THE LEVEL OF UNIVERSITIES ACADEMIC STAFF ENGAGEMENT IN COMPUTER-BASED TRAINING PROGRAMMES FOR EMPOWERMENT TOWARDS USING EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES IN ERA OF COVID-19 PANDEMIC IN ANAMBRA STATE

Abstract

The ineffectiveness of many academic staff towards using most emerging computer technologies to promote quality instructional delivery in the universities, prompted the present study. It has been observed from literature that many factors inhibit academic staff proficiency in promoting quality teaching and learning delivery in the Nigerian universities, including those in Anambra State. Not[1]ably, if academic staff of the universities can effectively engage in computer-based training programmes, such will empower them towards using emerging technologies in this era of Covid-19 pandemic in order to support teaching and learning in the classrooms, likewise quality services and teaching delivery will be guaranteed. The present study therefore was designated to investigate the extent of universities academic staff engagement in computer-based training programmes for their empowerment towards using emerging technologies in era of Covid-19 pandemic in Anambra State. Adopting the descriptive survey research design, three research questions guided the study. Total population of the study comprised 2,397 academic staff from two universities in Anambra State.  The sample size was 719 academic staff of the two universities in Anambra State selected at 30% using the simple random sampling technique. A 29-item questionnaire personally developed by the researcher and titled “Extent of Universities Academic Staff Engagement in Computer Training Programmes for Empowerment Towards using Emerging Technologies (EUASECTPETET) was the main instrument for data collection. It was structured on a 4-point scale of Very High Extent (VHE), High Extent (HE), Low Extent (LE) and Very Low Extent (VLE). The questionnaire was validated by three experts from the Department of Educational Management and Policy including a Measurement and Evaluation expert, from the Faculty of Education, in Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State. A pilot test was conducted on a sample of 25 academic staff from one university in Delta State in order to establish reliability of the instrument. Using Cronbach Alpha statistics to measure the scores collated after the pilot test, this gave coefficient reliability value of 0.91, 0.95 and 0.93 for the three clusters respectively, which also yielded an overall internal consistency reliability value of 0.93 when the three scores were added up, showing that the instrument was reliable. Data were analyzed using mean scores rated at 2.50 and standard deviation statistics. Findings of the study revealed among others that the extent of universities academic staff engagement in computer-based training programmes for their empowerment towards using various emerging technologies in era of Covid-19 pandemic in Anambra State was to a low extent. Based on the findings of this study, recommendations were proffered and among them include that universities academic staff constant engagement in basic fundamental computer-based training programmes for their empowerment towards using emerging technologies in the era of Covid-19 should be supported through the Federal and State governments adequate financing, scholarships and incentives by concerned officials such as the university management, private sector and other agencies, among others.