Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Skills and Efficient Management of Educational Resources in Public Secondary Schools

International Society for Teacher Education. Danish School of Education, Aarhus University, Niels Juelsgade 84, 8210 Aarhus N. Denmark; e-mail: [email protected]; Web site: http://isfte.org

Y

12

Technological Literacy; Information Literacy; Skill Development; Administrator Effectiveness; School Administration; Public Schools; Secondary Schools; Principals; Educational Resources; Efficiency; Technology Integration; Foreign Countries

1029-5968

This study investigated information and communication technology (ICT) skills and efficient management of educational resources in public secondary schools in Rivers State, Nigeria. The study which adopted descriptive survey design was guided by two research questions. The 268 secondary school principals in Rivers State constituted the population. A sample of 255 principals which was 95% of the population was drawn through the stratified random sampling technique. A self-structured questionnaire titled: "ICT Skills and Efficient Management of Educational Resources Questionnaire (ICTSEMERQ)" was used for data collection. The instrument which contained 14 items was properly validated and the test retest method using Pearson's Product Moment Correlation Coefficient Statistics for reliability testing yielded an 'r' value of 0.82. Percentages, mean and standard deviation were used to analyse the research questions. The study revealed that the ICT skills needed by principals include among others: knowledge of operating ICT devices, good knowledge of using ICT devices in teaching, ability to use ICT devices to store and retrieve information. The study also revealed that ICT skills enhance efficient management of educational resources through enhancing proper keeping of records, effective communication and proper accountability of educational resources among others. Based on the findings, conclusions were drawn and the following recommendations were made: Rivers State Ministry of Education in collaboration with secondary school's management board should provide capacity building programmes to principals on ICT skills and principals should enroll themselves in institutions where they can obtain ICT literacy and utilization skills.

As Provided

2021

EJ1304612