Journal of Information Management and Practices

Challenges and Opportunities of Open Educational Resources at University of Rajshahi, Bangladesh

Muhammad Nazmul Islam — 2024-12-27

This paper examines the insight of OER initiatives, benefits, and challenges based on a survey designed to gauge the students’ perceptions of adopting OER. The survey was conducted in January 2024 among 116 students from 12 Faculties at Rajshahi University, Bangladesh. An overwhelming majority of respondents (99.14%) strongly agree that OER includes research, teaching, and learning resources accessible to everyone. Most respondents (97.41%) agree that UGC Digital Library (UDL) plays a significant role in facilitating access to a wide range of digital academic materials, helping higher education institutions to integrate and disseminate OER (x̄ = 1.97, σ = 0.16). OER is also considered as a popular and efficient method for collaborative learning (99.14%; x̄ = 1.01; σ = 0.09). However, there are numerous obstacles to developing OER in Bangladeshi educational institutions. To promote OER in higher education, frequent capacity-building programs should be conducted within educational institutions to establish sustainable OER-based services (50%; x̄ = 1.51; σ = 0.52). Everyone has the right to access accurate information. Therefore, OER transforms the approach to education by promoting a more humanistic view of knowledge.

Assessing the Ecosystem for Open Science Advancement in Tanzania

Paul Muneja — 2024-12-27

This study aims to assess the favourable ecosystem for supporting OS in Tanzania and the factors hindering its adoption and implementation. Employing a cross-sectional research design, the study evaluates the enabling environment for Open Science adoption and practices within Tanzania. The study population comprises academicians, researchers, students, librarians, and science communicators. A total of 144 participants took part in the survey, predominantly early career researchers affiliated with both public and private institutions.

The findings underscore that to some extent several institutions within Tanzania provides some kind of support for open science practices. This support manifests through the provision of Institutional Repositories, online journal publishing systems, financial coverage for publishing processing charges, and the establishment of improved mechanisms for researchers to share their publications and data. Nonetheless, the results also highlight several challenges. These include a lack of awareness regarding OS practices, absence of institutional policies, inadequate budget allocation to cover article processing charges (APCs), and the high costs associated with publishing in prestigious Open Access (OA) journals.

Concerted efforts at both national and institutional levels to foster the widespread adoption of OS practices in Tanzania should be put in place. The efforts should focus on enhancing awareness, developing comprehensive policies, allocating adequate budgets to support APCs, and exploring strategies to mitigate the financial barriers associated with publishing in prestigious OA journals. By addressing these challenges proactively, Tanzania can pave the way for a more robust and inclusive research ecosystem aligned with the principles of Open Science.

Effect of Work Stress on Library Professionals’ Performance and Health

Salman Abid — 2024-12-27

This study aimed to scrutinize the effect of work-related stress on job performance and health of library and information professionals’. The study utilized a survey research approach; the participants of this survey were the LIS professionals working in various universities of Karachi. They were approached to record their views via a self-developed questionnaire, with a response rate of 76%. The collected data was scrutinized using SPSS through various descriptive and inferential statistical tests. The outcomes of study affirm that librarians experience a modest level of stress and it adversely affects their work performance such as negligence at work, difficulty in decision making, fear of failure, and late sittings at the office, but they consider stress did not affect their normal routine activities, errors at work, meet work deadlines. Job stress has a strong relationship with work performance, which means that academic librarians’ job performance is affected by work stress. Work stress has effects on library professionals’ health at a moderate level, and found that work stress has a positive relation with health of librarians. The respondents were on the same pitch because there is no substantial change found in their opinions with respect to their gender and type of institutions. So the study found that work-related stress has effects on work performance and library professionals’ psychological and physical health.

The Analysis Aspects of Employee Engagement on Employee Innovation in the Public Sector

Dickson Scotch Mdhlalose — 2024-12-27

This study aims to analyse the aspects of employee engagement in employee innovation in the public sector. Standardised face-to-face open-ended interviews were used in this study. To meet the goals of this study, six open-ended questions and one topic comprise the research measuring tool. Content analysis was used in tandem with the continuous comparative data analysis technique. The researcher grouped the data according to both their commonalities and differences. The absence of innovative ideas and employee engagement in the public sector makes innovation challenging to achieve. Employee engagement encourages employees to develop innovative concepts since they are confident they will make sense. No study has ever been carried out focusing on employee engagement and innovation in the public sector. Thus, more research is needed on the effects of employee engagement on employee innovation within public sector organisations. The value of this study lies in filling this gap. Public sector organisations, specifically local government, will continue to provide poor service to their communities due to disengaged employees and their respective municipalities not promoting a conducive work environment and a culture of innovation among employees.

Transforming Library Leadership

Qaiser Iqbal — 2024-12-27

Digital leadership is emerging as a key driver of innovative work behaviors, enabling libraries to enhance services, accessibility, and user experiences. This study explores the impact of digital leadership to accelerate innovative work behaviors inspiring libraries to improve services and accessibility for better user experiences. The study explores the correlation between digital leadership and advanced practices in libraries by collecting data from 290 library managers and department heads in higher education institutions across Pakistan. Path analysis via AMOS and statistical evaluation with SPSS was used for this study. Leaders' digital competencies, paired with AI-powered tools and technology, play an important role in improving library services through creative and innovative initiatives. By investigating how digital transformation and innovation change leadership styles, this study adds to the expanding conversation on library leadership. It gives useful information to the libraries of Pakistan to adjust to the changing digital environment.

Exploration of Academic Experiences and Challenges Faced by Visually Impaired Student at University

Zainab Kamran — 2024-12-27

The notion of inclusion in education undertakes the principle that each student has a right to equitable access to education. It also expects that all educational institutions must organize learning spaces that facilitate every student either gifted, special or general. It is an on-going process and quest, aimed to increase participation of all learners in learning process. In this study the author was focused to get an insight regarding academic challenges and experiences through the lens of visually impaired student in an inclusive classroom at university. Case study approach was used to get the insight about learning experiences and challenges of visually impaired student. To select the single case for the study purposive sampling was used. Semi-structured interview guide was developed to collect the data. The collected data was transcribed and after that thematic analysis was used to develop themes from the data. Major themes emerged as a result of thematic analysis are Life changing event, Role of a teacher, Challenges regarding admission, classroom activities and peers behaviour and lastly Measures to support gifted student in an inclusive classroom. The study findings revealed that problems and challenges experienced by visually impaired student are associated with teachers who are unskilled and non-proficient in the execution of their duties in an inclusive classroom as well as the negative attitude and unsupportive behaviour of peers towards them. These findings will be helpful for departments and university on how they can take effective measures to address these problems and improve learning environment to make such students feel supported and a part of general classroom.