Factors Persuading ICTs Use among University Students in Africa and Applicability of the UTAUT Model: A Literature Survey

Abstract

The preset study was carried out to survey various literatures on the factors influencing the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) among university students in Africa, and accordingly to investigate the applicability of the Unified Theory of Acceptance and use of Technology (UTAUT) as presented by Venkatesh et al. (2003) on the observed factors. The study was highly qualitative and involved a survey of literatures on researches conducted in various universities found in African countries. The countries which research studies were involved were selected at random. In order to arrive at reasonable conclusion, literature from at least one country from each of the five regions of Africa was involved. Findings revealed that the main reasons for ICTs use among university students in Africa are pedagogical and social; however the later are subdivided into various reasons. It was further deduced that university students are finding ways for ICTs to smoothen the progress of their academic and social life. These finding agree with the assertion by the UTAUT’s first core determinant variables of technology use, the performance expectancy. The study also revealed that the extent of use of ICTs tools and applications by university students in Africa depends on the availability of those tools/applications, which is unlike the effort expectancy as asserted by the UTAUT model. It was also discovered that male students are using ICTs slightly more than females; the main differentiation is however on social reasons than pedagogical reasons, among other findings. In most cases the study agrees with the UTAUT model on the factors persuading ICTs use among university students in Africa except in few cases as presented in the document.