Libraries at University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Date of this Version
5-31-2024
Document Type
Article
Abstract
Background: The Internet has been identified as a multipurpose technology that has become the world’s biggest library where information resources can be accessed with a simple mouse click away. The immense contributions of the tool in academia necessitated the efforts of some universities and Colleges to create an enabling environment, such as low or no-cost Internet access, for new students who need an Internet connection to survive on campus. This study investigated the Use of Internet Resources among MBBS/BDS Students: The Case of Clinical Students in a Medical School in Nigeria
Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the use of Internet resources among parts 4-6 clinical students of Ibadan Medical School (IMS). Specifically, it ascertained the purpose and the point where the respondents accessed the Internet. It also examined the barriers the respondents possibly encountered in the use of the technology.
Methods: This quantitative study employed a cross-sectional research design with descriptive statistics. The total enumeration method was adopted. The participants in this study consisted of the entire 564 parts 4-6 clinical students enrolled for Bachelor of Medicine / Bachelor of Surgery and Bachelor of Dentistry Surgery (MBBS/BDS).
Results: Of the 564 copies of the questionnaire administered by the researcher, 473, given a response rate of 83.8%, were found useable. The results obtained indicate that almost all (99.4%) and the majority (85.6%) of the respondents were Internet and computer-literate. For the frequency of use of the Internet, 96.2% confessed to using it daily. An interesting finding is that the statistics of the respondents who used the Internet resources in the library and lecture classroom is proportionally significant (89.4%). Concerning using the technology to search and retrieve information, many of the respondents claimed using it to access and download specific articles from the HINARI portal. The cost of Internet access and Navigation among others constituted major barriers to usage.
Discussion/Implication: The impressive knowledge of the Internet and Computer usage combined with the frequency of use of the Internet, as demonstrated by the respondents in this study, are significant enough to classify them as ‘digital natives’.
Conclusion: The study has established that the adoption rate of Internet technology among clinical students is increasing.
Comments
This paper has not been published before