AN ASSESSMENT ON HOW STUDENTS’ TECHNICAL COMPETENCE INFLUENCES INTEGRATION OF ICT ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE AMONG FORM THREE STUDENTS IN PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN KISII SOUTH SUB COUNTY

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of students’ technical competence ICT integration on the academic performance of Form Three students in public secondary schools in Kisii South Sub County, Kisii County, Kenya. The study utilized Academic Achievement Theory. A mixedmethods approach with a concurrent triangulation design was employed, combining both quantitative and qualitative methods. The quantitative approach was used to collect numerical data, while the qualitative approach aimed to understand teachers' and students' perceptions of ICT adoption and its impact on academic performance. The target population consisted of 195 teachers, 28 principals, and 530 students, totaling 753 individuals. Purposive sampling was used to select 28 secondary schools in Kisii South Sub County, from which six schools were chosen due to their use of ICT. Simple random sampling was then applied to select 59 teachers and 160 Form Three students, resulting in a total sample size of 225 respondents. Data collection was carried out using questionnaires for principals, teachers, and students. Qualitative data were analyzed narratively, while quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS version 24 and presented through frequency tables, percentages, and descriptive statistics. The study found that 77% of students demonstrated high technical competence. The study recommended that the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology review and fully implement ICT integration in all public secondary schools. These findings are significant for the Ministry and contribute to the realization of Kenya Vision 2030.