The Amount of Computer Use by School Teachers and Students

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

  BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

The term “information and communication technology” (ICT) can be interpreted in a variety of ways. Rodriguez and Wilson (2000) described ICT as a set of activities that assist the processing, transfer, and presentation of information through electronic means. In its own definition, ESCAP (2000) described ICT as strategies that individuals use to exchange, distribute, and obtain information, as well as interact, using computers and computer networks. ICT, according to Marcelle (2000), is a diverse range of items, applications, and services used for creating, distributing, processing, and changing information, which includes telecommunications, television and radio broadcasting, hardware and software, computer services, and electronic media. ICT, according to Aboyade (2005), is a group of related technologies defined by their functional use in information access and communication, with the internet as one manifestation. Information and communication technology (ICT) are computer-based tools that employees utilize to deal with an organization’s information and communication processing demands. Its scope includes computer hardware, software, networks, and other digital devices such as video, audio, cameras, and other devices that transfer information (text, sound, motion, and so on) into digital form (Bielefeldt, 1999). Within the school environment, information and communication technology can be used for school administration and management, teaching and learning of ICT related skills for enhancing the presentation of classroom work, teaching/learning repetitive tasks, teaching/learning intellectual, thinking, and problem-solving skills, stimulating creativity and imagination, conducting research by teachers and students, and communicating with teachers and students (Collis, 1999). The usage of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in Nigeria and other African nations is rapidly expanding. While there is a wealth of information on how ICTs are utilized in wealthy countries, there is little information regarding how ICTs are introduced into schools in developing countries (Chiware, 2006). According to these writers, instructors and students in impoverished countries spend a relatively little amount of time each month using ICTs, and even less time with dependable Internet connectivity. It should be highlighted that the availability of ICTs vs access in terms of teacher-to-student ratios varies greatly (Moonen, 2001). Despite this, new and developing technologies pose a threat to the conventional teaching and learning process, as well as the way education is handled. While information communication technology is an essential field of study in and of itself, it has a significant influence on all sections of the curriculum. Easy global connection allows for immediate access to a huge diversity of data, posing assimilation and assessment challenges (Fowowe, 2006). Rapid communication, along with expanded access to ICTs at home, at work, and in the classroom, may result in learning becoming a genuinely lifelong activity—one in which the rate of technological change drives continual examination of the teaching process itself. ICTs have had an impact on the area of education, affecting both teaching and research (Yusuf, 2005). ICT’s benefits in boosting educational quality have been established by a large body of research (AL-Ansari, 2006). As a result, developed countries have incorporated information and communication technology (ICT) into their educational systems. According to Kpangban (2010), there have been advances in the Nigerian education system that show some level of ICT use in Nigerian secondary schools. They ascribed the introduction of computer instruction in secondary schools to a policy adopted by the Nigerian government in 1988. The Federal Government of Nigeria recognized the importance of ICTs in the modern world in its National Policy on Education of 2004 and has integrated ICTs into Nigerian education (Kpangban, 2010). The paper specifies that the government would provide basic infrastructure and training at the elementary school level in order to achieve this aim. Computer education is a pre-vocational elective in junior secondary school and a vocational choice in senior secondary school. The availability, skill, and attitude of instructors regarding the use of contemporary technology in teaching and learning are all important factors in the successful integration of ICT in the educational system. Most secondary schools have insufficient or no ICT tools to cope for the ever-increasing population of pupils in the schools, according to research, and if they are accessible, they are essentially out-of-bounds to the students (Chiemeke, 2004). In an Ibadan research, Fakeye (2010) discovered that majority of the schools studied did not have computers, and hence were not linked to the internet. Those with computers, he noted, do not utilize them for instruction but rather for administrative purposes. Okwudishu (2005) discovered that the lack of specific ICT components in schools hinders teachers’ usage of ICTs in another research. Secondary school instructors claimed that a lack of basic search skills and access points in the classrooms was preventing them from using the internet (Kpangban, 2010).

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Despite the rapid expansion in the usage of ICTs in many fields today, including education, the adoption and use of ICT in secondary schools in Nigeria remains a severe problem. A lack of ICT facilities in schools, poor ICT policies, limited information infrastructures, and poor perceptions of using ICT in education among teachers, students, and school administrators are all contributing to the low rate of adoption and application of new technology, particularly in public schools (Adomi, 2003). Despite appeals and yearnings for a shift from teacher-centered to student-centered learning that includes the use of ICT resources, chalkboards and text books remain the most consistently dominant class room equipment in practically all Nigerian public post-secondary institutions (Okebukola, 1997). The capacity of educators to use ICT in instruction and learning is dependent on the availability of these facilities and their competence to use them. Most Nigerian public schools, particularly those in rural regions, have minimal effective ICT equipment, according to observations. As a result, pupils are less likely to want to utilize them for studying. Another set of deterrents militating against successful use of ICT facilities and resources at government owned institutions is a lack of proper computer literacy on the part of teachers, inconsistent power supply, and insufficient financial assistance. As a result, in order to tackle the problem, the government must give sufficient ICT resources and train teachers on how to effectively use the available tools in their instructional processes. Ajayi is a Nigerian musician (2008).

OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The major goal of this study is to determine the amount to which computer usage is prevalent among teachers and students in Ogun State. More specifically, the study aims to:

i. Determine how exposed students and instructors are to ICT.

ii. Determine the efficacy of computer use in both teacher and student performance.

iii. Consider the difficulties of implementing ICT in senior secondary schools.

 RESEARCH QUESTION

i. How exposed are students and instructors  to ICT?

ii. What is  the efficacy of computer use in both teacher and student performance?

iii. What are  the difficulties of implementing ICT in senior secondary schools?

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The relevance of adopting ICT tools to increase learning among secondary school students will be highlighted in this study project, which will be presented to teachers, students, and other educational stakeholders. This study will be useful to school administrators in both public and private schools who want to expose their kids to computers at the elementary and secondary levels. Finally, the study will serve as a guide and point of reference for other academics and students interested in doing similar studies on computer usage in secondary schools.

  SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This study will focus on secondary schools in Ogun LGA. Five secondary schools, three public and two private, will be chosen for this study.

DELIMITATION OF THE STUDY

Obtaining funding for general research activity will be difficult over the course of studies. Correspondents may also be unable or unwilling to complete or submit the questionnaires that have been sent to them. However, it is expected that these limits will be overcome by making the greatest use of existing resources and devoting more time to research than is required. As a result, it is firmly considered that, despite these constraints, their impact on this research report will be small, allowing the study’s purpose and importance to be met.

 DEFINITION OF TERMS

Computer: any machine, server, or workstation that runs an operating system, including embedded operating systems such as Microsoft Windows.

ICT stands for “information and communications technology,” a phrase that emphasizes the relevance of unified communications and the convergence of telecommunications and computers.

Teacher: A person who teaches, especially at a school.