TEACHER EXPERIENCE ON THE USE OF ICT TO FACILITATE TEACHING IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS (A CASE STUDY OF SELECTED SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN LAGOS STATE)

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION          

1.1     Background to the Study

ICT stands for Information and Communication Technology and defined as a diverse set of technological tools and resources used to communicate, and to create, disseminate, store, and manage information (Gunton, 1993; Victoria, 2002). ICT is divided into two main approaches in education such as; ICT for education and ICT in education. ICT for education implies the development of information communication technology for learning and teaching purpose while ICT in education involves the adoption of general components of information and communication technology in practical use in teaching and learning processes (Voogt & Pelgrum, 2005; Watson, 2006). Today, technology has increasingly become a vital element for firms to compete and develop. Ajayi (2008) highlighted that the world of today is considered as a global village through the use of ICT in different educational, political, economic and social sectors. Almost in all situations or tasks, we find the integration and the use of technology to solve problems. Accordingly, future teachers need to equip and acquaint themselves to make changes brought about by technology (Cuban, 2001; Kozma, McGhee, Quellmalz & Zalles; 2004; Philip, Oluwagbemi, & Oluwaranti, 2010; Voogt 2010; Voogt, 2013).

The rapid growth in Information Communication and Technologies (ICT) have brought remarkable changes in the twenty-first century, as well as affected the demands of modern societies. ICT is becoming increasingly important in our daily lives and in our educational system. Therefore, there is a growing demand on educational institutions to use ICT to teach the skills and knowledge students need for the 21st century. Realizing the effect of ICT on the workplace and everyday life, today’s educational institutions try to restructure their educational curricula and classroom facilities, in order to bridge the existing technology gap in teaching and learning. This restructuring process requires effective adoption of technologies into existing environment in order to provide learners with knowledge of specific subject areas, to promote meaningful learning and to enhance professional productivity (Tomei, 2005).

The idea that teaching and learning can successfully take place through the application of electronic communication facilities between teachers and students is one which had generated, sometimes, hope and dismay and at other times, excitement and fear. Hope that many more learners can be reached at a more convenient pace that had erstwhile been the case, dismay that the infrastructures necessary for deploying an effective ICT platform is lacking in low-income countries like Nigeria (Olakulehin, 2007). However, the use of information and communication technologies in the education process has been divided into two broad categories: ICTs for Education and ICTs in Education. ICTs for education connote the development of information and communications technology specifically for teaching/learning purposes, while the ICTs in Education involves the adoption of general components of information and communication technologies in the teaching learning process (Olakulehin, 2007). Generally, however, the educational relevance of computers and other components of information technology cannot be overemphasized. Reference can be made to the period when skinner applied programmed instructions to teaching machines, through Brunner’s experiment with computers in instruction, to the current wave of information transmission and exchange via the worldwide web; we have seen different applications of ICTs in enhancing cognitive development. Thomas and Ranga in UNESCO (2004) in their classification divided the application of computers and other communication technologies in education into three broad categories. These are: Pedagogy, Training and Continuing Education. The pedagogical applicability of the ICTs is concerned essentially with the more effective learning and with the support of the various components of ICTs. Almost all subjects ranging from mathematics (the most structured) to music (the least structured) can be learnt with the help of computers. Olakulehin (2007) emphasized that pedagogic application of ICTs, involves effective learning with the aid of computers and other information technologies, serving the purpose of learning aids, which plays complementary roles in teaching/learning situations, rather than supplements to the teacher/instructor/facilitator. Computer is regarded as add-on rather than a replacing device. The pedagogic uses of the computer necessitate the development, among teachers as well as students, of skills and attitude related to effective use of information and communications technologies.

Teachers of secondary schools in this regard are those teachers who have acquired skills and training in teaching at this level of education following the curriculum to provide appropriate knowledge to the target learners. They are capable of creating behavioural change in terms of cognitive, psychomotor as well as affective domain to the learners (Yusuf, 2005). So, to successfully initiate and implement ICTs in education or school curriculum depends strongly on teachers ? support”. If teachers are trained on the use of technology in education, the adoption and integration of ICT into teaching and learning processes will be easy and government target of supplying ICTs tools to schools to revolutionize the learning process will be achieve. Regrettably, research works have shown that most secondary schools have either insufficient or no ICT tools especially in the rural areas to cater for the ever increasing population of students in the schools and where they are available, they are by implication a matter of out-of-bounds to the students (Chattel, 2002; Cheng, 2001; Chiemeke, 2004). Fakeye (2010) also found out in a study carried in Ibadan that most of the schools covered do not have computers, hence are not connected to the internet. He added that those who have computers do not use them for teaching but solely for administrative purposes. In another study by Okwudishu (2005), he found out that the unavailability of some ICT components in schools hampers teachers’ use of ICTs. Lack of adequate search skills and of access points in the schools were reported as forces inhibiting the use of internet by secondary school teachers (Adomi and Kpangban, 2010).

