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

Mobile Telephony and Agriculture Information Communication in Ghana: the Ho West District under Review

The use of mobile phones among stakeholders in Ghana in communication agricultural related information is gaining grounds. The findings show that farmers in the Ho West District of Ghana are beginning to adhere to the dictates of technology to enhance information delivery for their farming activities. The study shows factors such as level of education, income levels have a direct correlation to the use of the technology. Despite these, it is still the case that mobile penetration into agricultural communication is receiving attention from farmers

Identifying Non-Use of Library Services by Faculty in a Ghanaian University

This paper aims to primarily investigate among faculty the reasons for non use of library services and resources at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, the category of non users and also how to improve usage. The study adopts a descriptive survey design. Fifty-six (56) out of 1018 faculty respondents were identified as non users and this formed the basis of the study. Data was mainly collected by questionnaire. The information sources respondents mostly used included their own textbooks; Internet; electronic journals and ebooks etc. Reasons adduced for non use of library services included: no time to visit the library; no need for the library; the library is uninviting; buy my own books; and difficulty to find books in the library. It was recommended that to stem the tide of non use, the academic libraries must reinvent themselves and create room for user driven services and resources, redesign floor spaces, bridge communication gap between the library and prospective users

Identifying Non-Use of Library Services by Faculty in a Ghanaian University

This paper aims to primarily investigate among faculty the reasons for non use of library services and resources at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, the category of non users and also how to improve usage. The study adopts a descriptive survey design. Fifty-six (56) out of 1018 faculty respondents were identified as non users and this formed the basis of the study. Data was mainly collected by questionnaire. The information sources respondents mostly used included their own textbooks; Internet; electronic journals and ebooks etc. Reasons adduced for non use of library services included: no time to visit the library; no need for the library; the library is uninviting; buy my own books; and difficulty to find books in the library. It was recommended that to stem the tide of non use, the academic libraries must reinvent themselves and create room for user driven services and resources, redesign floor spaces, bridge communication gap between the library and prospective users

EXAMINING INTERNET USAGE PATTERNS ON SOCIO-ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF MARGINALISED COMMUNITIES: THE CASE OF COMMUNITY INFORMATION CENTRES IN GHANA

In this paper, we explore the socio-economic effects of internet use at the community information centres (CICs) on livelihoods in three regions of Ghana. Sustainable livelihood framework was used as a lens to understand the phenomena being studied. Primary and secondary data collection methods were used. Three CICs in three regions were purposively selected and qualitative research method was adopted for the study. The data were analysed using Nvivo. The findings showed that sending email information was largely the reason why people used the Internet. We found that through the Internet, people learn, develop new business ideas and expand the market for their businesses. Internet service users cut costs of operation as well as increasing returns on investment. The internet as a social technology has also made business promotion and product launch accessible and affordable. Several small businesses have found ways to use theInternet to increase their brand awareness and get more clients at a minimal cost, and improved social discovery. With social networks like Face book and Twitter, people have easily kept up with all old friends and also made new ones both far and near. Despite these benefits, the use of Internet services at the CICs was bedeviled with some challenges such aspoor internet connectivity, cost of internet services and lack of staff skills to leverage its potential and empower clients. The result of the study provides a deeper understanding of the subject area, based on empirical evidence from the three regions of Ghana. The study recommended that CIC staff should develop a mind-set that is much more customer-focused and should treat the most underprivileged members of the communitiesastheirmostvaluedcustomersaswellastryingtounderstandtheirneeds and CIC project initiators need to be aware of the barriers that hinder people in marginalized communities from using CIC services. Efforts should be made to expand the benefits of the technologies to the majority. Failure to do this would mean that very few people would benefit from the CICs and the digital divide between rural and urban areas would still widen

Use Of open Access Journals By Librarians In Ghana

Introduction: This study examined the use of open access journals by librarians in Ghana. The objectives were to establish the familiarity, attitude and benefits of open access journals among librarians in Ghana. Method: This study uses a survey research design. A web-based questionnaire was used to seek information on respondents’ demographics, awareness, use, attitudes and benefits of open access journals. Analysis: Descriptive statistics was used to analyze survey results. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) was used for the analysis of data collected from 103 librarians who are members of the Ghana Library Association. Results: All the respondents were aware of open access journals and to a greater extent, they showed positive attitude towards open access journals. Many of them, however, are not fully committed to publishing their articles in open access journals. It is recommended that librarians should be willing to publish more of their research works in open access journals for them to be ambassadors and advocate for open access. Conclusion: Knowledge of open access journals and related content among librarians is crucial not only in disseminating research quality but also in weeding out poor content

