Digital Divide in a New Generation: Assessing ICT Access, Skills, and Attitudes Towards E-Learning Among Pioneer Nursing Students at Abdulrashid Dankoli College of Nursing Sciences Northern Nigeria

For nursing students in Northern Nigeria, access to digital tools and the skills to use them often determine whether e-learning becomes an opportunity or an obstacle. This combination of aspiration and constraint shapes what equitable digital integration requires.
Objective: This study examined ICT access, digital literacy, and e-learning readiness among pioneer nursing students at a newly established college. A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted with all 35 pioneer National Diploma nursing students enrolled in the 2025/2026 academic session at Abdulrashid Dankoli College of Nursing Sciences, Kaduna, Nigeria. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire measuring ICT access, digital literacy (8 items, α = 0.87), and attitudes based on the Technology Acceptance Model (10 items, α = 0.91). Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Mann-Whitney U, Kruskal-Wallis tests, and Spearman's rho. Qualitative open-ended responses were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2021). Smartphone ownership was near-universal (94.3%), but laptop ownership was critically low (14.3%). Data cost was the primary barrier (57.1%). Digital literacy was highest for evaluating online health information (median = 4.0/5) and lowest for spreadsheet use (median = 2.0/5). A significant digital skills gradient existed by residence type (H(2) = 6.84, p = 0.033) and prior digital exposure (U = 52.5, p = 0.002, r = 0.51). Laptop owners scored significantly higher than smartphone-only users (U = 15.5, p = 0.004, r = 0.49). Despite skills gaps, students demonstrated high Perceived Usefulness of e-learning (median = 4.2/5). Qualitative analysis generated three themes: precarious connectivity, aspiration amid adversity, and institutional responsibility. Pioneer nursing students exhibit a mobile-first access pattern with significant second-level digital divide challenges. Targeted institutional interventions including campus Wi-Fi, subsidized data, device loan schemes, and foundational digital skills training are urgently needed to ensure inclusive digital transformation from the institution's inception.

digital divide, e-learning readiness, digital literacy

1. Adarkwah, M. A. (2021). "I'm not against online teaching, but what about us?": ICT in Ghana post Covid-19. Education and Information Technologies, *26*(2), 1665–1685. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-020-10331-z [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

2. Asare, K. O. (2022). Digital divide among university students in developing countries: A case study of Ghana, Kenya, and Nigeria. International Journal of Education and Development using ICT, *18*(1), 105–122. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

3. Braun, V., & Clarke, C. (2021). Thematic analysis: A practical guide. SAGE Publications. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

4. Button, D., Harrington, A., & Belan, I. (2021). E-learning & information communication technology (ICT) in nursing education: A review of the literature. Nurse Education Today, *98*, Article 104882. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2021.104882 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

5. Cohen, J. (1988). Statistical power analysis for the behavioral sciences (2nd ed.). Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

6. Davis, F. D. (1989). Perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and user acceptance of information technology. MIS Quarterly, *13*(3), 319–340. https://doi.org/10.2307/249008 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

7. GSMA. (2023). The state of mobile internet connectivity report 2023. GSMA Association. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

8. Hargittai, E., & Hinnant, A. (2022). Digital inequality in the age of artificial intelligence. Social Science Computer Review, *40*(4), 891–907. https://doi.org/10.1177/08944393221091157 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

9. Helsper, E. J., & Eynon, R. (2023). Digital skills and educational outcomes: A cross-national analysis. New Media & Society, *25*(5), 1123–1145. https://doi.org/10.1177/14614448211062474 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

10. Helsper, E. J., & Smirnova, S. (2023). The multiple facets of digital inequality. In P. V. Marsden (Ed.), Handbook of social inequality (pp. 452–470). Springer. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

11. Hughes, V., Deloatch, R., & Bagley, S. (2019). Digital literacy in nursing education: A systematic review. Journal of Nursing Education, *58*(7), 395–401. https://doi.org/10.3928/01484834-20190614-04 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

12. Kemp, S., & Henderson, M. (2024). Digital learning in low-resource contexts: A systematic review. International Journal of Educational Development, *101*, Article 102897. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

13. Mahmood, K. (2024). Self-reported vs. actual digital literacy: A meta-analysis of overestimation patterns. Computers & Education, *212*, Article 104987. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2024.104987 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

14. Mpungose, C. B., & Khoza, S. B. (2022). Postgraduate students' experiences on the use of Moodle and Canvas learning management system. Technology, Knowledge and Learning, *27*(1), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10758-020-09466-2 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

15. Mwangi, J. K. (2020). Digital literacy and e-learning readiness among university students in Kenya: A comparative study of urban and rural backgrounds. East African Journal of Education Studies, *3*(2), 78–94. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

16. Setia, M. S. (2016). Methodology series module 3: Cross-sectional studies. Indian Journal of Dermatology, *61*(3), 261–264. https://doi.org/10.4103/0019-5154.182410 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

17. Taherdoost, H. (2016). Sampling methods in research methodology: How to choose a sampling technique for research. International Journal of Academic Research in Management, *5*(2), 18–27. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

18. van Deursen, A. J., & van Dijk, J. A. (2019). The first-level digital divide shifts from inequalities in physical access to inequalities in material access. New Media & Society, *21*(2), 354–375. https://doi.org/10.1177/1461444818797082 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

19. van Dijk, J. A. (2020). The digital divide. Polity Press. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

20. Venkatesh, V., Morris, M. G., Davis, G. B., & Davis, F. D. (2003). User acceptance of information technology: Toward a unified view. MIS Quarterly, *27*(3), 425–478. https://doi.org/10.2307/30036540 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

• Assessment of the Role of Artificial Intelligence in Repositioning TVET for Economic Development in Nigeria
• Teachers’ Use of Assure Model Instructional Design on Learners’ Problem Solving Efficacy in Secondary Schools in Bungoma County, Kenya
• “E-Booksan Ang Kaalaman”: Development, Validation, and Utilization of Electronic Book in Academic Performance of Grade 9 Students in Social Studies
• Analyzing EFL University Students’ Academic Speaking Skills Through Self-Recorded Video Presentation
• Major Findings of The Study on Total Quality Management in Teachers’ Education Institutions (TEIs) In Assam – An Evaluative Study