ASSESSMENT OF USE OF TECHNOLOGY IN ADVANCING DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION IN HIGHER EDUCATION IN ENUGU STATE

Abstract

This study assessed the use of technology in advancing diversity and inclusion in higher education in Enugu State. Two research questions guided the study while two null hypotheses were tested at .05 level of significance. The researcher adopted a descriptive survey research design for this study. The population for the study was 1811 respondents (1067 male and 744 female lecturers) in Enugu State-owned higher institutions. The sample for the study was 181 (107 male and 74 female lecturers). The sample size was obtained using stratified proportionate random sampling technique. The instrument for data collection was a researcher structured questionnaire titled “Use of Technology in Advancing Diversity and Inclusion in Higher Education Questionnaire (UTADIHEQ)”. The instrument was subjected to face validation by three experts from the field of education. The reliability co-efficient of the instrument was calculated using Cronbach Alpha method which yielded .82 for cluster 1 and .80 for cluster 2 with an overall reliability index of .81 which indicated that the instrument was reliable and appropriate for data collection. Mean ratings and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions, while t-test statistic was used to test the hypotheses. The findings of the study showed that technological infrastructure is utilized to a low extent in advancing diversity and inclusion in higher education in Enugu State. Also, online learning platforms are utilized to a very low extent in the advancement of diversity and inclusion in higher education in Enugu State. Based on the findings of the study, the researcher recommended amongst others that Enugu State government should implement training programmes for lecturers to enhance their skills in utilizing online learning platforms for promoting diversity and inclusion. This could include workshops on creating inclusive content, using diverse teaching methodologies, and leveraging technology effectively.