UTILIZATION OF DIGITAL SKILLS ON STUDENTS' ACADEMIC ASSESSMENT IN PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN RIVERS STATE

The study investigated the connection between digital skills usage and students' take-home assignments in public junior secondary schools in Rivers State. Two research questions and two null hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. A correlational research design was used, with a focus on a population of 38,518 students. A sample size of 400 students was determined using the Taro Yamane formula. Data was collected using a researcher-developed instrument, the Utilization of Digital Skills Questionnaire (UDSQ), which had a reliability coefficient of 0.80. The Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient was applied to analyze the research questions and test the hypotheses at a 0.05 significance level. The results showed a significant correlation between computer use and students' take-home assignments, as well as a significant link between smartphone use and students' take-home assignments. The study concluded that both computer and smartphone usage significantly and positively influenced students' take-home assignments. Based on these findings, the researcher recommended that students be encouraged to use computers and smartphones for their assignments, with proper monitoring to avoid misuse