AWARENESS, USABILITY AND SELF-EFFICACY OF COLLEGES OF EDUCATION STUDENTS’ ON OPEN SOURCE SOFTWARE FOR LEARNING IN KWARA STATE

Abstract

Open Source Software (OSS) is a collaborative effort by a group or team of developers. Open Soft Software brings about a powerful learning environment, and it transforms the learning and teaching process in which students deal with knowledge in an active and self-directed way. However, over-reliance on conventional methods, lack of awareness, skills, knowledge, among others, are factors militating against the adoption of Open Source Software for learning in Colleges of Education. Hence, there is still more to be dealt with as regards to the awareness, usability and self-efficacy of Colleges of Education students toward Open-Source Software for learning in Kwara State. A descriptive research design of the survey type was adopted for this study, the population for this study were students in Colleges of Education in Kwara State, with 300 respondents from two purposively selected Colleges of Education forming the research sample. A researchers’ designed questionnaire was used to collect the data from the respondents, data gathered was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics; frequency count; pie chart and percentage was used to organize the demographics information. The findings of the study revealed that Colleges of Education students are aware of OSS for learning in Kwara State; the Colleges of Education students are positive toward using OSS for learning in Kwara State; the students have low self-efficacy in using OSS for learning in Kwara State; a significant difference exists between male and female students’ awareness of OSS for learning in Kwara State (df= 298, t= -4.48, p= 0.000); between male and female students, no significant difference exists in their usability of OSS for learning in Kwara State; and a significant difference also exists between male and female students’ self-efficacy in the use of OSS for learning in Kwara State (df= 298, t= 2.59, p= 0.05). Based on the findings of this study, the following conclusions were reached. The study revealed that most Colleges of Education students are aware of most open-source software and their potentials in instruction in Kwara State. However, most students are willing to learn how to use open-source software (OSS) for learning.