Digital Transformation: Book of Abstracts at BOBCATSSS 2021 Virtual Conference, 21st-22nd January 2021, Porto

This Book of Abstracts provides an overview of all selected papers, Pecha Kucha and posters that will be presented at BOBCATSSS 2021 Virtual Conference on "Digital Transformation" (https://bobcatsss2021.sciencesconf.org/). The conference is jointly organized by the Porto Accounting and Business School - Porto Polytechnic (ISCAP), Portugal, University of Library Studies and Information Technologies (ULSIT), Sofia, Bulgaria and University of Leon, Spain. BOBCATSSS is an international annual symposium which addresses hot topics for librarians and information professionals in a fast-changing environment. It is created by and for students, teachers, researchers and professionals in the information field. BOBCATSSS is held under the auspices of BOBCATSSS Association (https://bobcatsss.info/, former EUCLID (European Association for Library and Information Education and Research). It is a tradition which has been passed on from one European country to another since 1993, providing a rich professional conference, accompanied by numerous opportunities for networking, personal exchanges, discussions, and learning. The 29th conference of BOBCATSSS is a virtual edition, due to the COVID-19 worldwide crisis. This year, we have chosen “DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION” as the theme for BOBCATSSS 2021. Information and communication technologies have a great impact on society, namely concerning the immediacy of access to information, the constant increase in the available information volume, the automation of services, the dematerialization of processes, the change in supports and formats, the attention to the client and changes in the behaviour of individuals. These impacts are also felt in the way people interact with information, in professional, academic, personal and playful terms. Soon, half of the consumers will be digital natives, and this will force the digital transformation in organizations, creating new opportunities for change, including in organizational, cultural and legal standards. Digital transformation as an effect of a process marked by the influence of ICT in society will influence changes in every social dimension, including business models and in the way they develop, with ICT and, inseparably, information, having a leading role in any organization. According to Rogers (2016)1 and Herbert (2017)2, it is possible to identify five domains where the digital transformation takes place, and which are based on the transversal use of ICT: 1. Customers, who interact dynamically with organizations 2. Competition, which impliesa differentiation of organizations in relation to the consumer / final customer 3. Information, which due to its essential nature for the business, whether structured or not, will require an increasingly strict management 4. Innovation, focusing on the development of new ideas 5. Value, which becomes volatile in the face of market demand.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Usage of open access institutional repositories in University libraries in Ghana

Text in EnglishThe study investigated the usage of Open Access Institutional Repositories (OAIR) in university libraries in Ghana to develop a strategy on how the usage of OAIR in university libraries in Ghana may be enhanced. The study adopted the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), which was then modified to fit the study. Accessibility, availability and visibility were proposed in addition to the conventional variables of TAM to improve the fit between the data and the theoretical model. Pragmatism paradigm, mixed methods research approach and convergent parallel mixed method design (survey and case study designs) was used for the study. Simple random sampling, stratified random sampling, purposive sampling techniques and the sample size converter were the sampling procedures and methods employed. A total of nine hundred and ninety-eight (998) respondents completed the questionnaires distributed, but for the qualitative phase twelve (12) OAIR managers were purposively selected. The questionnaire and interview guide were used as research instruments to gather relevant data for the study. Descriptive statistics (frequencies, percentages, means and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (multinomial logistic regression and CFA using SEM) were used as statistical tools to analyse quantitative data and thematic analysis was used to analyse qualitative data. The study revealed that there was a low level of OAIR usage in universities among academic staff, notwithstanding the high level of understanding of OAIR. This was evident in the number of research work uploaded onto the OAIR by the OAIR team. Inadequate advocacy, ICT connectivity, infrastructure, funding, power supply, insufficient technological skills, institutional repository policy, absence of incentives, institutional culture and politics and copyright issues were the challenges facing the usage of OAIR in university libraries in Ghana. The study concluded that advocacy, policies, software and staffing enshrined in an institutional guideline on OAIR would enhance OAIR usage. The study developed an OAIR Usage Model and OAIR User Manual, which would be very instrumental in the usage of OAIR in university libraries in Ghana. The model will enhance user satisfaction and intention to reuse the OAIR and making OAIR research outputs available, accessible and visible. The manual specifies the contents and documentsaccepted by the OAIR and ensuring the quality of documents archived.Information ScienceD. Litt. et Phil. (Information Science

Exploring the Instructional Practices Efficacy Beliefs of Kindergarten Teachers in the Kumasi Metropolis of Ghana

