ABSTRACT
This
study was carried out to critically examine the availability and utilization of
ICT facilities in teaching and learning of Basic Science in junior secondary
schools in Awgu Local Government Area of Enugu State. The study adopted a
descriptive survey design in which four research questions were posed. The
population consisted of seven hundred and sixty nine (769) students and thirty
five (35) Basic Science teachers in Awgu Local Government Area of Enugu State.
Simple random sampling procedure was used in selecting nine (9) secondary
schools to represent the twenty seven (27) secondary schools in Agwu local
government Area of Enugu State. Eighteen (18) teachers and one hundred and
eighty two (182) students were randomely selected from the selected schools
making it a total of two hundred (200) respondents. A questionnaire of four
point rating scale was used as instrument for data collection. Simple
percentage was used to analyze the demographic characteristics of the
respondents, while weighted mean was used for the data analysis proper with a
cut off mean score of 2.50. That formed the standard for accepting or rejecting
any item on the questionnaires. The result of the study shows that very few
information communication technology facilities are available for the teaching
and learning of Basic Science in the selected junior secondary schools, and
this has made both the teachers and students to stick to the old methods of
teaching which makes them achieve little at the end of a lesson, the result
also Shows expressly that (1) lack of
sufficient computer desktops,(2) poor electricity supply, (3)inability of
teachers to operate the ICT facilities and transfer knowledge with them,(4)
lack of adequate facilities maintenance, etc are some of the factors that hinder
the availability and utilization of ICT facilities in the teaching of Basic
Science. Based on the results, it was recommended among others that, The
serving Basic Science teachers in the government secondary schools in Awgu
should be sponsored to attend workshops where they will be taught how to use
most ICT facilities and how to use it in teaching as well, also Teachers should
try as much as possible to use the available ICT facilities in teaching the
students so as to make the lesson interesting and appealing to them and should
also give them to use the computer desktops for research and so on.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background
of study
Secondary
education is the second level of the educational system. Federal Republic of
Nigeria (FRN) 2014 asserted that secondary education is the form of education
children receive after primary education and before the tertiary stage/level.
The broad aim of secondary education is to prepare individuals for higher
education and also to prepare them for useful living within the society they
live. Secondary education consists of senior secondary schools and junior secondary
schools. According to Federal Republic of Nigeria FRN (2014) the junior
secondary schools will be both prevocational and academic in nature. It will
teach all the basic subjects which will enable the students to acquire further
knowledge and develop skills. This study is centred on Basic Science which is
taught at the junior secondary level.
Science is the
knowledge about the structure and behavior of the natural and physical world
based on facts that can be proved. Science is an attempt by human beings to
organize their experiences about nature into meaningful system of explanation
(Isyaku, 2009). The major objective of science education as stated in the
National Policy on Education is “to equip the students to live effectively in
our modern age of science and technology” (FRN, 2004). Science has been and
would continue to be of tremendous importance because of its ability to explain
many natural occurrences and the central role it plays in the world’s current
technology development. In our century, it is the soul of the prosperity of
nations and it is an economic and technological development as well as
improving the quality of life of the individuals and the society at large.
Science, as a school
subject, has over the years gained prominence in the school curriculum world
wide. In the last five decades, the world has witnessed science curriculum
innovations and several changes in the teaching of the content in different
levels of education.
Trowbridge and Bybee
(1996), Ajaja (2007) identified the objectives of teaching science to include:-
Knowledge of science academic discipline; to acquire the skills of scientific
method; having clear explanations for societal issues through increasing
interest science literacy and societal goals; for personal needs and for career
awareness.
In Nigeria, the
sciences are taught in school subjects as Biology, Chemistry, and Physics. The
National Policy on Education in the National curriculum for secondary schools
volume 3 science stated specific objectives to be achieved by each subject
curriculum.
Some
of the most distinct characteristics of science are experimentation,
observation, and discovery. It provides the development of skills of students
asking questions and making investigations, making hypothesis, inference of
results of experiments to students.(Acikgoz, Kaygusuz & Oncul, 2004)
Laboratory method is often used in science and it is targeted that students do
trial and error activities. Therefore, the laboratory applications are integral
part of science (Orbay, Ozdogan, Oner, Kara, & Gumus, (2003).
The
world is moving towards globalization process through information and
communication technology (ICT). Information and communication technology (ICT)
includes the entire modern electronic device used in various sectors of our
economy. It cuts across all aspects of human endeavour such as education,
industry, medicine and financial institutions. Anaele and Vigil (2010) opined
that information and communication technology is an umbrella term that includes
any communication device or applications encompassing radio, television,
cellular phones, computer networks, hardware and software, satellite etc.
Information and communication is used in education to enhance teaching and
learning.
Information
and communication technology (ICT) revolution has rapidly improved the process
of learning and the acquisition of knowledge and is equally transforming the
world in unexpected ways (Arunachalam, 2005). This has facilitated the paradigm
shift from the traditional instructional material or traditional pedagogical
methods to a more modern and innovative technologically based teaching and
learning methods. The emergence of information and communication technology
(ICT) has completely overhauled ways in which to access, process, retrieve and
disseminate information within organizations or across the globe and it has
positively affected the teaching – learning process (Anaekwe, 2003).
