Motivation for Use of Information Technology by University Faculty: a developing country perspective

Abstract

This study examined factors which motivate lecturers in Nigerian universities to use information technology (IT). A Diffusion of Innovations perspective was adopted for the study. The study employed a questionnaire for data collection. One thousand lecturers from ten universities in Nigeria were sampled. Seven hundred and eighteen completed questionnaires were found usable. The results found that perceived usefulness (relative advantage) and perceived ease of use (complexity) significantly influence the use of IT by lecturers in Nigerian universities. In addition, ease of use was found to be a stronger motivator for IT use than perceived usefulness. Furthermore, both training and level of access to IT significantly influenced the number of computer applications used by lecturers. In addition, level of access to IT was a significant predictor of both the number of computer applications used by lecturers and the frequency with which they used computers. The study concludes that even though innovation characteristics are important predictors of the adoption of IT by Nigerian university lecturers, organizational factors such as providing training and easy access to IT are even more important. Thus, programs aimed at integrating IT into developing country universities should provide effective and well-targeted training programs as well as easy access to IT for lecturers.