ABSTRACT

The study assessed information and communication technology availability and utilization as correlates of principles' administration effectiveness in public secondary schools, in Ikot Ekpene Education Zone, Akwa Ibom State. Five purposes of the study, five research questions and four hypotheses were raised. Correlational research design was adopted. The population comprised 86 principals and 2008 teachers. A sample of 69 principals and 602 teachers participated in the study. Multistage sampling technique was used to draw the sample. Two instruments titled "lT Availability and Utilization Questionnaire (ICTAUQ)" and "Principals' Administrative Effectiveness Questionnaire (PAEQ)" were used for data collection. The instruments were validated by three experts from College of Education, MOUAU. Reliabilities of the instruments were established using Cronbach Alpha reliability method, and ICTAUQ yielded a reliability coefficient of 0.85, while PAEQ) yielded a reliability coefficient of 0.81. Data from 69 completed copies of ICTAUQ and 602 completed copies of the PAEQ were used for analysis. Mean and Standard Deviation were used to answer, Research Question I, while Pearson's r, and R2were used to answer research questions 25. Hypotheses 1-3 were tested using Linear regression analysis. while Hypothesis 4 was tested using multiple regression .05 alpha level. Results showed that the ICT facilities available in the schools were desktop computer, laptops, printers, internet resources, video recorders, multimedia projectors, e-mail facilities, social networks, electronic calculators, qualified ICT personnel and school website. Whereas, Ipad. Cable Satellite TV, Interactive Board, Video-recorder, Carncorders, Software Packages and e-Books were not available in the schools. The utilization of ICT contributed to the principals' effectiveness in the areas of communication; in computation of result and in data management. There were strong significant correlations between the utilization of ICT and principals' effectiveness in communication, computation of result and data management. It was recommended that the government should give in-service training to serving principals on effective utilization of ICT facilities to assist them on effective school administration.