AGE, GENDER AND INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY SKILLS ACQUISITION AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN CALABAR EDUCATION ZONE OF CROSS RIVER STATE, NIGERIA.

¹Obiji, Donatus Ph. D, ²Otu, Bernard Diwa Ph.D, ³Otu, stella Deborah Bokan and ⁴Onuoha Chinasa Rejoice

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of age and gender on Information and Communication Technology skills acquisition among secondary school students in Calabar Education Zone of Cross River State. Nigeria. To achieve the purpose of this study, two null hypotheses were generated to direct the study. The literature review was done according to the variables under study. Survey research design was adopted for the study. A sample of four hundred and eighty (480) respondents was randomly selected for the study. The questionnaire was the instrument used for data collection. The instrument was subjected to face and content validity by the supervisor and experts in measurement and evaluation in the Faculty of Education, University of Calabar. The reliability estimate of the instrument was established through the Cronbach Alfa reliability method. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and independent t-test analysis were the statistical analysis techniques adopted to test the hypotheses under study. All hypotheses were subjected to testing at .05 level of significance with relative degrees of freedom. The results of the analysis revealed that age and gender significantly influence to Information and Communication Technology skills acquisition.  Based on the findings of the study it was recommended that Government and professional bodies like Nigerian Association of Teachers of Technology (NATT) should organize workshops, conferences and seminars as to train and encourage young teachers on the use of the ICT as an innovative technique. Government at all levels through the ministry of education should raise gender based awareness workshops and seminars on the need to allow female students actively participate in ICT skills acquisition.

Keywords: Age, Gender, ICT and Skills Acquisition