ACCESSIBILITY AND APPLICABILITY OF ICT AMONG UNIVERSITY STUDENTS: A CASE STUDY

Abstract

The present study attempts to assess the accessibility and applicability of ICT among students in a university with respect to their academic as well as personal spheres. This study aimed to achieve three main objectives: (i) to evaluate the availability of ICT tools and resources, (ii) to analyze how students engage with ICT tools for schoolwork and personal use, and (iii) to determine the degree of difficulty they encounter in accessing ICTs and using them. The research highlights the increasing role of digital tools in education and seeks to better understand how students interact with technology during their day-to-day activities. The research uses qualitative case study methodology and focuses on BS Hons students of the University of Education, Faisalabad campus. Data were collected using open-ended interviews. Data were thematically analyzed using NVivo for systematic coding and categorization. Here, the findings indicated that students had access to basic ICT tools, such as laptops and smartphones, hanging around in their arena. However, some students had access to a better internet connection and more advanced software than others. Students reported using ICT and thus connected to research, online learning, and each other. The other group of people faced challenges such as slow Internet, high data costs, and a lack of technical skills. Students showed much better skills in everyday ICT usage (social networks, messaging) and less competence with more specialized academic tools. The research highlights the twofold effect of ICT to help in academic performance with peer communication. It also discusses some issues that limit the usage of ICT to its fullest, such as a lack of institutional support. Future studies may expand the sample size and include comparisons between various institutions to bolster these results.