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Browsing Main Library by Author "Chewe, Pailet"

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    Effectiveness of Library Practicum in linking theory and practice: case of the of University of Zambia and Mulungushi University Libraries
    (International Journal of Multidisciplinary and Current Educational Research (IJMCER), 2020) Musonda,Yolam; Zulu, Zachary; Chewe, Pailet
    Library practical training is a supervised, hands‐ on practice in various library duties and functions. This paper explores the effectiveness of library practical training in linking theory and practice. The study used a survey method in which a questionnaire was the main data collection tool. Third year students from the Department of Library and Information Science on practical training during the 2018/19 academic year participated in the study. A sample size of 110 respondents was purposively selected. Data was analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences. The results revealed that practical training was a very effective and highly relevant educational experience appreciated by students and lived up to their expectations in linking theory and practice. Inadequate practical training duration, overcrowding of students in one institution due to the limited places for attachments in other institutions and a general lack of motivational incentives in most host institutions were the main challenges reported by respondents. This study is the first of its kind on library practicum in Zambia. It is hoped that the findings will be helpful in designing enhanced and more effective library practical training programs in Zambia as well as in other developing countries.
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    Enhanced Library Services Through Social Media in the Age of Covid-19 Pandemic: An Anecdote of Academic Libraries in Zambia
    (Libraries at University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2020-11-12) Zulu, Zachary; Chewe, Pailet; Chitumbo, Eness; Musonda, Yolam
    The purpose of this study was to investigate the potential of using social media as a tool for promoting value addition and the enhancement of library services in the age of COVID-19 pandemic in two academic libraries in Zambia. Despite the growing mass of literature on social media usage in academic libraries globally, there is a dearth of research in Zambia on this emerging subject. The study used a survey method and the research instrument was an online questionnaire involving 22 academic librarians drawn from two public universities in Zambia, namely; the University of Zambia and Mulungushi University. Findings show that the use of social media for service delivery was nonexistent. Facebook and WhatsApp were the most prominent apps used for social networking among librarians. 86.3% of the respondents were of the view that the adoption of social media needed a cautious approach. 90% of the respondents had positive perceptions of the usefulness of social media in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic. Nonetheless, inadequate social media literacy skills, hesitancy among library staff, and poor technological infrastructure were perceived to be hindrances. The study advocates for social media literacy and the provision of a robust technological infrastructural base anchored on strong social media policies. This study provides library practitioners and students of Library and Information Science (LIS) with suggestions for how librarians, can use social media to improve audience engagement, create a community of users, and enhance the library's profile.
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    Faculty perception of Moodle software as a teaching tool at the University of Zambia
    (Zambia ICT Journal, 2018) Chewe, Pailet
    In the existing educational milieu in the world today, there is an increasing application of electronic learning software in the delivery of tertiary education. However, one critical issue in the successful deployment of electronic learning platforms in teaching and learning is dependent on lecturers’ ability and commitment to accept and use the systems. This paper describes the results of a questionnaire survey among academics at the University of Zambia in the aftermath of the implementation of Moodle software. The survey aimed to gather perceptions of lecturers toward the use of Moodle online environment, from which future practice could be informed. In this regard, the researcher used a survey design method with a sample of 42 respondents conveniently selected for this study. The survey was carried out in the third term of the 2017 academic calendar. Quantitative data was analysed with the help of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS version 20). The main findings were that there were low adoption levels of Moodle as a supplementary mode of lesson delivery and that a limited number of respondents agreed that Moodle had helped them improve their teaching, indicative that academics were still in a period of transition from shallow systems compliance to deep pedagogical change. Overall, the experience showed that the move to Moodle needs careful planning and communication and must be part of a wider strategy to integrate e-learning solutions throughout course design and institutional culture. Nevertheless, respondents indicated their willingness to participate in programmes to equip them with the requisite skills that would make them proficient in using Moodle. The main obstacles to the integration of Moodle were limited knowledge of Moodle functionalities on the part of the faculty and slow internet speed. These findings may be used to develop e-learning support structures critical to effective implementation of Moodle as an integral part of the teaching and learning process. With continuous promotion and training of Moodle usage among the lecturers and students and increased training of faculty members coupled with improved broadband connectivity, Moodle holds the prospect for diversifying e-learning experiences that can support faculty members’ professional learning outcomes.
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    Harnessing Online Resources for Distance Learning at the University of Zambia
    (The International Journal of Multi-Disciplinary Research, 2017) Chitumbo, Eness M. Miyanda; Chewe, Pailet
    Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate how the integration of institutional electronic resources into distance learning can improve usage of e-resources at the University of Zambia. The study also ascertained the value and ease of use of remote access towards aiding distance students access institutional e-resources as well as the user-friendliness of the databases to enable users retrieve relevant information within reasonable time. Methods: The study adopted a case survey design and used both quantitative and qualitative methods of research. Structured questionnaires were used to collect responses from a purposively selected sample of 60, drawn from a total population of 12,500 distance learning students registered under the Institute of Distance Education. The statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS) software was used to analyse quantitative data into frequencies and percentages and content analysis was used to analyse qualitative data sets. Findings: The study established that the majority of the respondents were aware of and used e-resources for academic purposes, hence rated the electronic databases highly. It was further established that they encountered a number of technologically related barriers. E.g. Insufficient computers, slow Internet connectivity, lack of ICT skills, etc. The results also indicated that remote access was a useful information retrieval tool. Most students were in support of integrating online resources into distance learning programs because of the potential benefits that comes with it. Research value: It is hoped that the findings of this study will help UNZA capture the challenges distance learning students face as they interact with the remote access tool, hence help the institution to appropriately respond to these challenges.
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    Shaping library and information services delivery through innovation and technology at the University of Zambia
    (SCESCAL, 2018-04) Chewe, Pailet; Chitumbo, Eness
    Information and Communications Technology has brought about a paradigm shift in the way library services are being delivered. The digital revolution motivated by technology innovation has transformed academic libraries. Technology has impacted on every sphere of academic library activity such as acquisition, organisation, storage, retrieval and delivery of information both in print and digital formats. Academic libraries support the core business (teaching, learning and research activities) of the parent institutions. Therefore the need for these institutions to innovate becomes imperative. This study attempts to highlight innovative library services (e.g. subscription to online resources, open access institutional repository, dynamic website, information literacy programs, etc.) that have been successfully adopted at the University of Zambia with the aim of investigating staff perceptions toward technology based innovation. Using a qualitative research design, interviews were conducted with six (6) key informants between June and August, 2017. The 6 librarians were purposively sampled from a population of 55 librarians working in the University of Zambia Library. It was established that innovation was crucial if the library was to be relevant in this era, hence the need for all stakeholders to develop realistic strategies that would keep the library afloat in this age and beyond. The findings of this study will inform stakeholders on how best to align service delivery for the benefit of the user community. The paper concludes by noting some barriers to innovation and proposes areas for enhancement.