1.2     STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Students’ performance in many subjects has consistently been reportedly low over the years in Nigeria especially in public examinations such as SSCE and JAMB; see WAEC Chief Examiners’ Report, 2010, 2013 and 2014). In 2011, the registrar and Chief executive of JAMB reported that a total of 1,493,603 candidates sat for UTME, but 28,069 failed. In 2012, a total of 1,503,931 candidates sat for UTME but 27,266 failed. In 2015 a total of 1,644,110 candidates sat for UTME but 12,110 candidates results were withheld while 68,309 candidates from various centres failed. This dwindling performance has become a source of worry to parents and other stakeholders in education. Adewale (2016) observed that teaching and learning in Nigeria is still lacking behind unlike other countries in Europe and the USA, which is why there are mass failure almost every year in external exams, Europeans and Americans use of ICT to enhance teaching and learning which contributed to good performance and intellectual uprightness of their students but, teaching and learning here is Nigeria is still the chalk and board method only few private schools has advance to the use of ICT to enhance their teaching for better understanding, this problem  however prompted the researcher to carry out a research on the experience of teachers on the use of ICT to facilitate teaching in secondary schools in Lagos state.

1.3     OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The main objective of this study is to find out the experience of teachers on the use of ICT to facilitate teaching in secondary schools in Lagos state, specifically the study intends to;

1. Find out how expose are the teachers to ICT facilities
2. Analyze the effect of ICT on performance of both teachers and students
3. Find out the perception and experience of teachers on the use of ICT to facilitate teaching and learning
4. Find out the barriers of using ICT to facilitate teaching process in secondary schools
5. To examine the factors determining the use of ICT to facilitate teaching in secondary schools

1.4     RESEARCH QUESTION

1. How expose are the teachers to ICT facilities?
2. Is there any significant effect of ICT on performance of both teachers and students?
3. What is the perception and experience of teachers on the use of ICT to facilitate teaching and learning?
4. What are the barriers of using ICT to facilitate teaching process in secondary schools?
5. What are the factors determining the use of ICT to facilitate teaching in secondary schools?

1.5     RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS

H0: There is no significant effect of ICT on performance of both teachers and students

H1: There is a significant effect of ICT on performance of both teachers and students

1.6     SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study focuses on identifying how ICT can be used to facilitate the teaching process to enhance students understanding. The conclusion of the study will provide an insight on the benefits, barriers and measures needed to address ICT in teaching.

The study could in the interest of both education stakeholders in the country and lead to the adoption of ICT based classroom teaching. The research study will also be used as guide for policy-makers, decision-makers and educational investors and other stakeholders to make well-informed decisions about ICT policies and investment in ICT facilities and infrastructures in regards to education at the secondary level by understanding the perceptions of teachers in line with the utilization of ICT in facilitating teaching. The findings of the study will inform the government and other interested party on the hindrances to the use of ICT to facilitate teaching, the information will enable the government to identify mechanisms that will ensure successful use of ICT to facilitate teaching in public secondary schools. Additionally, the study will be beneficial in building a knowledge base of perceptions of teachers on the use of ICT to facilitate teaching. The knowledge may serve as a guide for overcoming challenges that teachers’ face while using ICT to facilitate teaching in secondary schools. The study also will contribute to the existing literature on the use of ICT to facilitate teaching process in secondary schools.

1.7    SCOPE OF THE STUDY 

The study is based on the teacher experience on the use of ICT to facilitate teaching in secondary schools, case study of selected secondary schools in Lagos state.

1.8 LIMITATION OF STUDY

Financial constraint- Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).

Time constraint- The researcher will simultaneously engage in this study with other academic work. This consequently will cut down on the time devoted for the research work.

1.9 DEFINITION OF TERMS

This section does with significant terms that were used in the study.

ICT integration refers to introduction, consolidation and full use of electronic means of capturing, processing, storing and disseminating information.

Information and Communication Technology refers to technologies including computers, telecommunication and audio-visual systems that enable the collection, processing, transmission and delivery of information and communication services to users.

Information Communication Technology Literacy refers to the ability to accept, learn and adapt the new technology and make use of its opportunities.

Information Society refers to social, business and educational environment where individuals and organizations communicate and access the world’s commercial, education and entertainment resources over a universal network linking them together.

Infrastructure refers to an integrated system of facilities used to provide one or more ICT services such as computers or internet.

Integration refers to incorporation of technology in teaching that involves learners.

Integrated computer assisted instructions refers to a technique whereby teacher instructions supplement the computer programme.