SAFETY AND SECURITY OF DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION INTO ENTREPRENEURIAL EDUCATION PROGRAMMES IN TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS IN IMO STATE

Abstract

This study investigated safety and security considerations required for digital technology integration into entrepreneurial education programmes in tertiary institutions in Imo State. To guide the study, two research questions were raised and two hypotheses were formulated at 0.05 level of significance. Descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. The population of the study is 1,625 Entrepreneurial staff and 261 ICT staff in the 9 tertiary institutions in Imo State. The researchers drew a sample of 479 respondents from 4 sampled tertiary institutions in Imo State. This sample size was determined through Taro Yamane formula using multistage sampling technique. A rating scale constructed by the researchers was titled “Safety and Security Considerations Required for Digital Technology Integration into Entrepreneurial Education Programmes (SSCRDTIEEPS)” was used to elicit information from the respondents. The scale contained 18 items using the 4 point scale options of Highly Required (HR), Moderately Required (MR), Rarely Required (RR) and Not Required (NR). The instrument was validated by 1 research expert in Educational Measurement and Evaluation and 2 research experts from Department of Social Science Education, all in Imo State University, Owerri. A reliability coefficient value of 0.89 was obtained using Cronbach Alpha statistics. Mean statistics and standard deviation was used to answer the research questions while t-test statistics was used to test the hypotheses. The result revealed that data security and cybersecurity measures as safety and security considerations are highly required for digital technology integration into entrepreneurial education programmes in tertiary institutions in Imo State. It was recommended among others that tertiary institutions in Imo State should prioritize the implementation of robust data security and cybersecurity measures to safeguard digital technology integration in entrepreneurial education programs, including regular software updates, firewall configuration, and cybersecurity awareness training for students and staff.