Assessment of ICT Utilisation in Senior Schools in Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa District

ABSTRACT

This study examined the assessment of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) utilization in the Senior High Schools in Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa District in the Central Region of Ghana. The Research Design employed for the study was descriptive survey. The objectives for the study were to examine the availability, adequacy and accessibility of ICT facilities and services in the selected schools by students and teachers, find out the attitudes and perceptions of students towards ICT usage in teaching and learning environments and state the perceptions of teachers about the usage of ICT for teaching, professional development and personal use. A total sample of 170 respondents took part in the survey that was made up of 120 students and 50 teachers. These samples were picked from five Senior High Schools, comprised of students and teachers: 60 males and 60 females were selected from the students; 12 females, and 38 males constituted the teachers’ sample. Stratified random sampling technique was used to select the students while purposive sampling technique was used to select the teachers. Questionnaire was used as the main instrument for data collection to arrive at an understanding of the phenomenon. Data collected were coded and analysed using SPSS software into frequency tables and simple percentages. The main findings of the study were that; the availability, adequacy and accessibility of ICT facilities and services in the schools were inadequate and very poor. Teachers and students skills of ICT use were restricted to application software. ICT is not being used as a pedagogical tool. Both teachers and students have very positive perceptions and attitudes about ICT and towards the usage of ICT in teaching and learning environment, and their personal use. Recommendations such as provision of internet connectivity to schools without Internet facilities should be accelerated, organization of training, workshops and seminars should be done for teachers regularly to boost their knowledge base in ICT so that they would be motivated and confident to use ICT in their work. Also, stakeholders in education; namely school management, government, teachers, students, Parents Teachers Associations (PTA) and Ghana Education Service were sensitized on the efficient utilization of ICT in the Senior High Schools in Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa District.