Comparing Knowledge and Usage of ICT among Male and Female Distance Learners of an Endowed and Deprived Area in a Developing Country in Africa

Abstract

Working with the premise that information and communications technology (ICT) has the capacity to make or unmake so far as women's empowerment is concerned, this article looks at the ICT situation among female distance learners in both endowed and under-served parts of Ghana, to check the user differentials among the two contrasting groups through a survey that covered 174 respondents. From the results one could not strongly say that there were vast ICT knowledge and usage gaps among the two groups considering the extent of the developmental gap that the regional differences presents. Factors like time or convenience, space, and income have to be considered in using ICT for education and development among women. Exposing the women to multiple usages of ICT is also critical. Another core observation from this study is that women who are generally categorized as not being technology friendly are overcoming at least that. This applies not only to women in relatively well-endowed areas but also to those in under-served areas. This is a good starting point for undertaking gender-specific projects that will promote e-learning, e-government, e-medicine, e-commerce and all other applications among women in both urban and rural communities.