VOICE OF FEMALE RELIGIOUS STUDIES POSTGRADUATE STUDENTS ON ACCESS TO E-RESOURCES FOR RESEARCH AT KWAME NKRUMAH UNIVERSITY IN ZAMBIA
Main Article Content
Abstract
This research article presents a comprehensive exploration of the perspectives held by female Religious Studies postgraduate students regarding their access to e-resources for research at Kwame Nkrumah University (KNU). The primary aim of the study was to examine the gender-related challenges within the institutional framework that hinder the effective utilisation of available e-resources, thereby affecting the quality of research among female students at KNU. Employing a qualitative approach, a purposively selected sample of 20 participants comprising 16 students and 4 faculty members, a combination of interviews and Focus Group Discussions (FGD) served as the foundation for data collection, with thematic analysis applied to the results. The study unearthed a pressing need, especially in the context of today's information era and growing feminism advocacy, to bridge the gender gap in perceiving Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) concerning accessing and leveraging e-resources, thereby harnessing the full spectrum of global information resources. Moreover, the research identified that some female students still perceive the technology realm as predominantly male-oriented. This perception perpetuates the tendency for several female individuals to depend on male counterparts for support and, in some instances, to enlist their assistance in data searches and accessing e-resources during the research process. The study recommended that female postgraduate RS students at Kwame Nkrumah University and indeed other universities globally, need to develop positive attitudes towards the use of e-resources to maximise the usefulness of the resources which can enhance their academic career
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
KNUMJ uses Creative Common (CC) Attribution (BY) 4.0 International License which guarantees people (readers) and organisations unlimited rights to share, use, and build upon works published in this journal; all they need to do is to acknowledge the sources (authors).
References
Ansari M.S. (2020): Use and Awareness of E-resources among Research Scholars of Literature Subjects in Banaras Hindu University. Accessed on 23/09/2023 from (https://www.researchgate.net › publication › 348186242_... )
Bhasin Hitech (2020): Content Analysis -Types, Importance, Advantages and Steps. Accessed on 21/09/2023 from (marketing91.com/content-analysis/)
Bylington, D. (1997). Applying relational theory to addiction treatment. Gender and
addictions: Men and women in treatment. S.L.A. Straussner and E. Zelvin (Eds.) Northvale, NJ: Aronson, pp. 33-45.
Charles Paneerdas et al (2022): Utilisation of E- E-Resources by Faculty Members and Students in Management Institutions, Coimbatore: A Study. Accessed on 4/10/2023 at (https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=12991&context=libphilprac)
Colette, D. (1981). The Cinderella Syndrome. The New York Times: Section 6, Page 47.
Colette, D. (1981).The Cinderella Complex, Women’s Hidden Fear of Independence, pp.36, Pocket Books, New York.
Concise Oxford English Dictionary (12th edn), edited by Stevenson, A. and Maite, M.
Oxford: University Press. 2011.
Hachintu, J.K. (2017). “Effects of Poor-Reading Culture on Distance Education Students Academic Performance at Kwame Nkrumah University in Zambia”. International Journal of Humanities, Social Sciences and Education. Volume 4, Issue 1. Online: http://dx.doi.org/10.20431/2349-0381.0401007www.arcjournals.org
Hachintu, J.K. (2023). “The availability of information resources and services for quality research of postgraduate Religious Studies students at Kwame Nkrumah University”. International Journal of Humanities Social Sciences and Education (IJHSSE) Volume 10, Issue 5, May 2023, PP 27-35
Hussain, B.I. (2019) : Remote access (Off-Campus access) to e-resources via EZproxy and RemoteXs facilities: A case study of Allama Iqbal Library system, University of Kashmir, Srinagar. Accessed on 21/11/2022 from ( http://doi.org/10.18231/j.ijlst.2019.008)
Jordan, J.V., Kaplan, A.G., Miller, J.B., et al. (1991). Women’s growth in connection: Writings from the Stone Center. Guilford Press.
Miller, J. B. (1986). What do we mean by relationships? Wellesley, MA: Stone Center,
Working Paper Series.
Siame, P. & Hachintu, J.K.(2023).“An assessment of the effectiveness of eLearning during Post Covid-19 at Kwame Nkrumah University in Zambia”. International Journal for Multidisciplinary Research (IJFMR).Volume 5, Issue 5.
Sneha, S.S. & Tanishka S. S. (2016). ‘Cinderella Complex: Theoretical Roots to Psychological Dependency Syndrome in Women.’ The International Journal of Indian Psychology. ISSN 2348-5396. Volume 3, Issue 3, No. 8, DIP