ICT Deployment for Teaching in the COVID-19 Era: A Quantitative Assessment of Resource Availability and Challenges in Public Universities

Abstract

Despite the changes in human behaviour and interactions occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic, many institutions are yet to adapt to the new normal fully. While some educational institutions switched entirely to e-learning to promote teaching and learning, others could not offer education due to physical and social restrictions. Previous studies in Africa have identified reasons for the poor ICT adoption for educational purposes. However, the degree to which these factors affect ICT utilisation is barely analysed. Using a quantitative approach, this study assessed ICT deployment for teaching in the COVID-19 era by focusing on their availability and challenges. A sample of 344 respondents from a population of 2,867 academic staff at two Nigerian public universities participated in the study. After receiving face validity from experts, a structured questionnaire was used for data collection. Cronbach alpha reliability indices of the questionnaire ranged from 0.72 to 0.94. Descriptive statistics (simple percentages, mean, and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (one-way ANOVA) were used for data analysis. Findings generally revealed a moderate extent in the availability of ICT resources in public universities. The cost of data, computer literacy, and electricity supply are challenges that significantly affected ICT deployment in the COVID-19 era. Based on this finding, it was concluded that personal and institutional challenges affect how ICT resources are deployed in public universities. It was recommended, among other things, that the management of each tertiary institution should apportion proceeds from internally generated revenue to procure ICT resources specific to the need of the school. The study provides the ground for further research into students’ use of ICT for educational purposes.

Latent Class Analysis of Postgraduate Students’ Behavioral Characteristics toward ICT Use: What Are Their Job Creation Differences?

“…However, in Nigeria, many researchers have established that word processing, software design, computer hardware management, networking security and systems administration are common ICT skills that characterised most of the population (Akah et al, 2022;Oyediran et al, 2020). It is pretty revealing that the classification of ICT users in the cited studies was rather casual and informed by the experiences of the scholars.…”

Perspectives of Nigerian Graduates on Curriculum Reengineering, Acquisition of Emerging Technologies, and Job Creation: A Descriptive Study

“…For the most part, electronic gadgets (sensing devices and software) are the most often used methods for incorporating new technologies into school curricula (Krajcik & Mun, 2014). Research shows that various new technologies are being utilised to help students learn and teach science (Akah et al, 2022;Owan & Ekpenyong, 2022). Virtual laboratories, dynamic visualisation tools and computational thinking are examples of this, in addition to mobile devices and pedagogic robots, gaming, and technology-mediated play (Oliveira et al, 2019;Potkonjak et al, 2016;Ukpabio et al, 2020).…”

“…In line with this, Ajakaye (2019) pointed out that although faced with fewer government positions and private-sector openings, many university graduates are self-employed via handicrafts, consumer goods selling, agribusiness and networking. Some also render services to liberate themselves from poverty and boost their income (Akah et al, 2022). However, considering the developments in technology, many other opportunities abound for both young and old to tap into the blessings, wealth and abundance of the Internet and other emerging technologies (Owan & Ekpenyong, 2022).…”

Quality management of higher education within the framework of the socio-investment model of economic growth: State audit and financial control

“…Thus, in countries where private social investments in the form of paid educational services in higher education provided by private universities prevail, quality and effectiveness, due to high flexibility and adaptability, are assessed with the help of internal monitoring, control, and audit of private universities, with dual systems of control and audit (internal and external; Kızılay and Ödemiş, 2021). In contrast, state universities, which rely on funding from the state budget, also rely primarily on external monitoring and control-university ratings (Akah et al, 2022;Negash et al, 2022).…”