The Degree of Acquisition of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Competencies among Faculty Members at Kuwait University from their Point of View: An Exploratory Study

Abstract

This study aimed to demonstrate/identify the extent/degree to which faculty members at Kuwait University possess information and communication technology (ICT) competencies from their point of view, in addition to revealing the impact of some independent variables (i.e., gender, specialization, and years of professional experience) on the acquisition level. The study adopted the analytical, exploratory, descriptive, quantitative research methodology, and used the questionnaire as a tool to collect data. A stratified random sample of 441 faculty members participated electronically in this research study during the second semester of 2019/2020 academic year. The results indicated that the degree of availability of information and communication technology competencies among the faculty members at Kuwait University was generally "medium/average" (M = 2.65, SD = 0.99, RII = 0.53). Where the estimates of the faculty members indicated that the extent to which they possess ICT competencies is "medium/average" in all of the study’s dimensions/constituents/topics. The findings of the study also revealed that there are statistically significant differences at the significance level of 0.01 between the responses of faculty members regarding the degree to which they possess ICT competencies due to the variables of gender (in favor of the female category), specialization (in favor of the category of scientific specializations), and years of professional experience (in favor of the category with the highest years of experience (more than 10 years), in the vast majority of the study’s dimensions/constituents/topics separately, and in the tool as a whole. The study concluded with some recommendations.

Keywords: information and communication technology competencies, ICT competencies, educational/instructional technology competencies, electronic teaching and learning competencies, distance teaching and learning competencies, degree/level/extent of acquisition/possession, perceptions/opinions of faculty members, post-secondary education, State of Kuwait