Digital Competencies and Utilization of Electronic Books for Academic Purposes Among Postgraduate Students in Social Sciences in Bayero University Kano

Abstract

This study investigated the digital competencies and utilization of electronic books (e-books) for academic purposes among postgraduate students in the Social Sciences at Bayero University Kano (BUK), Nigeria, employing a descriptive survey design. A multi-stage sampling technique was used to select a sample of 210 students from a population of 458, determined by Krejcie and Morgan’s (1970) formula. Data collected via a validated and reliable questionnaire (Cronbach's alpha = 0.94) were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The findings revealed a high level of digital competency (84.2%) and a high extent of e-book utilization (73.9%) among the students, primarily for writing projects, papers, and theses (79%). The study concludes that while postgraduate students at BUK possess strong foundational digital skills, significant gaps persist in advanced areas such as critical source evaluation, reference management, and navigating complex e-library systems; consequently, it is recommended that the university institute targeted digital literacy programs, enhance Internet infrastructure, curate specialized e-book collections, and develop more user-friendly library platforms to further support academic research