FACTORS AFFECTING ICT USAGE IN CLASS: AN EXPLORATION OF TEACHERS’ PERCEPTIONS

Abstract

Undoubtedly information and communication technology (ICT) has become a strategic alternative for Higher education in this globalized world. This requires University teachers to be proficient in the ICT usage. Previous researches focused on variables directly linked with teachers thus showing the weak ICT integration level especially in Western settings. This study aimed to identify the factors which affected the use of ICT tools and intended to explore the perceptions of university teachers about ICT. For this, “Information and Communication Technology Usage Survey” scale was administered to university teachers of the Punjab. All university teachers of the Punjab were included into population of the study. Two stage sampling technique was used, at first stage the universities were selected proportionately from total eighteen universities chartered by the government of Punjab. Thirty percent of population i.e., five universities formed the sample. These five universities were selected randomly through lottery method. At second stage teachers were selected through random sampling. Descriptive statistics, Pearson Correlation Coefficient and t-test were used to analyze the data. The results indicate that large number of teachers had access to computers as well as to internet at home and workplace. The results also showed that teachers had high level of perceived expertise in using multiple software of computer, mainly in word, excel, power point, using search engines and emailing. The results also indicate that although they had high level of expertise in using computer software, they usually preferred to use blackboard as supporting teaching medium. The results also indicated a positive relationship between self-efficacy belief and perceived expertise level for using computers.