JournalsKart submission@journalskart.com 8882640642, 011-43101010
Register Login
Peer-Reviewed Open Access Journal

Eduspectra

Army Institute of Education publishes EDUSPECTRA: AIE Interdisciplinary Journal of Research & Education, an annual peer reviewed journal (P-ISSN 2394-9430) which focusses on pertinent issues,...

P-ISSN: 2394-9430 English Since 2017
Submit Manuscript Browse Archives
Current Issue

Vol. 3 No. 1 (2017)

Article Volume - 3 (2017)

Studying the ICT Skills Level in Students Enrolled in IMT-CDL’s Online Courses

Authors
TU
Tushar Marwala
Assistant Professor, Shaheed Sukhdev College of Business Studies, University of Delhi
19 Views
0 Downloads
Published 2017-01-30
Pages 14-38
Abstract

In today’s world, ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) rules the roost. But we all are not equally comfortable using the same or are able to make full use of the available ICT facilities. This concern is relevant in the field of education; while bringing new ICT-enabled tools to our classrooms are we able to fully utilize them? Are faculty members able to use them comfortably and creatively; are students able to benefit from them? Compared to classroom-based courses, the relevance of ICT in the field of distance education is more. Students suffer from constraints of time and locational dispersion and ICT-enabled tools are a feasible medium of student-institution interaction.


ICT tools like login accessible web portals, online bulletin boards, social media tools, videoconferencing classes, online digital libraries, digital whiteboards, PowerPoint slides and recorded lectures etc. are available; however, their suitability varies according to the scenario of the course (regular/classroom based or distance learning). The author has seen vast difference in the comfort levels of both the students and the faculty when faced with using ICT-enabled tools. A study of education, work experience and age based differences are used to create an empirical picture of this comfort level (of the students), thus identifying ways through which the usage of ICT tools can be improved.


Purpose/Objectives: The study aims to assess the level of technology skills and psychology towards the use of technology for both personal and professional (academic) purposes.


Methodology/Approach: A questionnaire was developed to collect data. The questionnaire was circulated to 759 students who are enrolled in the PG (post graduate) level management courses (PGDM or Post Graduate Diploma in Management – as per extant UGC or University Grants Commission nomenclature) (Gazette of India, 2014) offered by Institute of Management Technology: Centre for Distance Learning, Ghaziabad, UP, India (IMT-CDL) through online mode, utilizing ICT tools for course delivery and process.


Hypothesis:
H₀ – ICT usage and IL levels of the respondents is high. (Proved)
H₁ – There is limited scope for further growth in ICT usage given the skills levels of the respondents. (Dis-proved)


Findings: The survey found that a majority of respondents claimed to be tech-savvy and exhibited reasonably high levels of technology readiness and IL (Information Literacy). As per the TRI (Technology Readiness Index) typecasting, 57.33% of the respondents were tech pioneers and explorers. Overall, 73.87% of the respondents claimed to be using ICT enabled services with a score of 3.81 on comfort levels and a confidence level of 75.52%.