The
use of Information and communication technology (ICT) facilities in teaching
implies the application of the facilities in collecting, processing, analyzing,
managing, storing and retrieving information or data which could be used to
enhance, stimulate or promote teaching and learning. Therefore, the application
of Information and communication technology (ICT) to the teaching of Basic
Science topics provides flexibility to meet the varied learning needs and
abilities of learners. According to Akpan (2008), ICT utilization in teaching
is capable of yielding the following dividends:
– Learners are provided with immediate
access to richer source of materials
– Provide information in new and relevant
ways, which helps learners to understand, assimilate and use it more readily.
– Information and communication technology
ICT utilization in teaching motivate and stimulate learning
– Enhances learning for learners with
special needs
– Motivate learners to try out new ideas
and take risk
– Information and communication technology
ICT encourages teachers to take fresh look at how they teach and ways in which
students learn.
– Information and communication technology
ICT utilization sharpens learners’ attention and also offers potentials for effective
group and individual work.
Information
and communication technology ICT facilities on their own do not enhance or
stimulate the teaching process, they need to be manipulated, and this has to do
with the teachers’ ability to utilize the available and accessible ICT
facilities. Pacey (1999) stated that awareness towards the use of Information
and communication technology ICT in teaching is increasing in the classroom in
the developing world such that, mere verbalization of words alone in the classroom
to communicate ideas, skills and attitude to educate learners is fast fading
away.
Despite
the enormous usefulness of Information and communication technology ICT
utilization in the teaching process, it is obvious that most teachers in our
secondary schools today lack the requisite knowledge on the use of the
facilities. Apart from the requisite knowledge by teachers, Information and
communication technology ICT facilities in most secondary schools are not
adequate, not accessible, and there is gross absence of support materials and
staff. Though, the benefits of using Information and communication technology
ICT in teaching Basic Science are enormous, the successful application of
Information and communication technology ICT in teaching basic science is largely
dependent on the teachers’ ability to use the available ICT facilities in the
classroom. According to Yusuf (2005) the effectiveness of instructional
delivery depends on the teachers’ ability to effectively use ICT facilities to
enhance his teaching. There are different ICT facilities that can be used for
teaching depending on the situation. ICT facilities commonly used/employed for
teaching in the area under study are:
non-interactive ICT, interactive ICT and multimedia ICT facilities.
Non-interactive
ICT: a non interactive program is one
that, when started, continues without requiring human contact. A compiler is a
non interactive program, as are all batch processing applications.
Interactive
ICT: Interactive processing means that the person needs to provide the computer
with instructions whilst it is doing the processing. For example, imagine that
a computer is running a program that takes a set of files from one directory
and does some work on each one. As each file is processed the computer sends a
screen message to the operator “Where do you want this file to be
stored”. i.e. the user ‘interacts’ with the computer to complete the
processing.
Multimedia
ICT: Multimedia enables us to provide a way by which learners can experience
their subject in various manners. The key to providing this experience is by
presenting graphic, video and audio simultaneously to engender the students’
interest rather than presenting them one after the other. The appeal of
multimedia learning is best illustrated by the popularity of video games
currently available in the market (Beichner, 1994). Therefore multimedia can be defined as an integration
of multiple media elements (audio, video, graphics, text, animation etc) into
one synergetic and symbiotic whole which results in more benefits for the end
user than any one of the multiple media elements can provide individually
(Fenrich, 1997).
A
careful look at the secondary schools in Awgu Local Government Area Of Enugu
State reveal that many teachers still rely more on the traditional “talk and
chalk” method of teaching rather than embracing the use of Information and
communication technology ICT. There is the need therefore to replace the
traditional pedagogical practices that still underpin our educational system in
the state, hence the need for the utilization of ICT to boost the teaching
process and method.
It
is important that mention be made of public and private schools in Awgu local
government Area. According to National Center for Education Statistics (NCES
2014), Public schools are schools which are maintained at the expense of the
state government for the education of the children of a given district and that
constitute a part of a system of free education. Private schools, also known as
independent schools, non-governmental or non state schools, are not
administered by local, state or national government, thus, they retain the
right to select their students and are
funded in whole or in part by asking their students to pay high amount of money
as tuition rather than relying on mandatory taxation through public
(government) funding. Private school is a school under the financial and
managerial control of a private body or charitable trust, accepting mostly
fee-paying pupils. It is also an independent school supported wholly by the
payment of fees. A school supported by a private organization or private
individuals rather than by the state.
The
defining distinction between public and private schools is their different
sources of support. Public schools depend primarily on local, state, and
federal government funds, while private schools are usually supported by
tuition payments and sometimes by funds from other non-public sources such as
religious organizations, endowments, grants, and charitable donations.
It
may also be obvious that in secondary schools in Awgu local Government Area,
ICT facilities are either provided and are insufficient or that the teachers
may lack the requisite skills to adequately use the facilities, hence they have
been minimally used to enhance the teaching of basic science in such areas as
practical lessons, experiments, teaching large classes, conducting and grading
of assessment tests. It is therefore against this background that this study
seeks to determine the availability and utilization of ICT in teaching basic
science in Secondary Schools in Awgu Local Government of Enugu State.
