UNIVERSITY LECTURERS’ INFORMATION LITERACY SKILLS IN RELATION TO COMPUTER-MEDIATED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

The Internet and its allied Information and Communication Technology (ICT) tools and resources is changing both the processand product of education with new and creative ways of learning and teachers’ professional development. Skills in informationprocessing are key factors to technology use among individuals and groups in facilitating effective classroom interaction throughcomputer-mediated communications and computer-mediated professional development. This paper examines information literacyskills of university lecturers in relation to ICT tools and resources that are applicable to faculty development such as; e-learning,e-mail communication, interactive multimedia, electronic discussion groups, discussion forum and emerging technologies. Thestudy involved a total of 142 participants randomly selected from five Universities located in two geo-political zones (South Westand North East) in Nigeria. Findings revealed higher information literacy skills among university lecturers in information literacyskills of tool, resource, research and publishing. Findings further imply that participants are technologically-capable in line withUNESCO ICT-Competency Standards for Teachers as participants reported effective use of most of the computer-mediatedprofessional development modes. The study recommends adoption of computer-mediated professional development by academicinstitutions, professional bodies, and associations. It also suggests e-mentoring among academic staff with collaborative efforts intechnology adoption within and among universities and inter-university institutions for professional development. It concludesthat lecturers without key information processing skills may find it difficult if not impossible, to cope with the pace of new andemerging technologies in their teaching career.

Keywords: University Lecturers, Information Processing, Skills, Professional Development, Computer-Mediated ProfessionalDevelopment.