Perception of Nigerian Lecturers on Usefulness, Ease of Use and Adequacy of Use of Digital Technologies for Research Based on University Ownership

Semiu Olawale Makinde,Samuel Nathaniel,Oyeronke Olufunmilola Ogunlade

doi:10.30935/ijpdll/10881

Abstract

This paper investigated the perception of Nigerian lecturers on usefulness, ease of use and adequacy of use of digital technologies for research based on university ownership. The use of digital technologies for research in the 21st century for ease and access of information cannot be underscored irrespective of lecturers’ university ownership. The study was descriptive of survey type using structured questionnaire to elicit response from the respondents. A total of 742 respondents were drawn purposively from 13 public comprising state and federal universities in South-west, Nigeria. The research instrument was validated by 3 educational technologists and the reliability indices of r=0.92, 0.85 and 0.83 using Cronbach Alpha was attained on perceived usefulness, ease of use and adequacy of use of digital technologies respectively for research at 0.05 level of significance. Frequency counts, means and percentages were used to answer research questions 1-3, while 3 research hypotheses were tested using independent t-test statistical instrument. The finding revealed that lecturers in the federal government owned universities exemplified high perception on the usefulness and ease of use of digital technologies. However, lecturers from state government owned universities perceived adequacy of use of digital technologies for accomplishing research task effectively with minimum error. The study among others provision of institutional support, procurement of needed digital technologies and internet facilities, seminars, workshops and trainings to all university lecturers on usefulness, ease of use of newer digital technologies and skills to possess in accomplishing research task effectively with minimum error; irrespective of university ownership.

Highlights

The avid thirst for knowledge via electronic resources and common parlance of “publish or perish” in academic community compelled lecturers to employ the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) for academic research
A study conducted by Samuel, Onasanya, and Olumorin (2018) extended Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and the findings revealed that university lecturers generally had positive perception toward usefulness, ease of use and adequacy of use of mobile technologies; moderating variable was not included in the conduct of the research
Difference in perception existed among the university lecturers on perceived of usefulness of digital technologies for research based on university ownership

Summary

Introduction

The avid thirst for knowledge via electronic resources and common parlance of “publish or perish” in academic community compelled lecturers to employ the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) for academic research. University system is anchored on efficient production of quality graduates with abilities, competences and employability skills for effective job delivery that will facilitate national development and growth; (Udoh-Uwah & Etim, 2018); through trained academic staff that has considerable knowledge research publications, organization of seminars and mentorship programmes. Famurewa (2014), and Halidu (2015) found out that underfunding of Nigerian state universities has effects of: inaccessibility to research grants, inadequate internet and ICT facilities, ill-equipped libraries and poor manpower training and development on the lecturers’ productivity vis-à-vis academic research publication. Abba and Lamido - Gora (2019) found out that the level of university lecturers’ proficiency and usefulness of digital and internet facilities are major factors that encouraged them to frequently access electronic resources for dissemination of academic finding via publication.

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Conclusion