Evaluating the Influence of Digital Platforms on the Usage of Francophone Literature in Selected Universities across Four South-Western Nigerian States

Abstract

This study examines how digital platforms influence the reading and engagement patterns of university students with Francophone literature in South-Western Nigeria. The identified issue is related to the inaccessibility to Francophone texts and insufficient institutional assistance in an ever more digitalized learning environment. The research will evaluate the level of engagement of students using digital medium (e-books, online literary magazines, and social media), determine the importance of digital literacy and discuss the institutional influences upon the access and reading practices. Mixed-method approach (quantitative survey using n=150 and qualitative interview using n=30 students and 6 lecturers) was used in six universities that were a mixture of federal, state, and private. Descriptive statistics, correlation and thematic analysis were used to analyze data. In the findings, there was much engagement in digital reading, especially using e-books and social media, medium institutional support with many continued infrastructural problems like low internet connectivity. The correlation between the use of the digital platforms and the engagement with the Francophone texts was identified as positive (r = 0.63, p < 0.05). The federal universities were slightly more engaged compared to the state and private universities. The research findings are that digital sources are changing the reading pattern and encouraging the desire to read Francophone literature which is slowed down by the infrastructural and pedagogical barriers. It suggests the presence of better ICT infrastructure, implementation of digital literacy courses in institutions, and better access to e-resources in French to libraries to promote a long-term and inclusive culture of digital reading in Nigerian higher learning.