Volume Two - Academic Conferences

Maruff Akinwale Oladejo and Adelua Olajide Olawole
this finding might not be unconnected with the fact that male academics are less occupied with home
demands which gives them enough time to work on the internet. They are also likely more efficacious
and have positive attitude towards technology than their female counterparts.
Also, there was significant difference in e-publishing based on age (t = 2.22, df =348, P> 0.05) in the
present study. In fact, younger academics patronize e-publishing than the older ones. This might be
due to the fact that the younger academics have acquired positive orientation about the importance of
e-publishing and are more technologically-inclined.
However, no significant difference was noticed in e-publishing based on rank (t =.376, df =348, P>.05)
though, academics below the Senior Lecturer rank appear better off. This is possible probably
because academics above Senior Lecturer cadre might be dominated by younger academics who, as
earlier remarked are likely to be more technologically-inclined.
4.1 Conclusion
eLearning has become an increasingly popular mode of instructions, especially in higher education
due to advances in the Internet and multi-media technologies. It has indeed, penetrated into academic
publishing. Thus, there is no doubt that scholarly academic publishing is going into a paperless
situation, whereby all information will be exchange electronically. It therefore, becomes highly
imperative for the Nigerian College academics to embrace electronic publishing. This will in no small
way, help academics in their research output and teaching activities, as well as rendering of
community services.
4.2 Policy implications
The need for eLearning policies today is vital for Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) in view of the
potential of educational technologies and the magnitude of changes they may provoke in education
(Vrana, et al., 2011 ). The authors also contend that need for firm policies now becomes more critical
and consequential because the introduction, adoption and development of eLearning require the
contribution and teamwork of many different stakeholders within the educational Institutions. Findings
from this study therefore have certain policy implications. College Management should therefore come
up with eLearning policies that:
Academics should be made to present certain number of electronic journal publications during
promotion exercise, depending on the rank they are moving to.
All academics should subscribe to internet connectivity, and deductions be made from the source
on monthly basis. This should not even be voluntary as being practiced in some Colleges.
Also, academics should belong to one international electronically-based Association or the other.
Emphasize the development of incentives for adoption of educational technology, thus, e-
learning should be a part of the performance assessment and reward systems.
4.3 Recommendations
Based on the findings from the present study, it is hereby recommended as follows:
College academics should be encouraged to have positive attitudes towards technology and
consequently e-publishing. They should also be positively self-efficacious about electronic
publishing.
Institutional administrators should put in place, necessary motivational mechanisms such as
giving free or subsidized laptops and modems to the academics, organize regular training and retraining
workshops or seminars on internet usage for the academics.
College Management should ensure the availability of effective and efficient networked computers
in all staff offices.
The Colleges’ Libraries and Resource Centres should increase their bandwidth and electronic
journal subscription.
Younger academics, especially the male ones, should encourage and motivate the older
academics in the aspects of e-publishing.
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