Convergence or Divergence: Making a Choice between Printed Media and Electronic Media as Academic Information Resources. A Case of the Tanzania Institute of Accountancy (TIA) Mbeya Campus and Mzumbe University Mbeya Campus
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.53819/81018102t3191Abstract
This study explored patterns in the use of print and electronic information resources among students and academic staff at the Tanzania Institute of Accountancy (TIA) Mbeya Campus and Mzumbe University Mbeya Campus. Anchored on Davis’s Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and Wilson’s Model of Information Behaviour, the study investigates whether academic users' preferences demonstrate a structural convergence toward a hybrid model or a terminal divergence from conventional print media toward exclusive electronic dominance. During examination periods, severe print shortages force students onto web-based open-access platforms. This ambiguity raises fundamental empirical questions: Are user information preferences genuinely diverging toward digital platforms, or is there a functional convergence where print and electronic resources serve complementary academic needs? A mixed-methods research design was employed, with a planned sample of 241 respondents across both institutions using stratified random and purposive sampling techniques. Data collection involved questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and a library observation checklist. Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS version 26 through descriptive statistics, cross-tabulations, and a chi-square test of independence, while qualitative data underwent thematic and content analysis. Findings reveal a paradigm shift towards electronic information resources driven by perceived ease of search, 24/7 remote availability, and current timeliness. However, print media continue to hold strategic, non-replaceable importance for long-form reading, exam preparation, and core textbooks due to digital divide related issues such as bandwidth bottlenecks, digital fatigue, and cognitive retention needs. A Chi-Square test of independence (χ²= 0.6730, p = 0.7143) confirms no statistically significant difference between the two campuses, demonstrating parallel evolutionary trajectories. The paper provides actionable recommendations, including campus bandwidth expansion, open-access institutional repository integration, curriculum-embedded digital literacy training, and physical library re-engineering.
Keywords: Electronic Media, Printed Media, Technology Acceptance Model, Wilson's Information Behaviour Model, Hybrid Information Ecosystem, Convergence or Divergence
References
Abbad, M. M. (2021). Using the UTAUT model to understand students’ usage of e-learning systems in developing countries. Education and Information Technologies, 26(6), 7205–7224. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-021-10573-5
Ali, L. F., Sahar, A., Saçaklı, S., & Ali, F. (2026). Digital versus print reading in higher education: A comparative analysis of student comprehension in Pakistan and Turkey. The Regional Tribune, 5(3), 1–16.
Almansour, S., Farhat, R., Almansour, M., Al-Deeb, R., Daboul, R., Nasra, A. B., Odeh, Z. A., Rajjoub, N., Zeno, M., & Alshreibati, F. (2026). Academic reading format preferences among Syrian medical students: A cross-institutional survey. Advances in Medical Education and Practice, 17, Article 604141. https://doi.org/10.2147/AMEP.S604141
Bayaga, A., & du Plessis, A. (2024). Ramifications of the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) among developing countries’ higher education staffs. Education and Information Technologies, 29(8), 9689–9714. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-023-12194-6
Bilson, A., & Markwei, E. (2019). Impacts of information and communication technology on libraries in Ghana: A review. [Publication details required].
Binyamin, S. S., Rutter, M. J., & Smith, S. G. (2019). Extending the technology acceptance model to understand students’ use of learning management systems in Saudi higher education. International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning, 14(3), 4–21. https://doi.org/10.3991/ijet.v14i03.9732
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa
Bukuku, J. D. (2026). Language of instruction and learning effectiveness in Tanzania higher education: Undergraduate students’ perceptions of English—The case of Tanzania Institute of Accountancy. Science Mundi, 6(1), 220–226.
Case, D. O., & Given, L. M. (2016). Looking for information: A survey of research on information seeking, needs, and behavior (4th ed.). Emerald Group Publishing.
Chang, L., Wang, Y., Liu, J., Feng, Y., & Zhang, X. (2023). Study on factors influencing college students’ digital academic reading behavior. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, Article 1007247. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1007247
Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2018). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (5th ed.). SAGE Publications.
Davis, F. D. (1989). Perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and user acceptance of information technology. MIS Quarterly, 13(3), 319–340. https://doi.org/10.2307/249008
Dulle, F. W., Minishi-Majanja, M. K., & Cloete, L. M. (2011). Factors influencing the adoption of open access scholarly communication in Tanzanian public universities. South African Journal of Libraries and Information Science, 77(2), 123–136.