Keywords
E-learning ICT technology readiness distance learning technology comfort lavel IMT-CDL
References
  1. Alireza, I. and Vahid, K. (2011). Does information technology affect the level of information literacy? A comparative case study of high school students. Aslib Proceedings, Vol. 63, Issue 6, pp. 618–631. Retrieved August 11, 2012 from http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?articleid=17003977
  2. Bruce, C. S. (1999). Workplace experiences of information literacy. International Journal of Information Management, 19(1999), 33–47. Retrieved August 11, 2012 from http://www.personal.kent.edu/~wrobert/images/WorkplaceInfo.pdf
  3. CILIP (2012). Professional Knowledge and Skills Base, Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals. Retrieved February 16, 2017 from https://www.cilip.org.uk/sites/default/files/Professional%20Knowledge%20and%20Skills%20Base.pdf
  4. DESE, MO, USA (2010, Spring). Information and Communications Technology Literacy Grade-Level Expectations, Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Retrieved August 11, 2012 from http://dese.mo.gov/divimprove/curriculum/GLE/documents/curr-aci-igle-0410.pdf
  5. Elwood, J., and Maclean, G. (2009). ICT usage and student perceptions in Cambodia and Japan. International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Society, 7(2), 65–82. Retrieved August 11, 2012
  6. Enochsson, A. and Rizza, C. (2009). ICT in Initial Teacher Training: Research Review. OECD Education Working Papers, No. 38, OECD Publishing
  7. Google (2012). How to Work with Forms. Google Docs. Retrieved on 06 August, 2012
  8. Hall, M. and Elliott, K.M. (2003). Diffusion of Technology in Business Education to Enhance the Teaching Process. Journal of Education for Business, 78(6), 301–307
  9. Hamid, H. (2001, Mar 29). ICT risks widening of digital divide. Business Times
  10. ILO (2000, December 11). ILO urges training to offset European skills gap in Information and Communications Technology. Retrieved July 13, 2012
  11. Issa, A.O., Blessing, A. and Daura, U.D. (2009). Effects of Information Literacy Skills on the Use of Library Resources by Students of the University of Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria. Library Philosophy and Practice
  12. Julien, H. and Barker, S. (2009). How High-school Students Find and Evaluate Scientific Information. Library and Information Science Research, 31(1), 12–17
  13. Kavulya, J. M. (2003). Challenges facing information literacy efforts in Kenya. Library Management, 24(4), 216–216
  14. Lai, Ming-Ling (2008). Technology readiness, internet self-efficacy and accounting system use of professional accountants. Computers in Human Behavior, 25(1), 18–29
  15. Loïc, G. and Puel, G. (2007). The diffusion of ICT and the notion of digital divide. Geo Journal, 68(1), 1–3
  16. Marwaha, T. (2013). Using social media tools for enhancing student-institution interaction. International Journal of Education, 2(1), 33
  17. Monash University Library (n.d.). American Psychological Association (APA) 6th edition style examples
  18. Mutula, S. M. (2002). E-learning initiative at the University of Botswana. Campus-Wide Information Systems, 19(3), 99–99
  19. Mutula, S. M. and Van Brakel, P. (2007). ICT skills readiness for the emerging global digital economy. Library Hi Tech, 25(2), 231–241
  20. Ojedokun, A.A. (2007). Information Literacy for Tertiary Education Students in Africa. Ibadan, Nigeria
  21. Ono, H. and Zavodny, M. (2007). Digital Inequality: A Five Country Comparison Using Microdata. Social Science Research, 36(3), 1135–1155
  22. Parasuraman, A. (2000). Technology readiness index (TRI). Journal of Service Research, 2(4), 307–320
  23. Parasuraman, A. and Colby, C.L. (2001). Techno-ready Marketing: How and Why Your Customers Adopt Technology. New York: Free Press
  24. Prensky, M. (2001). Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants. On the Horizon
  25. Salleh, M.I.M., Yaacob, R.A., Halim, A.E.A. and Yusuf, Z. (2011). Measuring the Effect of Information Literacy on Academic Performance in Higher Education. IPEDR, 5(1), 506–510
  26. Skolnik, R. and Puzo, M. (2008). Utilization of laptop computers in the school of business classroom. Academy of Educational Leadership Journal, 12(2), 1–10
  27. Gazette of India (2014). University Grants Commission (Specifications of Degree Programmes), New Delhi
  28. Wodzicki, K., and Reinhar, M. (2006). ICT and social inclusion – Paradoxes of the information society. Translation from Google
  29. Westjohn, S. A., Arnold, M. J., Magnusson, P., Zdravkovic, S., and Zhou, J. X. (2009). Technology readiness and usage: A global-identity perspective. Academy of Marketing Science, 37(3), 250–265
  30. Wikipedia (2012a). Philippides. Retrieved August 18, 2012
  31. Wikipedia (2012b). Tim-Berners Lee. Retrieved August 20, 2012
How to Cite
Tushar Marwala . (2017). Studying the ICT Skills Level in Students Enrolled in IMT-CDL’s Online Courses. Eduspectra, 3(1), 14-38.
About This Journal
AIE
Eduspectra
Published by JournalsKart
P-ISSN 2394-9430
✓ Citation copied to clipboard