Unlocking the Potential of ICT for Transformative Learning among Youth: A Path to 21st Century Competencies

Abstract

This paper reports the potentials of ICT in enhancing the acquisition of the 21 st Century skills among youth in Higher Learning Institutions (HLIs). Within this broad aim, the paper highlights the possibilities of engaging youth in transformative learning tasks through technology as a necessary pedagogical tool for improving digital competence. The study employed quantitative and qualitative strategies in which both an online survey questionnaire and Focus Group Discussion were used for data collection. The link to the online questionnaire was distributed through Edmodo Learning Management System (LMS). A total of 133 respondents were purposively sampled. The SPSS version 21 was used to run the mean score and present findings in a tabular form. The qualitative data from the FGD were subjected to framework analysis. The findings included the prevalence of youth with moderate technological competence at the mean score of 2.83 while some lacked exposure to market-driven programmes and industrial attachment. Instructors integrate ICT in their teaching though they use very minimal tasks to promote youth entrepreneurship skills. Again, there are several stumbling blocks to the 21 st Century skills acquisition. These include low accessibility of online resources, learning management systems, and unreliable internet. The paper concludes that deliberate efforts are required for critical investment in ICT at all levels of education. It recommends a collaborative approach among stakeholders in HLIs towards the acquisition of 21 st Century skills among youth.

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