The study investigated the influence of environmental factors on STEM career path choice intentions among secondary school girls in North-Central Nigeria. It was motivated by the low representation of females in STEM fields globally and particularly in Nigeria. Survey design was adopted for the research. The population comprised of 5,433 junior secondary school girls from Federal Government Colleges in the geo-political zone. The sample size was 361 girls and multi-stage sampling technique was used for the selection. The instrument for data collection was a validated questionnaire. Data were analyzed using the descriptive statistics and binary logistics regression. Findings showed that secondary school students at the junior level have high intentions to choose STEM career path. Teachers, role model and parents significantly influenced secondary school girls STEM career path choice intentions. Therefore, ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Background: With the level of efforts and interventions by researchers and organizations around the world towards gender equality in Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM), the number of women participation is still very low. UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2015) revealed that female representation is only about 30% of the total population in STEM while in Africa it is about 17% ( Ekine, 2013). This statistics, raises the question of what could be responsible for the resistant disparity? Could it be that girls at the foundational level do not have adequate career information about STEM and all it entails? What are their perceptions of Mathematics and sciences, are there some demographic issues? There is need to discover what the real causes of gender disparity in mathematics and sciences are from the junior secondary school, a period that precedes the choice subjects that form student's career paths. This will provide an empirical basis for effectively bridging the gender gap in STEM in Nigeria thereby building and releasing the necessary latent human resources to sustain development and compete in the global economy as well as ensuring inclusivity of girls and women.Ekine (2013) affirmed that a country's ability to secure good health, fight diseases, protect the environment, produce food for its people, and develop new industries and technologies is dependent on the scientific knowledge and skills of its people. Consequently, more women are needed in STEM to be active participants in scientific development particularly in health related issues, application and decision-making thus, ensuring that scientific initiatives are implemented to adequately address the needs and preferences of both sexes especially those of women. It is against this background that the study seeks to investigate Health, Information, Perception and Demographic variables as correlate of gender equality in STEM education in South-West Nigeria. On the long run, findings from a study such as this would highlight specific deficiencies associated with attracting and retaining girls in Mathematics and Science and proffer solutions to the problems.

PurposeThe purpose of the study is to ascertain whether or not faculty members would be motivated to use e-Databases for research considering the impact of the Technology Acceptance Model2 (TAM2) cognitive instrumental processes of job relevance, output quality and result demonstrability.Design/methodology/approachThe survey research design was applied. The selection of samples was based on a multistage sampling technique involving; purposive, simple/systematic random and total enumeration procedures. Five colleges and departments each were selected from the three universities that provided the setting for the conduct of this study, out of which a sample of 135 was drawn from the total population of 209. The questionnaire method was used for data gathering. Ninety-five percent return rate of the administered instrument was observed. Descriptive and inferential statistical tools were employed for data analyses.FindingsJob relevance, output quality and result demonstrability are motivators of faculty use of e-Databases for research with result demonstrability wielding the strongest influence. Use of e-Databases for research is based on the usefulness level perceived of them. Faculty are highly predisposed to using the technology for research with the chances of getting published in reputable journal outlets ranked highest among other factors that influence faculty use of e-Databases.Originality/valueThe conceptualization of TAM2 cognitive instrumental processes as system characteristics and motivators of e-Databases use among faculty towards research engagement advances the understanding of intention to use e-Databases for research.

The study explored trends and issues in digital libraries with a view to furnish the expected audience with current happenings in this area of operations and service delivery. The chapter is a detailed review of characteristics of digital libraries considering the creation of digital collections which include conversion of retrospective materials, born digital resources and institutional repositories. The paper considered digital collections and copyright issues, benefits and issues of digital libraries, preservation of digital content. It x-rayed trends in information discovery, access and retrieval in a digital library, human-computer interaction, information organization and categorization of digital library services.

The study explored trends and issues in digital libraries with a view to furnish the expected audience with current happenings in this area of operations and service delivery. The chapter is a detailed review of characteristics of digital libraries considering the creation of digital collections which include conversion of retrospective materials, born digital resources and institutional repositories. The paper considered digital collections and copyright issues, benefits and issues of digital libraries, preservation of digital content. It x-rayed trends in information discovery, access and retrieval in a digital library, human-computer interaction, information organization and categorization of digital library services.