Factors influencing university of Nairobi master of education Degree students’ access and utilization of information communication and technology facilities
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to establish factors influencing University of
Nairobi Master of Education degree students’ access and utilization of
Information Communication and Technology facilities. The study was guided by
four research objectives were formulated to guide the stud ICT is often perceived
as a catalyst for change, change in teaching styles, and change in learning
approaches and in access to information. The objectives were to investigate the
influence of age of M.Ed students on the use of electronic resources in accessing
information; to establish how attitude of Med students influence the use of eresources
in accessing information; to find out the influence of university
lecturers on use of e-resources and to establish the effects of availability of
internet enabled computers on use of e-resources by M.Ed students. The study
was based on the innovation diffusion theory which attempt to explain the
variables that influence how and why users adopt a new information medium,
such internet. The researcher applied descriptive survey research design. This is
because the design is useful since it would collect data from members of the
population in order to determine the current status without manipulating the
variables. A total number of 635 M.Ed students were targeted for the study and a
sample of 64 respondents was used. Data collection was done using
questionnaires and analysed using the quantitative method in frequency
distribution tables, percentages and bar graphs. The study findings established that
the age of the M.Ed students affected the use of available e-resources; the younger
ages were more users of the internet in accessing information compared with their
old counterparts. The attitude of the M.Ed students was a factor that affected the
use of e-resources in accessing information. The study established that having
internet enabled computers contributed to speedily information access as opposed
to just having computers without the ability to be used for information search and
retrieval. Based on the findings the study recommended that schools and colleges
should provide enough internet enabled computers to their students with enough
wireless hot point, that there be provision of computer training to equip the
students with hands on skills on using the internet to search for information; and
that government provides funds to enable as many students as possible to acquire
their own computers. Based on suggestions for further research the study
recommended that a similar study should be conducted to determine the
contribution of ICT as an information source to the student performance in order
to find out whether students who own computers /laptops perform better than the
students who do not own computers/laptops. There should be a study to determine
whether students who own computers/laptops perform better than the ones who
do not have and depends on the shared computer laboratory. A study should be
done to assess the value of Information Communication and Technology in
education.
Collections
- Faculty of Education (FEd) [5979]