Global Journal of Interdisciplinary Social Sciences

Abstract

Use of Information and Communication Technologies in Higher Education: A Case of Participants in a Refresher Course

Sachin Kumar

Information and communication technologies (ICTs) are a diverse set of technological tools and resources used for creating, storing, managing and communicating information. The present study attempts to find the current usage level of ICT for teaching and research and about perceived barriers in the effective use of ICT among participants of an interdisciplinary refresher course on information technology at Academic Staff College, Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla. A brief questionnaire was administered to a sample of 37 teachers teaching in different colleges/universities in the country. Majority of the respondents use ICT in both teaching and research. Those who use ICT in teaching use it for collecting material the most and for delivering lectures the least. Majority of the researchers use IT during the entire research process. Lack of time and peer supports were considered least important barriers, while lack of infrastructure and training were rated most important ones. Areas of future investigations have also been pointed out.