ASSESSMENT OF COMPUTER APPLICATION PROFICIENCY AMONG OFFICE MANAGEMENT AND TECHNOLOGY GRADUATES IN RIVERS STATE UNIVERSITIES

Abstract

The study examines Computer Application Packages Possessed for Modern Office Needs by Office Management and Technology Graduates in Rivers State Universities. Two research questions were posed for the study and two null hypotheses were formulated and tested at 0.05 level of significance. The study adopted a descriptive survey design.  The population of the study consisted of all 23 Office Management and Technology Postgraduates Masters Students in 2022/2023 academic session in Rivers State University and Ignatius Ajuru University of Education. The entire population of 23 Postgraduate Masters Students was studied and the census method was used as the population size was considered limited and comfortable by the researcher.  The instrument for data collection was self- structure questionnaire with two sections: one section was used to elicit demographics data while the second section contain items used to answer the research questions. The instrument was structured on a four-point rating scale of Very High Extent (VHE) 4 points, High Extent (HE) 3 points, Moderate Extent (ME) 2 points, Low Extent (LE) 1 point. The instrument was validated by three Experts: two

Business Educators and a Psychometrician, all from the Faculty of Education in Rivers State University. The reliability of the instrument was established using Pearson Moment Correlation Coefficient (PPMCC) and a reliability index of 0.80 was obtained indicating that the instrument was reliable and suitable to be used for the study. Data collected was analyzed using mean to answer the research questions and standard deviation to determine the closeness of the responses from the mean, while t-test statistics was used to test the null hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. Finding revealed that Office Management and Technology graduates from Rivers State University and Ignatius Ajuru University of Education do not differ significantly in their mean responses regarding the computer application packages possess for modern office needs.  Based on the findings, it was recommended among others that curriculum designers and planners should ensure that the necessary computer application packages are embedded in office management and technology curriculum such as Microsoft PowerPoint to enable office management and technology students possess requisite knowledge to create visually appealing slide shows for meetings, presentation and reports, enhancing communication and information dissemination.