The Information Environment of Teachers of Science Subjects in Public Secondary Schools in Offa Metropolis, Nigeria

K. N. Igwe, M. B. Aliyu, E. O. Ukah

Abstract


Bearing in mind the strategic position of science in the development of society and arising from the need for an investigation into the information environment of Teachers of Science Subjects (TSS) in Offa, the study was carried out to determine their information needs, seeking behavior, sources, perceptions on the state of their school libraries and challenges of accessing information. It adopted survey research method with questionnaire as the tool for data collection, which was administered on all TSS in the affected schools, collected and analysed with descriptive statistics. It was discovered that the information needs of the TSS are mostly on their subject areas and contemporary methods of teaching, developments and inventions in science and technology, medical and health information, information on educational issues and furthers studies as well as on things happening around the world. The online environment - Internet shapes their information seeking behavior and was main avenue through which they access information. Their perception on the poor state of libraries in their schools is an issue of concern, as it acts as a challenge to their access to information. Recommendations were put forward on ways to remedy the situation.

Keywords


Information environment; Teachers of science subjects; School libraries; Offa; Nigeria

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References


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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3968/j.hess.1927024020130402.2806

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