A critical analysis of how digital libraries/E-resources can support learning at rural boarding schools’ dormitories in Zimbabwe

Abstract

The study was aimed at exploring how digital libraries can support learning in boarding schools at secondary level in rural areas of Zimbabwe. It was motivated by the desire to proffer a solution to the unending degradation of learning efficiency in these institutions as noted by UNICEF (2018). The study was carried out under the main hypothesis that, “The use of Digital Library (DL) positively impacts on learner performance output” and five sub- hypotheses which: H1. There is a relationship between challenges being faced by boarding schools in setting up digital library and learner performance. H2. Availability of technological devices influences learner performance output. H3. Administrative issues influences adoptions of digital library. H4. ICT interventions on digital library has appositive influence on learner performance output. H5. Local administrative support influences digital implementation and learner performance output. Quantitative research was adopted to explore the study using a case study approach in which rural boarding schools and Ministry of Education staff in Mashonaland East Province was the case of interest. The research employed the positivism approach due to its dependency on objective matters which enabled a non-biased quantification of the research findings through use of statistical techniques. The study employed questionnaire as the sole instrument for collecting primary data from a sample of 380 participants selected from a target population of 580 people using the stratified and simple random sampling techniques. The research sample was calculated using the Krejcie& Morgan (1970) table for determining sample size. The sample was comprise teachers, librarians, District Education Office Staff and Provincial Education Office Staff thereby fairly representing the target population. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21 was used to quantitatively analyse the data. For the test of independence, the researcher carried out the Kruskal-Wallis (to see if product innovation is independent of educational level as well as type of industry) and Mann-Whitney tests (to see if product innovation is independent of gender and firm size) since it was for the non-parametric test. A hypothesis testing was done and main hypothesis, H1, H3 H4 and H5 were accepted while H2 was rejected.