Search

The paper examines innovative strategies academic libraries can adopt to address the 21st century learning challenges in Africa. The objective of the study is to identify some innovative strategies academic library can adopt to personalize library services and make library a more motivating learning environment for all category of patrons (students, teachers and researchers). The research questions include: What are the trends in technological innovations in academic libraries? What is the role of leadership in promoting academic library innovative strategies? What strategies can academic library adopt to make the library a more motivating and interesting learning environment for students? How can academic libraries strategize library services to support and encourage effective teaching and research? The paper reveals that library management or leadership is the driver of any meaningful change in an academic library. The changes include technological innovations, that is introduction of new ICT technologies in library will involve organizing training for the library personnel. That academic libraries in Africa can be better repackaged aesthetically using furniture arrangement and colours to demarcate the different section/unit with the sole aim of making the library more interesting and motivating for learning. The paper recommendations include organizing ICT and communication, interpersonal relationship skills for all library among others.

Information and communication technologies (ICTs) have revolutionized every sphere of human endeavor including education. However, the use of ICTs in Education is not without challenges. One of the major challenges of ICTs in education is examination malpractice. Educational assessment and evaluation are the means through which the attainment of educational objectives is validated. Examination malpractice is considered as a huge challenge to these processes. This paper focuses on the trends and threats of hi-tech examination malpractice in the Nigerian educational system. It discusses the factors that precipitate examination malpractices and implications on the attainment of educational objectives. The paper identified proliferation of mobile phones and other private digital assistants (PDAs) as a major driving factor for e-cheating. It further outlined corruption, poor funding, legal and moral issues as challenges militating against efforts to end the ugly trend. It concludes that the co-operation of Government, parents, school administrators, examination bodies and security agencies is required to chart a way forward.