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

Librarians, Research scientists and ICT adoption in research institutes in Ghana

Since the inception of ICTs, there has been concern about the position of developing nations in relation to the technology. Whilst some studies opine that developing nations would be marginalized, other studies see a real opportunity for explosion through the technology. Indications are the technology can be a potential boon, if well managed or burden if not given the right attention. This study looks at technology adoption among librarians and research scientists in Ghana

Identifying the Social and Technical Barriers affecting engagement in online Community Archives: A Preliminary Study of “Documenting Ferguson” Archive.

This pilot study seeks to explore the social and technological barriers affecting user engagement in online community archives. We have explored this question using the Documenting Ferguson digital archive, which was built by Washington University Libraries at Washington University in St. Louis in response to the shooting death of unarmed teenager Michael Brown on August 9, 2014, by police officer Darren Wilson in Ferguson, Missouri, and the resulting social protests. The archive, online at http://digital.wustl.edu/ferguson/, was initially built for anyone who participated in events in and around Ferguson to upload their digital images and videos from the protests, with a goal of providing diverse perspectives on the events through the development of a community archive with an engaged user base. To date, the archive has grown to include more than 1,000 digital objects from 44 contributors, including photos, audio files, videos, and personal stories

Factors affecting institutional repository adoption among research scientists and related stakeholder for digital scholarship : roadmap towards research visibility and collaboration in Ghana

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT AUTHOR'S REQUEST.] This dissertation is a qualitative study of institutional repository (IR) adoption among research scientists (RS) in Ghana. In view of the importance of this platform, which is used to disseminate and promote scholarship in the digital age. This work aims at understanding the factors affecting its adoption, which could potentially create the baseline for developing a culturally appropriate IR for the Ghanaian research community. It has been argued that scientific research on the African continent is lagging behind other regions in the world, and in order to increase research visibility, more resources will have to be provided for research and dissemination. One such resource for disseminating scholarship is the IR. IRs are emerging digital platforms that showcase the research capability of universities and research organizations. IRs are increasing in visibility within academic circles around the globe, and they have potential to benefit Ghana. In the digital world, IRs are important for scholarship in order to ensure visibility of local content and to build a community of researchers. They also have potential to enable the research community to overcome access restrictions due to hikes in journal prices leading to inability of libraries to subscribe to them. In Ghana, acceptance and adoption of IR among RS is minimal, in spite of the potential benefits that come with such adoption. A critical review of the literature indicates that technology developers do not attend to users' attitudes and behavioral factors pertaining to different environments to the same extent that they invest in the technology. As a consequence, new technologies sometimes fail to meet users' expectations. Technology serves different purposes in diverse communities and the need to include the community user group at the outset of its development cannot be underestimated. This qualitative study aims at investigating the factors affecting IR adoption among research scientists in Ghana. Three qualitative methods were used, 1) document review, 2) observation, and 3) in-depth interviews with three groups of participants: the heads of institute research libraries (librarians), directors (administrators) of the institutes, and RS who constitute the main users of institute libraries. The multiple methods of data collection were supported by systematic data analysis, allowing themes to emerge which were consistent with how participants view IRs in the scholarship process. The themes that emerged from the data illuminated users' perceptions and behavioral patterns affecting IR adoption among the research community in Ghana. The research findings generated seven general themes that reflected participants' perception of IRs. The first four were common to all participant types and were thus classified as major themes: (education and sensitization, collaboration and visibility, uninterrupted electricity supply and incentives). The last three were classified as minor themes, as they were particular to the different participation groups (data security for research scientists, funding for administrators and technology for librarians). Based on the findings, this study lays out recommendations for developing a culturally appropriate IR for one of Ghana's foremost research organization, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) researchers. Finally, this study recommends further investigation into IRs, which could lead to improved understanding of scholarly communication within the CSIR and also with possible extension to the entire research community in Ghana. In short, this study pieces together themes that lay out a possible roadmap for a culturally appropriate IR system, first for the CSIR scientific community and then for Ghana as a whole.Includes bibliographical reference