ASSESSING THE BENEFIT OF ICT IN THE TEACHING AND LEARNING OF COMPUTER STUDIES IN SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS (A CASE STUDY OF SCHOOLS IN OTTO AWORI LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA)
ABSTRACT
This study assessed the benefit of ICT in the teaching and learning of computer studies in senior secondary schools. The study investigates challenges to the realization of the potential benefits of ICT in secondary schools. The research work also aims at providing strategies on how to reduce these challenges in secondary schools. This study is needful to address the numerous challenges militating against the realization of the benefits of ICT in schools, provide strategies on how these challenges can be reduced and assess the extent by which students have benefited from the existing use of ICT in the teaching and learning process. A sample of one hundred (100) students was drawn from secondary schools in Lagos state. A questionnaire was used to collect the data needed for the study. The data collected were analyzed using chi-square statistical technique. Three null hypothesis were tested and findings from the study revealed that most of the secondary schools understudied were not provided with internet connectivity and access, it was also found in the study that a significant difference existed between the opinions of private and public school students on the provision of internet access and connectivity as a means of reducing the challenges to the full realization of the potential benefit of ICT in the teaching and learning of computer studies in secondary schools. The study also revealed that most secondary school students are not ICT competent. Findings revealed that students believe being ICT competent would help them realize the benefit of ICT in full. The study also revealed that most secondary schools lacked basic ICT infrastructure. Respondents agreed in a great percentage that infrastructures are needed to effectively integrate ICT into the teaching and learning process and would help in the full realization of the benefits of ICT. Relevant literatures that highlighted the challenges of ICT in secondary schools were reviewed in this study. Hence the study concluded that despite the immense potential benefits that ICT has to offer in the teaching and learning process, Nigerian schools are yet to fully utilize and integrate them into the school system, due to challenges such as poor ICT infrastructures, lack of internet access and connectivity, lack of ICT skilled teachers and students, lack of ICT Driven curriculum. It was therefore recommended that ICT should be a core part of school teaching curriculum, technology training courses should be made available to all secondary school teachers and students and The Federal Ministry of Education and State Ministries of Education should ensure that schools are equipped with ICT facilities especially with basic ones such as computers.
TABLE OF CONTENT
Title page i
Certification ii
Dedication iii
Acknowledgement iv
Abstract vi
Table of content viii
CHAPTER ONE
1.1 Background of the study
1.2 Statement of the problem
1.3 Purpose of the study
1.4 Research question
1.5 Research hypothesis
1.6 Significance of the study
1.7 Limitation of the study
1.8 Definition of terms
CHAPTER TWO
Review of related literature
2.1 Internet access and connectivity in schools.
2.2 Teachers’ ICT competence.
2.3 Basic infrastructure in schools.
2.4 Learners’ ICT competence.
2.5 Teachers’ attitude towards ICT usage.
2.6 Gender differences towards ICT usage.
2.7 Availability and Accessibility of ICT resource.
2.8 Relevant software for teaching and learning of ICT.
2.9 High cost of ICT gadgets.
2.10 ICT-Driven Curriculum.
CHAPTER THREE
Research methodology
3.1 Research Design
3.2 Population of the Study
3.3 Sample and Sampling Techniques
3.4 Instrument for Data Collection
3.5 Method of Data Collection
3.6 Method of Data Analysis
CHAPTER FOUR
Data Presentation and Discussion of Findings
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Analyzing the Demographic Data of Respondents
CHAPTER FIVE
Summary, Conclusions and Recommendations
5.0 Summary
5.1 Conclusions
5.2 Recommendations
References
Appendix
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of study
In more industrialized and advanced Nations, there has been a staggering amount of research and publication related to ICT infrastructural use for educational purposes during the past decade. Today, nearly everyone in the industrialized nation gained access to ICT and the purchase of computers for school use and enhancement of learners potentials as is evident in the United States Of American [USA] schools [Harper & Hess, 2001]. Although, it has been rightly said that what is wrong with education cannot be completely fixed with technology ,the integration of ICT’s in the teaching and learning process would go a long way in reducing some of these challenges ,because: the use of multimedia platforms such as computers, projectors and interactive white board(IWB) in the teaching and learning process would stimulate and sustain the interest of learners; the integration of web based resources and various online learning tools, would serve as a good source of fetching data for educational purpose, as well as compliment the effort of the classroom teachers; and the availability of ICT centers with computer laboratories provides the platform for students to engage in practical work, Computer Based Test(CBT) and an avenue for students to improve and enhance their ICT skills.
The use of multimedia platforms such as computers, IWB, projectors etc to teach, stimulate and sustain learners’ interest and ensure better understanding of the content. According to (AL-Ansari, 2006) years ago kenya used to have a large population of students that were not ICT-skilled as a result of lack of interest to learn ICT related subjects or being taught other basic subjects with the use of ICT gadgets. But after the government embarked on various projects that prompted the construction of ICT supported classrooms to teach and learn, IWB, projectors and computers were used to teach students in schools, today Kenya has a virtual learning centre. It is my opinion that if Nigeria takes this step, in no distant time it will reap dividends and students would improve and benefit immensely from it.
