Description:
This study investigated into the best practice of personal information management for academics in Tanzania, with the aim of raising awareness on the importance of PIM in the College. The study assessed the extent to which CBE academics practice PIM, how PIM is being carried out by academics as well as the challenges experienced by academics in PIM and also, identified mechanism to improve PIM. The study involved 52 respondents including academics and academic Heads of Departments from the College of Business Education- Dodoma campus. The two data collection instruments were employed during data collection; the questionnaire and interview. The purposive sampling technique was used and the collected data were analysed whereby frequency tables, charts and
figures were produced using SPSS software. The findings indicate that there is a low practice of PIM because the majority of CBE-Dodoma academics lack PIM knowledge and skills. Furthermore, the majority of CBE academics uses external hard drives rather than cloud storage media to store their e-information. However, the CBE academics face challenges in practicing PIM. Among the challenges that academics face are; the unreliable internet connection; lack of IT knowledge and skills; forgetting files names;
security in e-information, inadequate skills in handling computer devices and rapid change of technology. The study recommends that CBE management should provide PIM training to all academic staff. Also, the College should purchase modern devices such as switch, router and do regular services in order to have reliable internet service. Furthermore, IT staff should be given a task to introduce modern devices to academics when technology changes in order for them to be up to date. Additionally, CBE librarians should conduct workshop and short courses in the College to bring awareness to academics especially on PIM methods and storage media.