The influence of teacher efficacy beliefs on children’s cognitive achievements and success at school is accepted among educators internationally and well established in the literature. Yet, teachers’ sense of efficacy beliefs in the various aspects of their work at different levels of the education system continues to be investigated by researchers. Within the context of a developing country implementing a new curriculum, this study explores the efficacy beliefs of kindergarten teachers regarding instructional practices. Using an eight-point Likert-type survey questionnaire, the efficacy beliefs of 299 public and private kindergarten teachers in the Kumasi metropolis of Ghana with respect to instructional practices are examined. Research findings indicate that kindergarten teachers in the metropolis have high efficacy beliefs in instructional practices. No statistically significant difference was found in the efficacy beliefs in instructional practices of public and private kindergarten teachers, but statistically significant difference was found in the efficacy beliefs of trained and untrained teachers. Implications for early childhood teacher education are drawn and recommendations made. Keywords: Efficacy beliefs, instructional practices, kindergarten, social cognitive theory, teacher efficac

User Beware: Determining Vulnerability in Social Media Platforms for Users in Ghana

There is a limited academic scholarship that examines vulnerability in social media use for people who live in Ghana. This study examines 1) user motivation for social media use, 2) user vulnerabilities in the online environment and 3) user preparedness prior to entering the online environment. In Ghana, people rely on social media for communications to circumvent an expensive telecommunications system and interact with family and friends who have had to travel for education or business. This study uses qualitative methods to engage with Ghanaian citizens within social media platforms like WhatsApp, Viber and Imo to learn more about their reasons for using social media, as well as the concerns they have about using it. Findings indicate that participants rely on social media as a way of communicating with family and friends who have left home, as well as using it to create opportunities. However, participants are also concerned about being tricked online, and having their images or texts used inappropriately. They are also concerned about government tracking when using social media and worry about how all of these things could hurt them in the future, including embarrassment, regrets, and financial troubles. Most participants indicated that they have not had any training in using social media, but if they had they could have avoided many problems that they experienced online. Despite this, participants feel social media improves their quality of life and are encouraged to use social media because of the perceived advantages of the platforms. The paper recommends that continuous user training on appropriate use of social media could benefit and protect Ghanaian citizens

Structural equation modelling of relationships of personnel services and perceived principal supervision with academic achievement in secondary schools in Kwara State, Nigeria

The low performance of students in senior secondary schools‘ examinations is a serious concern for stakeholders in the education sector. This made them wonder if lack or inadequate school facilities could be responsible for it. Previous studies have established inconsistent findings on one or two dimensions (health and library) of students‘ personnel services may be linked to this low academic achievement. This showed that there was less attention on other aspects of the services. Effective supervision has been identified as an important factor that could influence academic achievement in school. Therefore, there is a need to investigate whether there are other factors in school that may contribute to students‘ low academic performance. As such, this study attempts to examine the impact of principal‘s supervision on the relationship between students‘ personnel services and academic achievement via a mixed methods approach. A quantitative approach, where survey design with 379 respondents (students) were used for the study, while a qualitative approach using an in-depth interview (20 principals) was employed to complement the findings of the quantitative data. Data collected was analyzed using descriptive and inferential analysis in the questionnaire data, while the interview data was analyzed thematically. Results indicate that four out of the five direct hypotheses formulated for the study were supported. Specifically, there is a relationship between library, guidance and counselling, extracurricular, health services and academic achievement. On the other hand, only two out of five of principal‘s supervision moderates these relationships. The interview findings reveal that the provision and supervision of these services is an important factor that influences academic achievement. Finally, this study demonstrates that the importance of principal‘s supervision cannot be ignored, as it is an essential factor for achieving students‘ academic success. Thus, this study has contributed to the body of knowledge practically, theoretically, and methodologically

Deserving of charity or deserving of better? The continuing legacy of the 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act for Britain’s Deaf population

The 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act was a watershed in institutionalising official attitudes and provision for poor and needy people in the United Kingdom. By introducing the notion that the poor could be categorised as ‘deserving’ or ‘undeserving’, the long term political agenda for social welfare was established and is still evident today. Although deaf people were not specifically covered by the Act and its provisions, there were to be both detrimental and beneficial consequences for this particular group within society. The particular effects of deafness on employability, coupled with historical attitudes towards deafness as a ‘handicap’ and even ‘a visitation from God’, set deaf people in an ambiguous and often invidious position in terms of whether they were seen as ‘deserving’ or ‘undeserving’ poor. This paper will outline the effects of what came to be known as the New Poor Law on deaf people and the way they were treated as a result. The establishment of voluntary welfare groups in response to this treatment will be outlined, and a discussion will be offered on the way attitudes towards deaf people’s welfare rights are often determined by their inability to hear rather than their ability to work

