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Extent of Information and Communication Technology Usage among Agriculture Undergraduates, Implications for Agricultural Development
Abstract
Agriculture undergraduates are the bedrock of future agricultural development. It is therefore pertinent examine how they are aligning with the wave of information and communication technology and communication technology in contemporary times in Nigeria. This study focused on determining the extent of information and Communication Technology usage among agriculture undergraduates and the implications for agricultural and rural transformation. Data were collected
with the aid of structured questionnaire from 112 randomly selected undergraduates of the School of Agricultural technology of the federal University of technology, Owerri, Nigeria. Data analysis was by the use of descriptive statistics. Finding of the study revealed that usage level of ICT among respondents was high in E-mail {mean score =2.41}. The web {mean score = 2.34} and computer operation {mean score = 1.77}, but low in CD-ROM {mean score =1.09} and chartroom {mean score
=1.41}. it was also found that respondents use ICT for handling assignments {mean score =2.61}, project work {mean score =2.27}, scholarship information {mean score {= 1.70}, project work {mean
score = 2.27}, general agricultural information {mean score =2.22}, seminar {mean score =1.55}. It was found that respondents use ICT tools in commercial business centres and a large proportion of the respondents spent 5 hours weekly on average on ICT and spent up to N200. it was also
recommended that the university should provide agriculture undergraduates with cyber café and some hours of grace should be given to them in order to reduce financial burden on them. The implications of the findings are that agriculture undergraduates are well informed about
contemporary agricultural information and are adequately prepared for transforming agricultural development in Nigeria. in view of this extension education policy should be developed to ensure that agriculture undergraduates are provided skills that will foster more interest in the use of information and communication technology. This will make them more relevant to national development.
with the aid of structured questionnaire from 112 randomly selected undergraduates of the School of Agricultural technology of the federal University of technology, Owerri, Nigeria. Data analysis was by the use of descriptive statistics. Finding of the study revealed that usage level of ICT among respondents was high in E-mail {mean score =2.41}. The web {mean score = 2.34} and computer operation {mean score = 1.77}, but low in CD-ROM {mean score =1.09} and chartroom {mean score
=1.41}. it was also found that respondents use ICT for handling assignments {mean score =2.61}, project work {mean score =2.27}, scholarship information {mean score {= 1.70}, project work {mean
score = 2.27}, general agricultural information {mean score =2.22}, seminar {mean score =1.55}. It was found that respondents use ICT tools in commercial business centres and a large proportion of the respondents spent 5 hours weekly on average on ICT and spent up to N200. it was also
recommended that the university should provide agriculture undergraduates with cyber café and some hours of grace should be given to them in order to reduce financial burden on them. The implications of the findings are that agriculture undergraduates are well informed about
contemporary agricultural information and are adequately prepared for transforming agricultural development in Nigeria. in view of this extension education policy should be developed to ensure that agriculture undergraduates are provided skills that will foster more interest in the use of information and communication technology. This will make them more relevant to national development.
