CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
The predominant means of instruction has traditionally been through verbal medium, either as spoken lecture or written text. As more instructional resources of many different media types become available to students, especially the sandwich ones through the internet, there is a need for educators to understand when these sources may be used effectively for instruction, as well as a need for students to develop an additional set of literacy skills in order to learn from these sources (Anyakoha, 1990).
Tyner (2000) argued that in the information age, the concept of literacy has been simultaneously broadened and splinted into many literacies in part because “the all purpose word literacy seems hopelessly anachronistic, tainted with the nostalgic ghost of a fleeting industrial age. The term information communication technology is among several terms that have been associated with literacy to emphasize that literacy extends beyond reading and writing the alphabetic codes, and should include a variety of audio-visual forms of representation.
Associating information communication technology with the literacy also highlights a belief among many scholars and educators that conceptions of literacy or studentship and how it is developed should not focus exclusively on printed materials but should include electronic media that have moved into the mainstream of communication especially at the end of the twentieth century. Implicit in these views is that research and practice related to literacy must be transformed to accommodate new ways of accessing, process and using information by sandwich students generally by and the sandwich students in particular (Aaron, 1997).
Information encompasses a wide range variety of things ranging from oral and printed words, figures, statements, files and documents to such intangible elements as sound signals, rays and waves. Whatever the form information takes, the essence of information is that it conveys messages. UNESCO (1979), defined information simply as “set of data recorded in a methodical manner” which includes: any item of knowledge capable of facilitating the operation of a system; and any numerical or alpha-numerical quantity processed by the machine, the aggregate of information constitutes the data and results of a problem. According to (Adamson, 1998), claims the term information technology refers to the application of scientific knowledge. Information communication technology , therefore can be defined as the acquisition, processing, storage and dissemination of vocal, pictoral, textual and numerical information by a micro-based combination of computing and telecommunication.
Telecommunication is a special kind of communication in which information is conveyed over a long distance. Information communication technology (ICT) also refers to the more efficient and effective way of storing, accessing and updating information than processes involving paper. In the recent time, sandwich students, most especially, have benefited from the use of information communication technology (ICT) such as computer, television, telephone and the internet as a veritable sources of information in their academic career or pursuit. Uzoma (1999) opined that sandwich students, and most adolescents use the information communication technology especially the internet to gather vital educational information or materials, register their courses of study, check their results of JAMB, NECO, GCE, POST UME etc. Onuoha (2000), posited that the advent of information technology has made education more simple and easy for students especially, the students in the sandwich studies at University of Lagos.
Onuoha claimed that information communication technology has helped sandwich students in many ways such as project writing and collection of necessary information leading to effective studies. Onuoha further stated that information communication technology has created a remarkable balance and effectiveness in the daily activities of students mostly the sandwich students who are in the habits of using the computer and the internets to carry out faster storage and retrieval of information in the academic environment or school. As Adelekunnu (1994) puts it, information communication technology (ICT) can be used to assist sandwich students to get along with others, achieving self-reliance and educational success. Also, it can help them to achieve professional success and to adhere to societal values and norms. With information technology, sandwich