ICT for Psychosocial Competency Development: A study conducted in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Abstract Along with the technology development, teenagers have more freedom and opportunities to experience new things and people. Parents are busy with their career and they do not have time to pay concern on dramatic behavioral changes of their teenage children. As a result teenagers are more vulnerable for abuse and health problems in particularly for teenage pregnancy. In order to minimize this issue, Health Organizations have started conducting workshops with the intention of empowering teenagers with knowledge, attitude and safety skills required to prevent pregnancy. However, teenagers seem reluctant to show their interest for studying about sexuality and talk about their issues openly. Therefore, health organizations emphasize the importance of identifying an innovative and personalized strategy to develop psychosocial competencies in teenagers. Since information and communication technology has proven to bring benefits for education, the present study investigated how ICT can be used to reduce the major health problem, teenage pregnancy through psychosocial competence development among teenagers. Data were gathered through interviews, questionnaires and focused group interviews from a group of female adolescents who received support from professional counselors as well as from professionals at Ministry of Health. The findings imply that psychosocial competencies can be improved though an online intervention than a classroom-based intervention and it suggested that an online learning environment delivering lessons using videos, games and discussions might probably be well accepted by the adolescents and they will be willing to share their issues related to psychosocial competencies and receive advice online. According to the findings, several paper prototypes were developed. Prototypes were evaluated by the IT professionals and counselors at the Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka and come across with a final paper prototype. Based on that, the online intervention was developed. While developing several brainstorming sessions were held with the doctors, IT professionals and the counselors at the Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, to evaluate the progress of the online intervention. Then a sample was selected from Henegama Central College, Gampaha, to conduct the online pretest questionnaire. A true experiment was conducted using a treatment and a comparison group and finally held the online posttest questionnaire. The results of the study informed that adolescents’ level of psychosocial competencies can be assessed and supported through an online system. In order to prove these results and to know the perception of the adolescents for the online intervention, a separate interview was conducted. The results of the evaluation interpreted that the online intervention was successful in achieving psychosocial competencies among adolescents. Further analysis of data revealed that the learners' satisfaction and the target objectives can be archived successfully through the use of video, game and discussions. Keywords— Psychosocial competency, Teenage pregnancy, Instructional design, gaming principles, Design guidelines