Gender differences are one aspect of the overall cultural differences that exist between human beings. National/ethnic and gender differences constitute the socio-cultural factors that influence perceptions and behaviors. Gender differences found across a wide variety of disciplines apply equally well to emerging computer-based technologies. One of the new technological systems is the computer described as a device for the most effective communication and individual education. The success of technology-based instruction usage for learning is primarily due to its potential to integrate various types of media but gender inequality in learners' perception of, attitude towards, and intention to use technology, belief, view, motives and motivation, and behavioural intention has created disparity in their acceptance and use of this new technologies. Therefore, this study investigates gender differences in acceptability and usability of a computer learning package for teaching thermionic emission in electrical and electronics technology. This study adopts a Causal comparative research design with the design and development of the learning package. 80 students in 200 Level and ND1 (First Year Students of National Diploma) of the department of Electrical and Electronics engineering and Technology in a University and Polytechnic in Ogun State formed the respondents for the study. 40 students are randomly selected from each school with the total number of 18 females and 62 males. The developed package and 43 questionnaire items were used as data collection tools. The designed and developed package was presented to each student for interaction and later the structured questionnaire (Cronbach alpha = 0.89) was administered to the respondents for data collection. Two research questions were raised and two hypotheses were tested in the study. Data collected were analysed using T-test at 0.05 level of significance. The research findings revealed a non significant gender difference in both acceptability and usability of the FOSS-based package (df = 78; t = 1.620; P > 0.05 and df = 78; t = 0.668; P > 0.05 respectively). Based on the findings, it is concluded that there most likely will not be gender differences in the achievement of males and females using this computer based package. Consequently reducing the gender gap in science and technology.
This study reported the use of a Free Open Source Software (FOSS), the Microsoft Learning Content Development System (Ms LCDS) to design and develop a learning package in electrical and electronic technology for teaching thermionic emission and investigated the acceptability and usability of the learning package. This study adopted a descriptive survey design. 80 students of electrical and electronics engineering and technology were randomly selected from two higher institutions in the country. A structured questionnaire with a reliability coefficient of 0.89 was used for data collection. Six research questions were raised and data collected was analysed using mean, standard deviation and Multiple Regression at 0.05 level of significance. The research findings revealed high acceptability and usability levels of the learning package (Mean=5.14 and Mean=3.35 respectively). A significant joint effect of self-efficacy, attitude and subjective satisfaction was revealed on acceptability (F (3, 76) =9.458; p<0.05) while a significant joint effect of perceived enjoyment, self-efficacy, attitude and subjective satisfaction was revealed on usability (F (4, 75) =9.418; p<0.05). Based on the findings, it is recommended amongst other things that computer assisted materials or packages be developed for topics that may need some extra support to teach.
The first mission statement of Nigerian National policy for Information Technology (IT) is to use IT for education and a major underlining factor in achieving the goals of the National IT policy is the readiness of teachers to use IT. It is against this background that this study was set to investigate the readiness of teachers in Nigeria to integrate IT in instruction. Three research questions were generated and answered in the study. The study adopted the descriptive survey design using two questionnaires (Teachers Information Technology Preparedness Questionnaire and Basic Information Technology Practical Skills Activities) to collect data from a total of 470 teachers who were selected through the simple random sampling technique. Data analysis for the research questions was done through the use of simple percentage
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.