Integration of Digital Technology in Rendering Counselling Services in Nigeria

Aims: This study seeks to determine the integration of digital technology in rendering counselling services in Nigeria.

Place and Duration of Study: This study was carried out in Nigeria, conducted within the space of four (4) months January 2022 to May 2022.

Methodology: The design for this study is the descriptive survey research design. The target population for this study include all professional guidance counsellors registered with the Counselling Association of Nigeria (CASSON). In this wise, for ease of access the authors employed the accidental sampling technique during the administration process. The instrument for data collection is a structured questionnaire titled “Questionnaire on the integration of digital technologies in rendering counselling services in Nigeria” this instrument was structured on a 5-point Likert scale and further divided into clusters (see link https://forms.gle/Jr5PgpD5XvmzWwdY8). The validation of the instrument was done by two experts in the Department of Guidance and Counselling. The overall reliability of the instrument was established using Cronbach Alpha statistics and yielded a reliability statistic of 0.76. Data for this instrument was collected through a mailing approach. The method for data analysis adopted the use of Mean, Standard Deviation (Mean±STD) and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). This was done after the normality of the data collected is established. In judging the response, the criterion mean score of 3.00 was adopted.

Results: The sample size of 169 professional counsellors responded to the instrument and yielded the following results. The result revealed that counsellors rated agreed to all the items raised, the result further show that counsellors rated agreed to seven (7) items and disagreed with item 1, counsellors rated agreed to seven (7) items and disagreed with one (1) item and counsellors rated agreed to all the items raised in the fourth cluster. Results relating to the hypotheses tested revealed that there is no significant difference in the mean rating of counsellors with varied years of experience on the integration of telephone device in rendering counselling services, a significant difference in the mean rating of counsellors with varied years of experience on the integration of video conferencing service in rendering counselling services, a significant difference in the mean rating of counsellors with varied years of experience on the integration social networking tools in rendering counselling services and finally a no significant difference in the mean rating of counsellors with varied years of experience on the factors hindering the integration of digital technologies in rendering counselling services in Nigeria.

Conclusion: it was concluded that guidance counsellors agreed to the integration of telephone device, video conferencing service, social networking in rendering counselling services in Nigeria. They further agreed to the factors hindering the integration of digital technology in rendering counselling services in Nigeria. The study further revealed that there is no significant difference in the mean rating of counsellors with varied years of experience (0-5 years, 6-10 years & above 10 years) on the integration of telephone device and also factors hindering the integration of digital technology in rendering counselling services in Nigeria. There is a significant difference in the mean rating of counsellors with varied years of experience (0-5 years, 6-10 years & above 10 years) on the integration of video conferencing service and social networking in rendering counselling services in Nigeria.