Information Technology availability and its utilization by Academic Staff of Covenant University, Nigeria

Abstract

Information technology (IT) availability in organizations may not necessarily translate to utilization. This study therefore investigated the availability and utilization. of IT among the academic staff of Covenant University Nigeria. Survey research design was adopted. Using total enumeration technique, data were collected from the academic staff in all the 16 academic departments in the institution using a questionnaire tagged Information Technology Availability and Utilization Questionnaire ITAUQ (a=0.72). All the 300 academic staff in the university were sampled, however, 175 questionnaire were eventually retrieved and used for the study. This represents 58.3% response rate. The study found that internet ( =3.37; SD=0.97), computers ( =3.06; SD = 1.47), Online/CD-ROM databases ( = 2.97; SD = 1.17), photocopiers ( =2.93; SD='=1.30); local area network ( =2.47; SD=1.60), audio-visuals ( =2.47; SD=1.36) and printers ( =2.14; SD=l.48) were available; while computers ( =3.76; SD=0.73), internet ( =3.53; SD=l.10), photocopiers ( =2.74; SD=1.40), printers ( =2.70; SD=l.41) and Online/CD-ROM databases ( =2.06; SD=l.59) were found to be frequently utilized. IT availability had significant relationship with IT utilization (r=0.666; P<0.01). There was no significant difference in the utilization of IT resources based on gender (t=0.1745, d£=173; P>0.05). The study recommends periodic upgrade of IT resources and staff IT skills improvement through training.