ABSTRACT
This study aimed to determine the influence of exposure to information and communication technology (ICT) and learning performance of Grade 4 pupils of Bugo Central School, Bugo, Cagayan de Oro City.
There were 80 Grade 4 pupils of Bugo Central School participated in this study. A descriptive research method was used in the study. Research questionnaires and interview were used to determine the extent of pupils’ ICT exposure. The statistical treatment used were mean value and standard deviation, frequency counts and percentages, and z-test to determine the level of pupils’ exposure to ICT, pupils’ learning performance, and the significant difference between pupils’ learning performance and the level of their ICT exposure.
The findings revealed that pupils who were exposed to ICT performed better academically in school compared to pupils without exposure to information and communication technology. Subsequently, findings indicated that there exists a difference in learning performance between pupils with higher exposure to information and communication technology compared to those who were not exposed to ICT. This means that pupils with ICT exposure performed better in their academic subjects compared to those with less or no exposure to ICT at all.
It was recommended that pupils should be provided with guided-ICT use on the first level of education to supplement learning.
KEY WORDS: Information and Communication Technology, academic performance, ICT users, non-ICT users
INTRODUCTION
The advent of technology has facilitated in learning and developing the 21st century competencies in the Philippines schools today because the use of information and communication technology (ICT) has gained wide acceptance particularly among school children today.
Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is prevalent, indispensable and plays a great part in the dynamic and reforming educational systems in the Philippines as well as the way of learning in the present. It forms part of the many aspects of the learner’s daily lives.
The framework of this study is guided on DepEd Order No.78, s.2010 - “Guidelines on the Implementation of the DepEd Computerization Program (DCP). With the legal mandate to promote the right of all citizens to accessible education, the Department of Education (DepEd) adapts the transformation of education through DepEd Computerization Program (DCP).
Thus, DepEd intensify the program to provide public schools with appropriate Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) that would improve the teaching and learning process to meet the 21st century. This is one of DepEd’s efforts to raise the ICT literacy among learners, teachers, and school heads by integrating ICT in the school system and providing laboratory packages to secondary schools and electronic classrooms to elementary schools.
At present, due to globalization and technological advancement many countries developed ICT quickly which is widely used in many areas or sectors such as education, economy, politics and social. Many countries now regard understanding ICT particularly for education as part of the core of education, together with writing, reading and numeracy. Development of ICT (Essays, UK, November 2018) has made an improvement on the education for every student as it brings a lot of advantages for every student. For many teachers, ICT also has improved their effectiveness on the teaching process which in turn could help the student to enhance their educational performance.
Sánchez, V., et al (2014) revealed that students who used ICT-based instruction scored higher than students without computers. The students also learned more in less time and liked their classes more when ICT-based instruction was included.
Further, Iniesta-Bonillo (2013) suggest that students who have access to information and communication technology (ICT) at home for educational purposes, have improved scores in reading and mathematics.
It was also emphasized that there is an influence of ICT on what students think (intellectual content) and on how students think (intellectual competence) as this study gives emphasis on the advantage of ICT in the delivery of instruction in traditional subject areas and measure the effect in terms of achievement in academic performance. As a result, it was concluded that students who were exposed to the ICT environment had higher intellectual competence than those who do not have the necessary exposures on ICT utilization at home.
However, there is a tremendous decline in school’s performance of children in skills subject areas such as Math, Science, and English more specifically in reading and writing subjects and even on schooling interests among students in both public and private elementary and secondary schools. The decline in school’s academic performance are attributed to students’ exposure to information and communication technology (ICT) particularly computers and mobile phones.
It is in this notion that the researcher was passionate to conduct the study on the influence of information communication technology to the learning performance of students of Bugo Elementary School, Cagayan de Oro City Division.
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