E-readiness status and academic performance in technical training institutions in Kenya: case of Diploma in Information Technology

Abstract

Many technical training institutions are currently investing in information and communication technology so that they can improve ICT infrastructure and indirectly, the e-readiness status. By attaining high levels of e-readiness status, it is a conventionally accepted perception that the overall academic performance of the institutions will improve. However, despite these efforts, the academic performance of some institutions has been poor raising concern over the actual effectiveness of the ICT projects undertaken. This project therefore aimed at exploring the correlation (if any) that exists between e-readiness status and academic performance of technical training institutions in Kenya with a special focus on Diploma in Information Technology course. The project involved three major activities: (i) Developing an e-readiness assessment model appropriate for technical training institutions. (ii) Carrying out a diagnostic e-readiness assessment of the sample institutions. (iii) Establishing correlation between e-readiness status and academic performance for the sample institutions. The project methodology involved carrying out both quantitative and qualitative research to obtain the e-readiness data while the national examination results for the last four years were obtained from the respective registrars of the sample technical training institutions selected. The e-readiness indexes were then compared with the examination results. The preliminary results obtained were then analyzed through the use of statistical techniques to establish whether any relationship exists between the two variables. The results obtained indicated a positive correlation. The positive correlation obtained implied that by raising the e-readiness status of an institution, the academic performance would ultimately increase. There is therefore need for technical training institutions to be made e-ready so as to improve academic performance.