Assessing Undergraduates Social competence on Social Media in Nigeria

Undergraduates are known to be early adopters and users of social media and are socially competent online as against offline. The study sought to determine the social competence of students as exhibited on social media against the background of a growing decline in undergraduates’ offline social relevance. Using survey research design of correlative type, 850 undergraduates in similar faculties in two selected Universities in South west Nigeria were selected using multi-stage sampling. Questionnaire was used to collect data; reliability score of (α = 0.82) was derived for social competence on social media and (α = 0.88) for students’ use of social media. Eight hundred questionnaires (94%) were found usable. Findings revealed students are active on popular social media sites; social competence of undergraduates on social media was high ( = 64.19) and frequently use of social media. Social competence of undergraduates was positively related to social media use (r = .771, p = \u3c 0.01); social competence of undergraduates on social media was different based on gender (t = 4.02; p = \u3c 0.05), there was a significant difference in student’s use of social media based on gender (t = 5.064; p = \u3c 0.05). Social competence of the students is exhibited on social media and there is a continued adherence of the young population of Nigerians to online platforms for social interactions and relevance at the expense of natural physical dialogues. The study recommends complementary role for online media, encouraging undergraduates to build offline, natural social interactions and relationships

Availability and Utilization of library Facilities and Information Resources in University of Agriculture Makurdi Demonstration Secondary School

This study was designed to examine the availability and utilization of library facilities and information resources in University of Agriculture Makurdi Demonstration Secondary School. Four objectives were achieved and four research questions answered. Population for this study was 136 subjects comprising of Senior Secondary School 1 and 2 students and was used as sample for the study. Instrument for data collection was the researcher’s constructed questionnaire. Data was collected and analysed using mean and standard deviation. Findings of this study revealed that library facilities and information resources are available in University of Agriculture Makurdi Demonstration Secondary School. It was found that the extent students utilize library facilities and information resources are very low. The study also found that there are problems associated with the utilization of library facilities and information resources. The study concludes by enumerating strategies that could be adopted to improve the use of library facilities and information resources by students in University of Agriculture Makurdi Demonstration Secondary School. It was recommended that he University should make provision for adequate funds for acquisition of information resources in Demonstration Secondary school library. University management should ensure that relevant materials to current curricula and teacher/student interests are supplied and the school administration should encourage the study to improve on the utilization of library information resources