Assessing the effect of information and communication technology usage on high school student’s academic performance in a developing country

Abstract

The aim of the study is to access the effect of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) usage on Second Cycle Schools (SCSs) student academic performance and its associated challenges in a developing country. To give teachers and students the chance to function in the information age, ICT integration in teaching and learning activities is essential. This study employed a mix method approach to access the effect of ICT usage on SCSs student academic performance and its associated challenges in Ghana. The respondents of this study were chosen using the Yamane formula. A total of one hundred and seventy-two (172) respondents were chosen for this study. Questionnaire and interview guide was used as data collection tool in this study. The study found that the majority of students use mobile phones, computers, the internet/modem, social media, digital cameras, or printers outside of school. The findings again indicated that, ICT usage has improved students’ academic performance. The findings further revealed that students face challenges when using ICT facilities in their learning processes due to limited access to internet connections and the attitude of some teachers when integrating ICT in class. The availability of ICT resources at SCSs and sometimes homes are critical to the success of ICT in SCS education. The study then recommends that parents should make an effort to provide ICT resources for their children. Furthermore, governments of developing countries should make sufficient funds available for providing universal access to ICT to unserved and underprivileged groups.