Cognitive Styles, Information Needs and Utilization of Library Information Resources as Predictors of Teaching Effectiveness of Educators in Library and Information Science Schools in Nigeria

Abstract

Contrary to government and parental expectations, many students are still performing poorly in library and information science programme at the university level in Nigeria. This has been linked with low level of teaching effectiveness of educators. This paper, therefore, examines the contribution of cognitive styles, information needs, and utilization of library information resources to teaching effectiveness of educators in library and information science schools in Nigeria. Total enumeration technique coupled with a questionnaire was used to collect data on a population size 265 lecturers in 24 universities in Nigerian, out of which 200 responded given a response rate of 76%.  The study found that cognitive styles, information needs, and utilization of library information resources had significant relationship with teaching effectiveness of the respondents.  In addition, cognitive styles, information needs, and utilization of library information resources significantly predict teaching effectiveness of the respondents.  More so, each of the independent variables: cognitive styles, information needs, and utilization of library information resources have relative contribution and significantly predicts teaching effectiveness of the respondents. The paper concludes that more focus needs to be on the practice of teaching at the university level. Consequently, it is recommended that the university authorities should consider cognitive styles, information needs, and utilization of library information resources for teaching effectiveness of educators.

Keywords: Cognitive Styles, Information Needs, Utilization, Teaching effectiveness, Educators, Nigeria