Gender Differences and Technology Usage amongst Postgraduate Students in a Christian University

One research focus area that has recently received greater attention in developing countries is gender equality in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) use at postgraduate level. At face value, post graduate students offer a well-defined group wherein to study ICT effects. Furthermore and often overlooked, is the ethos of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) where such gender studies are conducted. Most HEIs are higher public or private institutions. The former are mostly state-run, more accessible, and generally more liberal in both teaching and learning. The latter are independent entities who set their own and very specific rules and regulations. This exploratory study took place in the context of a private Christian-based Higher Education Institution in a developing country involving Nigeria, with the purpose to examine, at post-graduate level, gender differences in hardware and software used for general and class work purposes, as well as gender-specific relationships between selected ICT use constructs and class marks. Negligible gender gaps pointed at no significant gender differences in hardware and software use. Positive and significant correlations were reported between class marks and selected constructs. Teaching with the aid of ICTs, Student engagement and Student use of ICTs, suggests that active use of ICTs has a profound impact on both teaching and learning at postgraduate level, and ultimately on student performance and achievement.