TEACHER AWARENESS AND UTILIZATION OF ICT
FACILITIES FOR THE TEACHING OF BUSINESS STUDIES IN JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN
IJEBU-ODE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF OGUN STATE
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background to the study
The
innovations that have taken place world-wide on the area of information
communication technology have broken all national and international barriers
and tuned the world into a global village, since it has made information
available to organization and individuals everywhere and at anytime.
Consequently, this has affected the nature, procedure and forms of equipment
used in in daily business.
The use
of information and communication technology (ICT) facilities in teaching and
learning process is not a new phenomenon in promoting education, especially in
those developed countries, all over the world. Presently, some higher
institutions of learning in Nigeria are using information and communication
technology (ICT) facilities for modern achievement. Computer and communication
technologies have offered tremendous opportunities for teaching by electronic
means (Rogina, 2012). The use of new multimedia technologies and internet in
teaching is seen as a strategy to improve accessibility, efficiency and quality
of education by facilitating access to resources and services as well as remote
exchanges and collaboration.
The use
of ICT facilities in teaching has become a new paradigm and a new philosophy in
education with a mission to serve as development platform for present day
society based on knowledge. The students of the business studies need to be
utilized and adequately trained with knowledge of each day development in
information and communication facilities for efficiency, accuracy, and economic
advantages. The use of ICT facilities in teaching involves the use of
electronic technology to deliver education and training application, monitors
learners performance and report learners’ progress (Sale, 2015). Similarly,
Hedge and Hayward (2004) defined ICT in teaching as an innovative approach for
delivery electronically mediated, well designed learner – centered and
interactive learning environment, to any one, any place, any time by utilizing
the internet and digital technology in concern with instructional design
principles. It is more of teaching and learning with use of computers and
multimedia.
Ajalaye
(2014) highlighted that information and communication technology does not refer
to only internet and telephone but include the satellite, radio, television,
video tapes, tape recorders, compact disc, etc. ICT have revolutionary impact
on educational methodology globally, for effective teaching processes.
According to Yusuf (2005), teachers need training not only in computer literacy
but also in the application of various kinds of software packages in teaching
and learning. Teacher training in ICT is inevitable and crucial because
information and communication facilities are tools that help them to take full
advantage to enhance teaching and learning process.
Subsequently,
the use of ICT facilities in educational system facilitate learner – centered
collaborative environment which emphasizes the importance of intrinsic learning
through social interaction. While according to
the vygotsky (1978) cited in the write up on mobile learning by Geddes
(2005), learner – centered interaction result in learners being more engaged
and helps to develop personal intellectual structures that foster deeper
understanding and allow students to discuss complex situation and resolve
ambiguities with international commonality of communication over the internet.
Therefore, ICT facilities provide learners with secondary access to
environment, and international learning facilitators which they would otherwise
be unable to access, as wireless ICT facilities become more common and
accessible. Students will be able to participate in international
communication. Utilization of ICT devices has greatly brought about rapid
changes in today’s classroom, as video cassette recorders, compact disc
recorders, cell phones, network computers and computer software have brought
some changes in classroom teaching by supplementing and complementing some
aspect of teaching processes for educational quality (James, 2005).
Statement of the problem
In Ogun State, new
curriculum in business studies has been put in place by the government to
replace the old one. The new curriculum contains some component of ICT such as
computer appreciation, word processing, the use of internet and data
processing, which were absent in the old curriculum of business studies. The
researcher observed that most business studies teachers in junior secondary
schools in the state have some difficulties in teaching the ICT component of
the curriculum.
The present business
studies teachers are those that were trained and had been working in school
system many years ago particularly before the introduction of modern
technologies in teaching and learning of business studies. These teachers were
not trained with modern ICT technologies and facilities. This suggests that the
training they received seems to be irrelevant to the present curriculum because
of technological changes taking place in work places where the students will
find themselves after graduation. The inefficiency of business studies teachers
in imparting ICT skills to junior secondary school students has been noticed in
the students’ inability to do well in work places. Ademiluyi (2007) observed
that most business studies students do not have the ability to succeed in
private enterprise.
The researcher
observed that many junior secondary school students after graduation find it
difficult to establish and manage small businesses, particularly those who had
no opportunity for further training. Those who tried to work in business
centres where information is processed with modern technologies found it difficult
to manipulate computers and other ICT equipment. Olufemi and Onyenu (2010)
affirmed that the influence of technologies has rendered manual skills
inadequate for the world of work while creating needs for new sophisticated
skills. Therefore, it is necessary to determine ICT skills needed by business
studies teachers for effective instruction in junior secondary schools in
Adamawa State.
Purpose of the study
The main
purpose of the study is to determine teachers awareness and utilization of ICT
facilities for the teaching of business studies in junior secondary schools in
Ijebu Ode local government are of Ogun State
The is
study specifically to seek for the following;
i.
To determine if business studies teachers have the
awareness on the use of computer facilities in teaching business studies
ii.
Ascertain
the extent to which business studies teachers utilize ICT facilities in teaching Business studies
iii.
To find out problems faced with ICT utilization in
teaching Business Studies in the
selected secondary school
iv.
To find out the availability of ICT facilities in
the selected schools.
v.
To find out the possible strategies for improving
the teaching of Business Studies in
using ICT facilities
Research Question
The following research questions
were raised to guide the conduct of the study;
i.
Does business studies teachers have the awareness
about the utilization of ICT facilities in teaching business studies in Ijebu
ode?
ii.
To what extent does business studies teachers utilize ICT facilities in teaching Business studies
iii.
What are the problems faced with ITC utilization
in teaching and learning Business
Studies in Ijebu –Ode secondary schools?
iv.
How adequate are ICT facilities in the secondary
school for teaching Business Studies?
v.
What are the possible strategies that will
improve the teaching of Business Studies
using ICT facilities?
Research Hypothesis
1.
Lack of ICT facilities has significantly
contributed to the problems associated with teaching of Business Studies.
2.
Lack of ample knowledge about utilization of ICT
facilities by Business Studies
teachers has significantly contributed to the students’ poor performance.
Significance
of Study
The
result of this study would be valuable in the following specific ways;
The
students of Business Studies would
benefit from the result of this study as they will be adequately trained and
equipped with necessary skills and knowledge which will manifest after
graduation and the result may also be useful for the students carrying out
research.
The
Business Studies teachers will
benefit from the result of the study if utilized, by gaining more knowledge,
skills and experience of delivering instruction through the use of ICT
facilities.
The
result of this study will also be useful to the educational institutions as the
result provides information necessary for improving the teaching processes in
business course.
Employers
of labor will derive the advantage if opportune to employ such students who are
well trained and equipped with necessary knowledge and skills through the use
of ICT facilities which would result to maximum productivity of an
organization.
Scope of the study
This study
covers the entire students studying Business Studies in Junior secondary schools in Ijebu Ode local government
area
Definition of Terms
Teacher –
centered mode of instruction; is the process of teaching whereby the teacher
verbally delivers a pre-planned body of knowledge to his students while
students listen and jot down points.
Student –
centered mode of instruction; is the process in which the students learn all on
his own a field of study or topic broken into bits according to his interest
and ability, and consult teachers only when he needs him.
Information – Can
simply be defined as a processed data, while data is a raw facts about an
entity.
Technology – Is the
application of basic scientific knowledge in providing solution to problems
around us.
ICT: information
and communication technology
