TECHNOLOGY-ACCEPTANCE MODEL: GENDER-DIVIDE IN GOVERNMENT TECHNOLOGY-ENTRENCHMENT POLICY ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS BY PRINCIPALS IN MIXED DAY SENIOR SCHOOLS IN KISUMU COUNTY, KENYA

Resum

As educational goals become more digitally globalized, there is increasing nationally induced, policy-driven demand for local educational administrators to technologically align their institutions. This underpins the need to be integrated into cross-border flows of data and virtual relationships in the course of wealth creation by producing and consuming educational outputs which translate into goods and services. Technology acceptance by school principals is key for effective operation of computers and other electronic and non-electronic devices in institutions for desired outputs. In this regard, in Kenya, principals play a pivotal role in facilitating government policy enforcement efforts towards school-wide digitalization by sensitizing teachers, support staff and learners in the entrenchment of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and the use of electronic and non-electronic technology. In Kisumu County, mixed day senior schools are comparatively less technologically facilitated, personnel-wise and infrastructurally, than boarding schools. Only 6% of mixed day schools are rated as adequately prepared for technology-entrenchment as compared to 11% of boarding schools based on findings of a preliminary survey for this study. This would be enhanced if the school principal appreciates the value of technology, accepts technology, and acts as a government policy bridge to his school population. Given this, the principal, as a role model, ought to be a torch-bearer by creating a road map for motivating technological adoption in the school. Sensitization of teacher trainees in colleges for technology use in schools is a rather recent idea; therefore, it is minimally likely that already practising teachers are skilled in this respect. In addition, literature indicates that males are more technologically adept than females. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to determine the gender divide in government technology-entrenchment policy enforcement efforts by principals in mixed day senior schools in Kisumu County. The findings of this descriptive study are that, out of an optimal rating of 4.0, given the census sample, the 28 female principals have a mean score rating of 2.5 (High), whereas the 39 male principals have a mean score rating of 2.9 (High) based on Technology Acceptance Model questionnaire items for principals. Interview responses from 20 principals and 20 deputy principals reveal that principals of both genders make fairly adequate effort towards technology-entrenchment in their respective schools. The conclusion is that there is negligible gender difference as regards principals' government technology-entrenchment policy enforcement efforts in mixed-day senior schools in Kisumu County.