LECTURERS’ ICT SKILLS IN KNOWLEDGE SHARING: A FOCUS ON SCIENCE EDUCATORS IN FEDERAL COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, OBUDU, CROSS RIVER STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The study examined the influence of lecturers’ ICT skills in knowledge sharing by Science educators in Federal College of Education, Obudu, Cross River State.  Five (5) aim and objectives guided the study, and five (5) research questions were raised for the study.  Descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. The population of the study consisted of all the twenty six (26) Science Education Lecturers (educators) who lecture in the departments of Biology, Chemistry and Physics respectively. A simple random sampling technique was used to select a sample size of eighteen (18) science educators consisting of eight (8) Biology lecturers, five (5) Chemistry lecturers and five (5) Physics lecturers (respondents). A researcher self-made 4-point Likert scale instrument titled “Lecturers’ ICT skills and Knowledge Sharing Questionnaire (LICTSKSQ)” was used for data collection which was validated by the experts in the field of measurement and evaluation. Data obtained were analyzed using frequency counts and mean scores. Findings of the study showed possession of some ICT skills such as social media utilization skills, web navigational skills, among others. It also revealed the sources through which science educators in Federal College of Education, Obudu acquire their ICT skills. These sources include personal reading/research and attending conferences/seminars, among others. The study revealed that the adoption of lectures, use of meetings, presentation/delivering of papers at conferences, are the top-most patterns adopted by science educators for knowledge sharing. Furthermore, it was revealed that efficiency in communication, access to wider population, and proper understanding of knowledge shared are among the influence of science educators’ ICT skills on their knowledge sharing practices. The study also revealed that science educators are faced with challenges in respect of the acquisition of ICT skills and knowledge sharing, which includes, but not limited to inadequate ICT skills on the side of the science educators, absence of quality ICT training programmes, high cost of ICT gadgets, etc. Based on the revealed influence of ICT skills and the challenges facing the application of these skills for knowledge sharing, the study recommended among others that ICT facilities should be provided and its functionality ensured so as to improve science educators’ access to it within the College.