Statement of Problem
Information
and communication technology is already a vital factor in the successful
development of education; therefore, teaching and learning for the new emerging
societies require effective utilization of ICT’S to facilitate instructional
delivery.
The
federal republic of Nigeria (FRN, 2002) in line with the global best practices
in the field of education came up with a national IT policy. The national IT
policy’s strategies for education include the integration of it into the
mainstream of education, training and the establishment of facilities for
electronic and distance learning networks and ensuring internet connectivity
among others.
Despite these efforts by both
government and non-governmental agencies in making ICT facilities readily
available and accessible to schools, some vital areas of ICT application in
teaching appear not attended to in secondary schools in Awgu local government
area of Enugu state.
The
implications of this scenario are far reaching to the field of education in
general and basic science education in particular. If basic science teachers
and students do not take full advantage of ICT in teaching and learning, the
chances to expand educational opportunities or improve the quality of existing
education could be lost. More also, the opportunities to provide basic science
teacher education to a broader audience are hampered as much as the vision and
mission of education are mere dreams. It
has been noticed that in most secondary schools in Agwu local government area,
ICT facilities are not made available or accessible to enhance their adequate
utilization, while in some cases, the teachers lack the requisite knowledge on
ICT utilization even when it is available, and in other cases the facilities
are inadequate which may also be responsible for the poor quality of graduates
produced in our secondary schools in terms of knowledge of basic science. The
problem of this study is to identify the ICT facilities that are available for
teaching and their utilization by teachers for the purposes of teaching basic
science in Awgu local government of Enugu state.
Purpose
of the Study
The
main purpose of this study was to determine the availability and utilization of
ICT in teaching basic science in junior secondary schools in Awgu local
government area of Enugu state. Specifically, the study sought to:
1.
Identify the various Information and Communication tools available for the
teaching and learning of basic science
2.
Determine the extent of utilization of ICT in the teaching of basic science in
public secondary schools in Awgu local Government Area of Enugu state
3. Identify the factors that hinder the
effective utilization of ICT facilities for the teaching and learning of basic
science?
4. Suggest strategies that can be employed to
improve the effective use of ICT facilities in the teaching and learning of basic
science?
Significance
of the Study
The
following people will benefit from the study:
Basic
Science education teachers:
will find the findings of this study quite beneficial, as they will be exposed
to the need to regularly use ICT facilities to enhance their teaching. The findings
will also serve as a parameter for self-evaluation for the teachers who will
also see the need to develop ICT competences or requisite skills and how to use
ICT facilities to access resource materials for teaching basic science subjects
in secondary schools. They will also be encouraged to use ICT facilities
effectively to improve the quality of their presentations in class, select the
appropriate facility for particular lessons, motivate students to achieve
positive attitudes to learning of basic science subjects and identify aspects
of the subjects where students’ individual needs can be met more effectively
through the appropriate use of ICT resources.
Educational
administrators/policy formulators: at the various levels will benefit immensely from
the findings of this research work because it will fashion their administrative
approaches in terms of training and retraining of staff along the line
of
ICT competence, the type of facilities or equipment to acquire (in terms of
quantity and quality), staff recruitment, provision of infrastructure, e.g.
Classroom and lecture theatre. Methods
of instructional delivery will also be designed by the teacher in collaboration
with educational administrator to accommodate the utilization of ICT facilities.
Educational administrators will greatly benefit from the findings of this study
as it relates to organizational approach to more flexible teaching/learning,
research oriented education and flexible attitude to time and space.
Students:
will
equally benefit from the outcome of this research work because they will be
exposed to the numerous benefits of ICT utilization during the teaching of basic
science. These benefits include, arousing their curiosity whereby, they will be
engaged in meaningful and relevant learning, and exposure to construction of
knowledge which will reduce the risk of failure. ICT utilization will improve
their creativity, become useful aids to problem- solving, lead to unrestricted
access to learning materials and the use of ICT facilities for researches.
It
will help the students to identify and appreciate other ICT facilities such as
CD-ROM, slides, tapes, other than internet and computer. This will enable them
exploit the information contained therein either for their assignment, class
work or research work.
Scope
of the Study
The
study is delimited to finding out the available ICT facilities in teaching basic
science in junior secondary schools, the extent to which the available
facilities are being used, the factors that hinder the utilization of ICT
facilities, and ways of improving on them in
junior secondary schools in Awgu local government area of Enugu state. The
secondary schools chosen for this study are public and privately owned
secondary schools. The subject of this study comprises of teachers, students,
researchers, principals/school administrators etc.
Research
Questions
The
study was guided by the following research questions:
1. What Information and Communication tools
available are for the teaching and learning of basic science?
2. To what extent are ICT facilities utilized for
the teaching and learning of basic science?
3. What factors hinder the effective utilization
of ICT facilities for the teaching and learning of basic science?
4. What strategies can be employed for improving
the effective use of ICT facilities in the teaching and learning of basic
science?