantitative and qualitative approaches like Survey, In-depth Interviews and Observation. In survey, questionnaire was distributed to a sample size of 400 academics obtained through Taro Yamane formula while In-depth nterview was carried out among 12 lecturers and 8 relevant officers of the universities’ managements. Unobtrusive Observation was conducted across offices, faculties and relevant points in the universities. The findings are that the usage pattern is regular and lecturers use the Internet for teaching, research and publication and that there exist some Internet facilities in the universities but they are not sustainable thereby making the academics to resort to the use of USB Modem. The frequency of use of the Internet was found to be significantly related to the age, rank, length of service and educational qualification of the academics while the use had impacted on them in the areas of web visibility, boost in research and publication and their universities’ webometric ranking. The problems of power supply, insufficient funding and lack of skills etc were identified while the study recommends added interventions, maintenance culture and attitude changes by the academics. The study is significant as it provided comprehensive data on the condition of Internet in the federal universities in South East Nigeria.

For the full text copy of this document, please consult the Digital Library Help Desk

EXPLOITING THE POTENTIALS OF INTERNET IN WOMEN EMPOWERMENT

NAME OF AUTHORS: NWOFOR F.A., NWANKWO H.C. & EZEJIOFOR V.O

DEPARTMENT: Festus Aghagbo Nwako Library
FACULTY: University Library
AFFILIATION: Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka

Empowering women particularly is currently an issue of concern. Exposing women to information and communication technology will improve the lives of women economically, socially, and politically. This paper looks critically at the way by which Information and Communication technology has been employed in enhancing the powerlessness and voicelessness of women in various parts of the developing countries. It also raises questions about some basic considerations to be made in the planning and execution of empowerment approaches for women.

NOTE: For the full text copy of this document, please, consult the
Digital Library Help Desk.

This research work “An appraisal of awareness creation on family planning and media communication in Awgu L.G.A” was conceived based on the fact that family planning as an element of reproductive health is an essential ingredient of any broad based development strategy aimed at improving the quality of life for both individual and community in general. It is not sufficient to communicate family planning to our rural dwellers but also to ensure that such information is well understood and the impact noted for future campaign planning. .The broad goal of the study was to ascertain the effectiveness of the two channels in letting the Awgu people know about reproductive health issue: Family planning. The survey method was used in the research and a sample of 398 respondents was used to evaluate the two channels of communication in the local government. Findings from the study shows that radio is mostly preferred and effective in creating awareness on reproductive health (family planning) compared to the interpersonal mode of communication. The findings underscore the importance of laying more emphasis on the need to make modern mass media accessible to the rural areas. This leads to the conclusion that the task of making rural Nigerians key in into the family planning programmes is very daunting and challenging. The study recommends that media stations like SUNRISE FM and RADIO NIGERIA Enugu and by extension other radio stations in Nigeria to urgently allot more of their airtime to programmes that could provide respite to sexual recklessness among the teenage youths in the rural communities in Nigeria.

Author: OGBOBE, FRANCISCA OGOCHUKWU
Department: Mass Communication
Faculty: Social Sciences
Affiliation: Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka.

This research work “An appraisal of awareness creation on family planning and media communication in Awgu L.G.A” was conceived based on the fact that family planning as an element of reproductive health is an essential ingredient of any broad based development strategy aimed at improving the quality of life for both individual and community in general. It is not sufficient to communicate family planning to our rural dwellers but also to ensure that such information is well understood and the impact noted for future campaign planning. .The broad goal of the study was to ascertain the effectiveness of the two channels in letting the Awgu people know about reproductive health issue: Family planning. The survey method was used in the research and a sample of 398 respondents was used to evaluate the two channels of communication in the local government. Findings from the study shows that radio is mostly preferred and effective in creating awareness on reproductive health (family planning) compared to the interpersonal mode of communication. The findings underscore the importance of laying more emphasis on the need to make modern mass media accessible to the rural areas. This leads to the conclusion that the task of making rural Nigerians key in into the family planning programmes is very daunting and challenging. The study recommends that media stations like SUNRISE FM and RADIO NIGERIA Enugu and by extension other radio stations in Nigeria to urgently allot more of their airtime to programmes that could provide respite to sexual recklessness among the teenage youths in the rural communities in Nigeria.

For full text copy of this document, consult the Digital Library Help Desk

LABOUR TURNOVER AND ORGANIZATIONAL PRODUCTIVITY IN PZ CUSSONS (NIG.) PLC AND GLOBAL COM. (NIG.) LTD

AUTHOR: EZEIGBO CHIGOZIE SAMUEL
DEPARTMENT: BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
FACULTY: MANAGEMENT SCIENCES
AFFILIATION: NNAMDI AZIKIWE UNIVERSITY, AWKA

This study Investigated Labour Turnover and Organizational Productivity in PZ Cussons (Nig.) Plc and Globalcom (Nig.) Limited. The descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. The relevant data for the study were collected through a set of self developed structured questionnaire. The data were analyzed using frequency table, percentage distribution and statistical package for social sciences (SPSS). Findings revealed that the causes of labour turnover in the study include: The characteristics of the job, unrealistic expectations, organizational culture and performance of the job. Based on these findings, it was concluded that for organization to retain its employees, there is need for it to consider every aspect of its productive operations by organizing requisite skill training for its staff. Based on the conclusion, it was recommended that for retention of workers to be made possible, motivational incentives that could foster workers job satisfaction and commitment should be provided. Equitable measure of reward system should be commensurate with workers job performance. Also, organizational support system that could promote workers’ good health and reduction of occupational hazards should be provided for all levels of workers in order to achieve workers retention.

For full text copy of this document please, consult the Digital Library Help Desk

SELF- AND PEER-ASSESSMENT SCORES AS PREDICTORS OF TEACHER- ASSESSMENT SCORES IN ECONOMICS IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN AWKA EDUCATION ZONE OF ANAMBRA STATE

AUTHOR: IFEJIKA PATRICIA IFEYINWA
DEPARTMENT: EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION
AFFILIATION: NNAMDI AZIKIWE UNIVERSITY, AWKA

The main purpose of this study was to find out the extent to which self-and peer–assessment scores predict the teacher-assessment scores in secondary school in Awka Education Zone of Anambra State. The study employed correlational research design. Seven-research questions and seven hypotheses were formulated for the study .The population of the study was 13,002 students and 68 economics teachers in the 61 secondary schools in Awka Education Zone. A sample of 803 students (449 males and 354 females) and 26 economics teachers were obtained for the study through proportionate stratified random sampling technique. The instrument for data collection was a short essay test in Economics. Two experts, one in measurement and evaluation unit of Faculty of Education, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka and another in Department of Economics of Faculty of Social Science, Anambra State University Uli validated the test .The t-, F–test, and test of significance for β, were used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The major findings were that: a positive moderate relationship exists between self-assessment scores and teacher-assessment scores, a higher positive moderate relationship exist between peer assessment scores and teacher-assessment scores, male students’ self assessment scores showed a higher relationship to the teacher-assessment scores, the contribution of peer-assessment scores in predicting teacher assessment was stronger than self-assessment scores. The major conclusions were that self -and peer – assessment scores are valid assessment scores, and that male students’ self-assessment scores related more to the teacher assessment scores. Based on these conclusions, it was recommended among other, that policy makers should incorporate self-and peer-assessment as part of assessment techniques to improve continuous assessment in schools, and there should be intensive training and exposure of students to these assessment techniques.

For the full text copy of this document, consult the Digital Library Help Desk.