Information acquisition and dissemination to distance Learning Students in the national open university Ibadan study centre, Ibadan, Nigeria

Abstract

The study investigated how information was acquired and disseminated and the challenges that distance learning students may encounter during their academic programmes. A survey method was used and the study population was made up of distance learning students and staff of the National Open University of Nigeria. Random sampling technique was adopted to select 229 as sample size. Questionnaire and interview were the instruments employed to collect data collected which was analyzed using simple descriptive statistics. Findings revealed that friends and colleagues, lecturers, textbooks and the Internet and electronic databases were the major sources of information available and accessible to the students (68.7-87.9%). Information was acquired mostly from friends and colleagues (93.8%), textbooks (85.2%), staff of the centre (82.7%), internet and electronic databases (77.1%) and library (72.0%). The major information sources used for disseminating information were friends and colleagues (89.2%) and staff of the centre (85.1%). The major challenges to their information acquisition and dissemination were lack of relevant information in the library (62.7%) and inadequate sources of information (62.6%). The interview revealed that the students' unwillingness to check the notice board for information was due to inadequate time. The distance learning students acquired information from different sources and information was disseminated to them through different sources. The problem encountered could be ameliorated through the awareness and provision of current and relevant materials in the library.