EXPLORING THE DETERMINANTS OF CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS DEVELOPMENT AMONG LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SCIENCE STUDENTS IN NIGERIAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES

Abstract

Student librarians are faced with many challenges as they advance in their academic pursuance and the survival of many depend solely on the skills and competencies acquired to confront these challenges. This study takes a look at the factors that can foster acquisitions of critical thinking skills among student librarians in public universities in Nigeria. The study applied a descriptive survey design.  The sampled population for the study was 112 lecturers and librarians of this number, 20 are from the department s of Educational psychology, 20 sociology lecturers, 40 are lecturers in the department of library and information science while the others were from different departments selected from 40 public universities in Nigeria through purposive sampling technique, while a Likert four point type structured questionnaire was the only instrument used for data collection. The instrument was validated by three experts from the department of measurement and evaluation of Abia State University, Uturu, Nigeria using Cronbach’s alpha.  Result showed coefficient of α=.81.  Data collected were analyzed using frequencies and simple percentages and presented in tables.  The study discovered inter-alia that the key factors that can facilitate the acquisition of critical thinking by student-librarians are the classroom/learning environment as well as instructional practice and that student-librarians, can improve their critical thinking and other skills by understanding their mental process, practicing active listening and meeting with mentors, becoming more self-aware, developing foresight and participating in team-building exercises.   Based on the findings, it was recommended among other steps that teaching environment should be reflective, encouraging open-mindedness and objectivity and that instruction should be cognitive-based, in which lectures should adopt problem-solving approaches and inquiry based instruction in teaching students.