Digital search competence and online information retrieval in teacher education: evidence from Nigerian colleges of education

In today’s digital academic environment, the ability to locate, evaluate, and apply online information effectively has become a fundamental skill for educators. However, in many developing regions, particularly in Nigeria’s northeastern states, the digital divide continues to restrict educators’ engagement with online academic resources. This study examined the search skills of business educators in colleges of education across Adamawa and Taraba States. It focused on their proficiency in retrieving online information resources, the availability and utilization of digital tools, and the barriers that impede effective access. A descriptive survey design was adopted, and data were collected from accounting, marketing, and management lecturers using a structured questionnaire validated through expert review and pilot testing. The data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics to identify disciplinary variations and explore the relationship between search skills and effective retrieval. Findings revealed that business educators possess basic digital literacy but have limited competence in advanced search techniques such as Boolean operations, database filtering, and citation tracking. Inadequate internet connectivity, high data costs, and the absence of institutional subscriptions to scholarly databases were identified as major constraints. The study found a significant positive relationship between educators’ search skills and their ability to retrieve credible online information resources. The study concludes that strengthening search literacy through continuous professional development, improved institutional access to databases, and targeted digital training programs is vital for enhancing teaching and research quality in business education. This work contributes to the broader discourse on information retrieval competence within low-infrastructure academic environments and offers actionable insights for policymakers, educational administrators, and library professionals in Nigeria and other similar contexts.