Integration of web based resources and various online learning tools, would serve as a good source of fetching data for educational purpose as well as compliment the effort of the classroom teacher, According to (Wenge, 2010), online learning tools such as the internet can in many ways improve the process of teaching and learning, he argued that the reason why most students seem to be over dependent on just what the teacher has to say, mostly in Nigerian secondary schools, is because basic ICT infrastructures and tools to compliment the teachers effort are not available. From a personal point of view, I strongly believe that lack of internet access, WIFI connectivity and telecommunication facilities in our secondary schools has made our students backward and unable to compete with their colleagues abroad, however if enough is done to ensure sustainable internet connectivity it would have a positive effect on the academic performance of secondary school students.
Availability of ICT centers and computer laboratories provides students with the platform to engage in practical work and CBT which in turn improves their ICT skill and competence. According to (Salomom, 2011) if Nigerian schools are to compete with their contemporaries in this ICT driven age, then good ICT structures must be constructed in our secondary schools such as computer laboratories and well equipped ICT centers, because this encourages students to engage in practical works. I am in agreement with this assertion because most of the secondary schools in Nigeria lack computer laboratories and ICT centers and even the few that have, they are not well equipped and are not conducive for learning, however if these structures are put in place students would be able to try out new ideas they have via practical works, discovery learning etc.
1.2 Statement of Problem
The aim of this study is to assess the benefits of ICT in the teaching and learning of computer studies in secondary schools. The research work also aims at highlighting the challenges to the full realization of the potential benefits of ICT in the teaching and learning process. The study will review existing state of ICT integrations in secondary schools and assess how much students benefit from the use of ICT to learn.
However, this study will be restricted to just secondary schools in Nigeria. Though the findings from this research work is by no means exhaustive and full generalizations cannot be made based on diverse views and perspective of various individuals in different learning environments, its findings can be very useful in secondary schools that share the same characteristics with schools used for investigations during this study. Also, due to time constraints needed to complete this research work, all literatures that are pertinent to this research work could not be reviewed. As a result, only literatures that are most relevant to assessing the benefits of ICT and challenges to the realization of the benefits was reviewed. Despite not being able to review all existing literatures, there was sufficient evidence to show that various challenges to the realization of the benefits of ICT existed.
In response to these problems the study proposes to investigate why: ICT has not been efficiently integrated and utilized in the teaching and learning process, there is non-existence of ICT-driven curriculums in schools, students are not benefiting from the use of ICT in schools, there is non- availability of ICT resources and infrastructures in schools.
1.3 Purpose of Study
This study seeks to provide means of considerably reducing the challenges to the full realization of the potential benefits of ICT in secondary schools. Few of these challenges include limited internet access in schools, poor power supply, inadequate computers, poorly equipped computer laboratories and lack of relevant software for teaching and learning.
1.4 Statement of Hypothesis
HO1: There is no significant difference between the opinions of public and private school students on the availability internet access as a means of reducing the challenges of ICT in the teaching and learning of computer studies in secondary schools.
HO2: There is no significant difference between the opinions of public and private school students on the provision of ICT infrastructures as a strategy of tackling the challenge of ICT in the teaching and learning of computer studies in secondary schools.
HO3: There is no significant difference between the opinions of private and public school students on the issue of ICT competence as a means of reducing the challenges of ICT in the teaching and learning of computer studies in secondary schools.
1.5 Significance of the Study
This study will be of immense benefit to teachers, students and the government. Teachers would find the study useful in the sense that they must have been introduced to various ways of using ICT driven methodology to teach as well as to utilize the numerous multimedia platforms that ICT provides to stimulate and sustain the interest of learners; students stand to benefit more because it is mainly learners focused, they would see new ways on how they can fully maximize and utilize the numerous benefits that ICT has to offer, it would improve their ICT skill, prompt them to embrace E-learning, collaborative and discovery learning, the government on the other hand stand to benefit as well because the already identified challenges and suggestions made in the course of the study, serves as a blue print that the government can use to quickly take actions on. It also serves as a wakeup call to them in order for them to realize that times are changing the world is rapidly evolving and Nigeria has to move with the technological trends in order not to be left behind in this jet age.
1.6 Scope and Limitation of the Study
This study focused on ways in which the challenges to the full realization of the potential educational benefits of ICT can be reduced in secondary schools. Federal government college Ijanikin, Ijanikin Senior Grammar School, Adeniyi Godswill School Ijanikin, and Kem’s College Alasia, Lagos state were used as case study, due to proximity, financial and time constraints the study was limited to just four(4) schools which include two private and two public schools.
1.7 Definition of Terms
- Telecommunication: refers to the process of sending information from one place to another by telephone, telegraph or other similar electronic means.
- Internet: a large number of computers linked together by miles of cables.
- ICT: information and communication technologies
- IWB: interactive white board
- PC: personal computer
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