Building an Institutional Repository at the University of Health and Allied Sciences in Ghana

Institutional repositories (IRs) have become an important element in scholarly communication reform. IRs are seen, by higher education institutions, as an adequate response to the serials crisis and a major academic leap for the open access (OA) movement globally. IRs have become key indicators in world university rankings, and many higher education institutions are adopting IRs for that purpose. However, establishing an IR is a major information technology (IT) project undertaking for any university and requires due diligence for evidence-informed decision regarding implementation. The University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) library has mooted the establishment of an IR for the university. This study was undertaken to assess the feasibility of doing so by investigating the presence or otherwise of the known critical success factors for IR implementation and the unique case for success at UHAS. The study approach was qualitative, a case-study design was followed and semi-structured interviews were used to collect the opinions of purposively sampled participants. Data were thematically analysed using QSI International’s NVIVO 11 software package and the results were summarised as a scorecard expressed in percentages for quick understanding. Nine (9) themes emerged from the data, six (6) of which perfectly aligned with the critical success factors (CSFs) generally reported in the literature. These factors included executive support, user acceptance and support, IR policy, IR marketing and promotion, resources and organizational culture. Three (3) of the emergent CSFs (themes) that were unique to UHAS included stakeholder perceptions of IR, researcher motivation and the library as an agent of change. Other findings include that stakeholders have a preference for mediated archiving over self-archiving. An institutional OA mandate needs to be established before researchers would archive their outputs. The library has low visibility in the institution and there are, in general, low levels of policy awareness and compliance among the key stakeholders of an IR at UHAS. Specific recommendations have been made to address identified challenges so that IR implementation success could be ensured. In conclusion, the study found that there was absolute support for the IR initiative by both senior management (decision makers) and faculty researchers (content providers). However, the study also established that the current infrastructural resource base of UHAS cannot yet support the implementation of an IR.Mini-dissertation (M.IT)--University of Pretoria, 2017.Information ScienceM.ITUnrestricte

Assessment of the Relevance and Experience of Undergraduate Internship Programme: A Focus on University of Cape Coast Psychology Students in Ghana

For an effective and a successful internship programme, the competency and motivation of all parties involved are indispensable and studies have revealed that internship experiences have surfaced as important factors that may positively improve the job placement of students. Using descriptive cross sectional survey design, the investigators assessed the relevance and experience of internships of undergraduate psychology students in the University of Cape Coast, Ghana.  The study adopted a validated questionnaire and a proportional stratified sampling technique, involving 200 students made up of 115 and 85 males and females respectively.Results underscored the relevance of internship experience with greater sense of responsibility and career development it provides. It also suggested that career focus is associated with positive beliefs about intern’s career choice and future job satisfaction. It revealed a statistically significant association between type of organization and the relevance of internship programme to students. The results also showed significant differences in experience of internship programme across respondents’ age and gender.On the basis of the findings, recommendations were made for educational institutions to provide skills that organizations can capitalize on to give work related training during internships. Keywords: Internship, Relevance, Experience, students, gender differences, Learning Theorie

Financing Human Resource Development In The Ghana Education Service: Prospects And Challenges Of The Study Leave With Pay Scheme

The Ghana Education Service (GES) as an organization uses its study leave with pay policy which has been at the easy disposal of teachers since independence of Ghana as a means of up grading its staff. This policy was very flexible until the year 2000 when some restrictions were placed on the accessibility of the facility. This study therefore set to find out the prospects and challenges of the study leave with pay facility with the restrictions the GES has placed on the facility. The data was gathered from teachers and administrators of the Bolgatanga Municipality. This study consisted of a quantitative survey followed by semi-structured qualitative individual interviews.  Theoretical and practical issues of this type of research have been presented along with the research design, data collection and analysis procedures, and ethical considerations. The study found out that majority of teachers have benefited from the facility. However the study leave with pay facility was difficult to access because of subject areas restrictions and other administrative problems. The study concluded that many teachers have accessed the scheme by way of meeting the criteria for selection. However the criterion for selection is accompanied by cumbersome process. The Ghana Education Service should ensure that there is equality for all GES approved courses, monitor beneficiaries to ensure that they return to the classroom after studies, support teachers financially through Distance Learning Programme were some of the recommendations of the study. Keywords: study leave, policy, accessibility, facility, prospects, challenge