Perceived ICT competency and ICT usage in teaching and learning among general studies lecturers at KKTM and IKM

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to identify the perceived ICT competency and ICT usage among General Studies lecturers in Kolej Kemahiran Tinggi MARA (KKTM) and Institut Kemahiran MARA (IKM) in their teaching and learning process. The respondents were 420 lecturers from 11 KKTM and 13 IKM in Malaysia. A Likert questionnaire comprising 15 items on perceived ICT competency and 15 items on ICT usage was used to collect the data. The analysis involved descriptive statistics in the forms of frequencies, percentages, mean scores and standard deviations, independent samples t-test and Pearson Product Moment Correlation. The results revealed that a vast majority of the lecturers (>90%) from both institutions perceived being competent in ICT devices and applications, such as Word Processing (98.1%), using the printer (92.9%), search engines (92.8%), LCD projector (92.3%), presentation software (91.2%) and communication tools (90%). There was no statistically significant difference in the respondents` perceived ICT competency as IKM lecturers (M = 3.895) had similar ICT competency as that of KKTM lecturers (M = 3.804). This indicates that institution is not a factor that influences lecturers` perceived competency in ICT. Similarly, in terms of ICT usage, no significant difference was found although KKTM lecturers reported a slightly higher average of ICT usage (M = 4.327) than their IKM counterparts (M = 4.254). The Pearson Correlation Analysis, performed to identify the relationship between perceived ICT competency and ICT usage, showed a significant positive relationship between the two constructs at a moderate influence (r = .603). The positive relationship indicates that the higher the perceived competency for ICT, the higher the usage of ICT among KKTM and IKM lecturers in the classroom. The study concludes with some practical recommendations for KKTM and IKM, such as the upgrading of ICT facilities by both institutions, a systematic assessment of the technology being used by General Studies lecturers, and the provision of appropriate training to maximize the usage of ICT in teaching and learning by the General Studies lecturers.