Perception of Secondary School Education Administration on ICT Usage
Chapter One
Objectives of the Study
- To know the level of ICT use for educational purposes by educational administrators.
- To analyze the attitudes among educational administrators, towards the use of ICT for educational purposes.
- To determine the significant relationship between educational administrators’ level of ICT use and their attitudes towards ICT.
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
ICT Use in Secondary School Administration
Kenya promulgated a National ICT Policy in January 2006 giving priority to ICT. This provided the basis for the Ministry of Education to develop its sector policy on ICT in Education and in June 2006, the Ministry introduced the National ICT Strategy for Education and Training. (Ministry of Information and Communications, 2006). The Government of Kenya is keen to utilise ICT and other resources to increase access to education for all Kenyans. In March 2004, GOK funded the design and development of the egovernment strategy to provide a common framework and direction across the public schools and all other sectors. The policy is intended to enhance collaboration in the development and implementation of ICT within and among GOK institutions as well as between the business community and the citizens of Kenya. The ICT policy required standards to be developed for hardware, software, and training, which considers the use of refurbished computers in schools and provides additional guidance as appropriate. Further, in the 9th May 2005 draft, Kenya Education Sector Support Program and Ministry of Education Science and Technology (2005) indicate that: The government appreciates and recognises that an ICT literate workforce is the foundation on which Kenya can acquire the status of a knowledge economy. Against this background, the government intends to make education the natural platform for equipping the nation with ICT skills in order to create a dynamic and sustainable economic growth. (p.105) The government has therefore formulated a national information and communication technology policy. In line with this policy, the government developed a strategic plan for ICT (e-government) thus paving the way for widespread use of ICT in government and educational administrative offices. It is from this policy background that the education and training sector requires school principals to play a major role in the implementation of the proposed ICT policy as noted: Successful introduction and use of ICT in education and training institutions will play a critical role in disseminating skills to a wider society, thus creating a positive impact in the economy. To facilitate faster dissemination of ICT skills in the country, the MOEST will work with other stakeholders, such as school administrators, in establishing ICT capacities across the country and schools. (MOEST, 2005) The use of data in school administration currently has multiple measures and it acts as an eye opener to administrators in demographics, school processes, student learning, as well as perceptions and projections (Bernhardt 2000).
Principals in secondary schools need effective and fast communication and accessibility to information as Wiley (2003) remarks. As a professional educator, you are a professional communicator. Administrators need to correspond through e-mail and the internet, creating websites for school marketing. They can save time while using a program to communicate to parents, teachers, students, other school administrators, business executives, suppliers and the wider community. Effective educators must possess ICT knowledge. Whitehead et. al (2003), on ‘changing strategies in technology’ noted that administrative leaders have misdirected planning efforts by envisioning technological direction around where educators are and how to move forward. Instead, he suggests that we envision where we want to be and then work backward in designing the appropriate frameworks to get us there.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
INTRODUCTION
In this chapter, we described the research procedure for this study. A research methodology is a research process adopted or employed to systematically and scientifically present the results of a study to the research audience viz. a vis, the study beneficiaries.
RESEARCH DESIGN
Research designs are perceived to be an overall strategy adopted by the researcher whereby different components of the study are integrated in a logical manner to effectively address a research problem. In this study, the researcher employed the survey research design. This is due to the nature of the study whereby the opinion and views of people are sampled. According to Singleton & Straits, (2009), Survey research can use quantitative research strategies (e.g., using questionnaires with numerically rated items), qualitative research strategies (e.g., using open-ended questions), or both strategies (i.e., mixed methods). As it is often used to describe and explore human behaviour, surveys are therefore frequently used in social and psychological research.
POPULATION OF THE STUDY
According to Udoyen (2019), a study population is a group of elements or individuals as the case may be, who share similar characteristics. These similar features can include location, gender, age, sex or specific interest. The emphasis on study population is that it constitutes of individuals or elements that are homogeneous in description.
This study was carried to examine Perception of secondary school education administration on ict usage. Staffs of Wuse comprehensive college Abuja form the population of the study.
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
INTRODUCTION
This chapter presents the analysis of data derived through the questionnaire and key informant interview administered on the respondents in the study area. The analysis and interpretation were derived from the findings of the study. The data analysis depicts the simple frequency and percentage of the respondents as well as interpretation of the information gathered. A total of eighty (80) questionnaires were administered to respondents of which only seventy-seven (77) were returned and validated. This was due to irregular, incomplete and inappropriate responses to some questionnaire. For this study a total of 77 was validated for the analysis.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
Introduction
It is important to ascertain that the objective of this study was to ascertain Perception of secondary school education administration on ict usage. In the preceding chapter, the relevant data collected for this study were presented, critically analyzed and appropriate interpretation given. In this chapter, certain recommendations made which in the opinion of the researcher will be of benefits in addressing the challenges of Perception of secondary school education administration on ict usage
Summary
This study was on perception of secondary school education administration on ict usage. Three objectives were raised which included: To know the level of ICT use for educational purposes by educational administrators, to analyze the attitudes among educational administrators, towards the use of ICT for educational purposes and to determine the significant relationship between educational administrators’ level of ICT use and their attitudes towards ICT. The study adopted a survey research design and conveniently enrolled 80 participants in the study. A total of 77 responses were received and validated from the enrolled participants where all respondents were drawn from wuse comprehensive college Abuja. Hypothesis was tested using Chi-Square statistical tool (SPSS).
Conclusion
In conclusion, the introduction and adoption of ICT in schools ensures an advanced electronic administrative framework. Information management systems can be used for the modeling and organization of administrative procedures, which align school administration with the principles and strategies of our information society. Within this framework, administrators are expected to be equipped with technological infrastructure to provide the educational community with upgraded technology applications. We may also observe that ICT is being increasingly implemented in schools considering the valuable benefits that school units have gained by using advanced technological tools in their everyday work. However, it is important to create the environment necessary for the successful and efficient adoption of new technologies in the classroom as well as in administration, taking into consideration that school management is regarded as one of the main factors contributing to a school’s effective function.
Recommendation
The study recommends that teachers should develop positive attitude towards ICT, teachers should be trained on how to use ICT in teaching. The study also recommends that schools authorities should empower teachers by facilitating in service training, provide enough ICT facilities. The Ministry of education needs to give more funds to establish at least minimum ICT facilities to enable the school to have these infrastructures for teaching. The study further recommends that the government through the Ministry of Education should make ICT training mandatory in Teachers education, introduce in service ICT training programmes for teachers in public schools, fund public schools to purchase ICT infrastructures, employ ICT technical staff in public schools as there are laboratory technicians in public schools, teachers resource centres should be equipped with ICT facilities for immediate access
References
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- Cone, J. D & Foster, S. L, (2005). Dissertations and theses from start to finish. Washington DC: American Psychological Association.
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