Investigation of Social Barriers to the Use of ICT at University Level

Abstract

This research explores the social barrier associated with utilizing Information and Communication Technology (ICT) at the university level. The objectives of this study encompass assessing students' awareness of these barriers, analyzing the relationship between social barriers and ICT use, and investigating the social barriers faced by university-level students when using ICT. The nature of the study was a mixed-method design. The study was limited to the public sector university of Islamabad's capital territory, the International Islamic University of Islamabad (IIUI), and the National University of Modern Language (NUML). The targeted population of the study was all undergraduate and post-graduate students, both male and female, of the public university of Islamabad. The study sample was 238 students. A quota sampling technique was employed to select students from two public universities in Islamabad as the study's sample. The researcher developed a self-developed, closed-ended questionnaire and an interview protocol for students. The questionnaire and interview were finalized after conducting a pilot test. The questionnaire was designed on a five-point Likert scale. The Cronbach Alpha reliability was 0.849. The data was collected and analyzed using Chi-square, Pearson correlation, and linear regression through SPSS. According to the study's silent conclusion, students had a positive attitude toward the difficulties while interacting with ICT for academic purposes. They highly rely on technology usage in education and continually participate in improving their digital skills. Most students agreed that barriers like lack of access to technology and financial constraints affect their academic performance. The study recommended that the institution create an effective learning environment where all students have equal access to ICT usage, digital devices, internet connectivity, and training sessions to improve their digital literacy.