Journal of
Media and Communication Studies

  • Abbreviation: J. Media Commun. Stud.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 2141-2545
  • DOI: 10.5897/JMCS
  • Start Year: 2009
  • Published Articles: 232

Full Length Research Paper

Technology and gender equity: Rural and urban students’ attitudes towards information and communication technology

Frederick Kwaku Sarfo*, Alex Marmah Amartei, Kobina Impraim Adentwi and Charles Brefo
Department of Educational Leadership, University of Education, Winneba –Kumasi Campus, P. O. Box 1277, Kumasi Ashanti, Ghana.
Email: [email protected]

  •  Accepted: 06 May 2011
  •  Published: 30 June 2011

Abstract

 

This study explored the attitudes of 324 male and female students from two urban and rural Senior High Schools in Ghana towards information and communication technology (ICT). Their average age was 18.3 with SD of 1.4. A six point Likert–type scale questionnaire was constructed to measure the participants’ attitudes towards: 1) ICT for accelerated development (ICT4AD) policy in Ghana, 2) learning to acquire ICT skills and 3) using ICT to promote teaching and learning. Descriptive statistics, t-independent test, and univariate analysis were used to analyse the data. The results showed that generally students’ attitudes towards technology do not differ in terms of gender. Furthermore, the results indicated that the locality of the male and female students does not influence their attitudes towards technology. However, according to the results students from urban areas have more positive attitudes towards technology than students from rural areas. The results were discussed in line with the literature.

 

Key words: Gender equity, rural areas, urban areas, information and communication technology, attitudes, technology.