The Impact of Technophobia on Technology Acceptance among Undergraduates in University of Port Harcourt in the Post Covid-19 Era

Abstract

This research examined the Impacts of Technophobi on technology acceptance among undergraduate students in the University of Port Harcourt, River State. The research design was a descriptive survey. Three (3) research questions and three (3) hypotheses guided the study, and tested using t-test at 0.05 level of significance. The population of the study comprised of 1200 students from 2 Departments, one each Faculty of Education and Faculty of Science. A random sampling technique was used and a total number of 500 students were sampled. A self-structured questionnaire titled "Questionnaire on the Impact of Technophobia, and Techno-Acceptance on Students Performance (QITTASP)” and a Checklist were used as the instrument for data collection which were structured to answer the research questions, which were randomly administered to students, 200 questionnaires were retrieved.. Data collected were analyzed using percentage and mean as the major statistical tools for this study. The findings showed that 95% of the respondents agreed that on the contrary to technophobia, they enjoy teaching and learning styles that allows them surf the internet while learning is going on.. Result from the table also revealed that the researcher’s perceptions about not wanting the use of technology in the teaching and learning of chemistry because they have little or no knowledge about technology with 70% of the response reacting to the NO objection, showed that, a significant majority of the students agreed that there can achieve their academic purpose without using technology due to the high cost, lack of literate teachers. Result of the hypothesis shows that there is no significant difference in the prevalence of technophobia among the undergraduate chemistry students, Hypothesis 2 shows there.is a significant difference in the factors that contribute to technophobia since the calculated t-value is greater than tabulated value of t. In addition to the above findings, lack of internet access, epileptic power supply, inadequate number of digital literate instructors/teachers, lack of well computer laboratories, science practical laboratories and among others were challenges faced. It was therefore, recommended that the government and its agencies should allocate sufficient funds towards purchasing quality and adequate number of technology devices for schools.