Institutional Support for Online Discussion Forum Use in Nigerian Polytechnics

Online discussion forum (ODF) as an effective pedagogical tool for learning and knowledge construction, designed to make the learning process robust and all-encompassing. It is also expected to facilitate faster and smooth access to learning aid and for individualisation of learning. In spite of its enormous benefits, previous studies have shown that students do not make use of ODF as expected due to factors largely attributed to low level of awareness and perception without recourse to the role of institutional support. Institutional support is expected to motivate the students to be highly engaged in their learning process, this study, therefore, investigated institutional support for ODF use among Library and Information Science (LIS) students in selected Nigeria Polytechnics. Technology Organisation Environment Theory (TOE) (Fleischer, 1990), Media System Dependency (MSD) (Ball-Rokeach and Defleur, 1976) and Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) (Davis, 1989) provided the framework, while the descriptive survey design of correlational type was used. The population comprised all ND II LIS students in eight Nigerian polytechnics offering LIS as a course. Six hundred and thirteen (613) students were enumerated in the eight polytechnics in Southwestern, Nigeria. The instrument used were ODF (α = 0.87), Institutional support (α = 0.91). Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and Pearson Product Moment Correlation. The majority of the respondents were males (53.4%) while most of the students were found within the age brackets of 21-25 years (44.6%) with a mean age of 22.8+/-1.05. Google Answers Box (𝑥̅= 1.86) and Experts-Exchange (𝑥̅= 1.52) were the mostly used ODF by the students but with low frequency of use (𝑥̅= 2.48). Further, Institutional supports provided were moderate, technical support (𝑥̅= 2.84) and low Infrastructure (𝑥̅= 2.47). Institutional support is an influencer of online discussion forum use among LIS students in polytechnics. Government and polytechnic authorities should take cognisance of these factors particularly institutional use for optimal and efficient use of ODF.