Evaluation of Extent of Computer Appreciation Skills Acquired by Secondary School Students for Economic Empowerment

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Evaluation of Extent of Computer Appreciation Skills Acquired by Secondary School Students for Economic Empowerment

Abstract

This study is focused on college students’ computer appreciation skills acquired for economic empowerment. The study employed survey research design and was guided by three research questions. Purposive sampling technique was used to select 272 students drawn from three secondary schools out of the seven schools that offer computer studies. Computer Appreciation Skills Acquisition Questionnaire (CASAQ) was instrument used for data collection made up of 29 items with a reliability coefficient of .94, .83 and .96 obtained using Cronbach Alpha reliability test. Results showed that college students are moderately skilled in data processing, spreadsheet and database skill acquisition required for economic empowerment. It was recommended among others that more time be allocated in the timetable of Computer Studies/ICT subject to enable students have enough time for drills and practice that will guarantee quality skills training.

Keywords: Computer appreciation skills; data processing skills; spreadsheet processing skills; database processing skills; economic empowerment

1. Introduction

In Nigerian and beyond, school systems are “under increasing pressure to use Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to teach students the skills required to function in the knowledge driven economy” (UNESCO in Omariba, Ayot & Ondigi, 2016: 201). Therefore, many educational institutions are today using computers to process their examination results, payment of tuition fees and post assignments through the Internet so that students can access them from the comfort of their rooms. Furthermore, teachers are increasingly using computers and their associated resources to prepare their lessons, implement instructional delivery and evaluate learning outcomes. Perhaps, the increasing widespread use of computers in every aspect of our social and work lives has necessitated its introduction in teaching and learning at all levels of education in Nigeria as enshrined in the 2004 National Policy on Education. One of the specific goals of Nigerian education is “to promote information and communication technology (ICT) capabilities at all levels of education with a view to attain economic empowerment in form of job creation and poverty reduction through skills acquisition” (FGN, 2013:2). It is therefore pertinent that serious attention be given to ICT skill acquisition process of empowering secondary school students for sustainable economic life upon graduation.

Information and communication technologies (ICTs) refer to any system that stores, retrieves, process and transmits information electronically in a digital form (Aibara, 2017; Bailey, 2013; Olelewe & Nzeadibe, 2015). According to Olelewe and Nzeadibe (2015), technological revolutions have created diverse ICT media that are essential for teaching and learning. These ICT media consist of multimedia projectors, mobile phones, websites, portals, and learning management systems like Blackboard, LearnMate, Moodle, etc. as well as other media for data generation, storage, processing, presentation and communication of information (World Bank, 2002). These technologies have virtually permeated into the classroom and thus determine how teaching and learning is conducted in the 21st Century. Therefore, developing an appreciable knowledge of computer and the prerequisite skills for its effective utilization by the teachers and students is not only key to technology acceptance and integration in school curriculum as a subject of study but also as a tool for teaching and learning of computer appreciation skills which is the basis for meaningful work participation in a knowledge-based economy. Literature has shown that the success of any private and public sector employees depends strongly on the adoption of ICT (Rehouma, 2020). Recognizing this fact, the Federal Government of Nigeria introduced the new secondary school curriculum in 2011 with a view to professionally train students in entrepreneurship and vocational skills aimed at equipping them with relevant ICT skills for selfreliance.

Secondary education according to the National Policy on Education (2013) is the type of education children receive after primary education and before tertiary education. It is the formal education for adolescents between ages 11 to 18 (Torane, 2010) which enables them discover their strengths and weaknesses as they are engaged in school activities. Given the recent economic recession facing the Nigerian state, more adolescents are seen not to have access to higher education. It therefore becomes imperative that secondary education should be able to provide students with adequate vocational skills and training opportunities such as the use of new technologies (e.g., computer appreciation), business processes, management of assets (e.g., poultry and livestock), and entrepreneurial skills for socioeconomic empowerment upon graduation. Economic empowerment is the ability to make and act on decisions that involve the control and allocation of financial resources (Golla, Malhotra, Nanda & Mehra, 2011). Torane (2010) posits that one of the ways to achieve economic empowerment is through the acquisition of digital skills that can enable them earn a living, support their families and contribute to the development of their immediate environment.

Furthermore, given the need to ensure that both male and female students effectively acquire computing skills, extant studies have shown that factors such as gender, access to and extent of computer utilization, among others significantly influence acquisition of computing skills (Aesaert, & van Braak, 2015; Alakpodia, 2014; Bundsgaard & Gerick, 2017; Punter, Meelissen & Glas, 2017).

Specifically, gender-related studies on ICT skills acquisition have shown that female students acquire more ICT skills than male students (Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority, 2015). Whereas, Gebhardt, Thomso, Ainley and Hillman (2019) posit that male students acquired computing skills and utilize computers more frequently than female students, other studies (e.g. Claro, et. al., 2012; Hatlevik & Christopherson, 2013; OECD, 2011; Punter, Meelissen & Glas, 2017) showed no significant difference in computing skills acquired by senior secondary school students. Thus, in line with the purpose of the study, the authors sought to gauge if gender difference exists with respect to college students’ computer appreciation skills acquired for economic empowerment in a bid to uncover other plausible explanations that could influence acquisition of computing skills at secondary level of education.

In Nigerian secondary schools, computer appreciation is one of the ICT/computer studies topics taught to students. The rationale behind the integration of computer skills acquisition in the programme of secondary education is to ensure that students are equipped with relevant ICT skills in addition to the general education component of the curriculum for economic empowerment upon graduation (NERDC, 2011). However, less is known regarding the extent to which secondary school students acquires computer appreciation skills for economic empowerment given the rising youth unemployment in Nigeria. For instance, the unemployment rate of Nigeria rose from 6.4% in 2014 to 10.4% in 2015, 13.9% in 2016, and 17.6% in 2018 and is projected to reach 33.5% by the year 2023 (National Bureau of Statistics, 2017). Apparently, the Nigerian youths (45% of the population) account for the majority of the unemployed with the underemployed estimated at 17.6 million representing 49.7% of the population. The lack of empirical data regarding the extent to which Nigerian secondary school students possesses computer appreciation skills for economic empowerment have continued to hinder ICT policy actions that can help ameliorate the consequences of youth unemployment such as kidnapping, terrorism, prostitution, armed robbery, rural-urban migration, among other social problems. This problem is perceived to get bigger as the youth population continues to grow, and as the Nigerian economy continues to depend heavily on oil revenues (National Bureau of Statistics, 2018). In view of the foregoing, the major purpose of this study was to determine the computer appreciation skills acquired by secondary school students in Nsukka metropolis for economic empowerment.

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