A survey of the information literacy skills of students in Federal Polytechnic Offa, Kwara State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study investigated the information literacy skills of students of Federal Polytechnic Offa. It is a fact that information literacy education has not been accorded its rightful position in the curriculum of higher education institutions in some African countries. This is applicable to the p olytechnic due to the fact that: (a) observation in students pro jects for the award of certificates shows that they lack information literacy skills, and (b) information literacy education is not a compulsory course in the institution. It adopted a survey approach, with questionnaire drafted with modified four -point li kert scale for data collection, which were administered. 348 copies were properly filled , returned and found usable for the research. Frequency and percentages were used for data analysis. It was discovered that generally students of the polytechnic have p oor information literacy skills, and a number of factors were identified as impediments to the acquisition of information literacy skills by the students. The paper concluded with recommendations on the way forward, such as the establishing of a centre f or information literacy education, making information literacy education a compulsory two-unit course for all fresh student s, and for faculty and librarians teaching the course to bepragmatic in its delivery with adherence to standards and contemporary trends.Key Words: Information Literacy Skills, Students, Federal Polytechnic Offa.

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