Fagan, M. H. (2019). Factors influencing student acceptance of mobile learning in higher education. Computers in the Schools, 36(2), 105–121.
Field, A. (2018). Discovering statistics using IBM SPSS statistics (5th ed.). SAGE Publications.
Igbo, H. U., Ibegbulam, I. J., Asogwa, B. E., & Imo, N. T. (2022). Provision of digital information resources in Nigerian university libraries. [Publication details required].
Jeong, Y. J., & Gweon, G. (2021). Advantages of print reading over screen reading: A comparison of visual patterns, reading performance, and reading attitudes across paper, computers, and tablets. International Journal of Human–Computer Interaction, 37(17), 1674–1684. https://doi.org/10.1080/10447318.2021.1908668
Kaygısız, Ç. (2025). Comparision of digital and printed text reading process. Education and Information Technologies, 30(16), 22709–22733. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-025-13668-5
Lagas, S., & Isip, J. (2023). Challenges to digital services in Philippine academic libraries. Philippine Journal of Librarianship and Information Studies, 43(1), 27–38.
Lavidas, K., Komis, V., & Achriani, A. (2022). Explaining faculty members’ behavioral intention to use learning management systems. Journal of Computers in Education, 9(4), 707–725. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40692-021-00217-5
Li, Y., & Yan, L. (2024). Which reading comprehension is better? A meta-analysis of the effect of paper versus digital reading in recent 20 years. Telematics and Informatics Reports, 14, Article 100142. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.teler.2024.100142
Maishanu, S. Z., Abdulkadir, U., & Zanna, T. (2024). Lecturers’ perception of mobile device use in teaching and learning at Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto.
Makwetta, N., & Mwamanga, E. (2021). Academic library transformation in Tanzania: Navigating the digital shift. Journal of African Library Studies, 14(2), 45–62.
Matus, N. (2021). Budgeting for academic libraries in the digital era: Challenges and opportunities. Library Management, 42(6/7), 405–418.
Muneja, P. S. (2018). Use of electronic information resources by undergraduate students at the University of Dar es Salaam Library. University of Dar es Salaam Library Journal, 13(1), 35–48.
Mwangkala, J. (2020). Challenges of accessing legal information resources by law students in Tanzanian universities. Tanzania Journal of Law, 8(1), 112–129.
Ndumbaro, F. (2018). Factors influencing the usage of electronic resources by academic staff in Tanzanian higher learning institutions. Library Philosophy and Practice.
Saunders, M., Lewis, P., & Thornhill, A. (2019). Research methods for business students (8th ed.).
Shemahonge, R., & Mtebe, J. (2018). Using a mobile application to support students in blended distance courses: A case of Mzumbe University in Tanzania. International Journal of Education and Development Using Information and Communication Technology, 14(3).
Singh, V. (2020). The digital transformation of higher education: The role of academic libraries. Journal of Educational Technology, 45(3), 210–225.
Spink, A., & Cole, C. (2006). Human information behavior: Integrating diverse approaches and information use. Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, 57(1), 25–35.
Tashakkori, A., Johnson, R. B., & Teddlie, C. (2021). Foundations of mixed methods research: Integrating quantitative and qualitative approaches in the social and behavioral sciences. SAGE Publications.
Tawafak, R. M., Al-Rahmi, W. M., Almogren, A. S., Al Adwan, M. N., Safori, A., Attar, R. W., & Habes, M. (2023). Analysis of e-learning system use using combined TAM and ECT factors. Sustainability, 15(14), Article 11100. https://doi.org/10.3390/su151411100
Tenopir, C., Christian, L., & Kaufman, J. (2019). Research publication trends and information seeking in higher education. College & Research Libraries, 80(4), 512–528.
Venkatesh, V., & Bala, H. (2008). Technology acceptance model 3 and a research agenda on interventions. Decision Sciences, 39(2), 273–315. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-5915.2008.00192.x
Wilson, T. D. (1999). Models in information behaviour research. Journal of Documentation, 55(3), 249–270. https://doi.org/10.1108/EUM0000000007145
Wilson, T. D. (2000). Human information behavior. Informing Science, 3(2), 49–55.
Yakubu, M. N., & Dasuki, S. I. (2019). Factors affecting the adoption of e-learning technologies among higher education students in Nigeria: A structural equation modelling approach. Information Development, 35(3), 492–502.
Yamane, T. (1967). Statistics: An introductory analysis (2nd ed.). Harper & Row.
