ABSTRACT
This study is to investigate the application of ICT in teaching and learning of Economics in secondary schools. Four research questions were developed to capture the topic and questionnaire was designed to elicit information from the respondents which comprises of the students from Evidence College, Immaculate Conception College and Sacred Heart High School, Ekiadolor, Benin City. 100 students were randomly selected from the three schools. Percentage and frequency distribution were used to present the result of the information gathered. The findings revealed that the contribution of ICT facilities to teaching and learning process; the usage level of ICT facilities; problem militating against the use of ICT facilities in the study area.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
Statement of problem
Research questions
Objective of study
Scope and Delimitation of study
CHAPTER TWO
Literature review
CHAPTER THREE
Methodology
Design of the study
Population of the study
Sampling techniques
Method of data collection
Method of data analysis
CHAPTER FOUR
Data presentation and analysis
CHAPTER FIVE:
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
Summary
Conclusion
Recommendation
REFERENCE
APPENDIX (QUESTIONNAIRE)
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
In today’s world, the use of adoption of information technology (ICT) in teaching of economics in secondary schools could be helpful in the task of capacity building therefore; negative view in this direction could constitute a draw back to the achievement of our science and technology objectives (Adetula 2003).
The adoption and application of ICT Information and Communication Technology in teaching of economics in secondary schools has come to occupy an important place in the education sector and national development and indeed the development of the world. This is because it has not only ensured scientific and technological development but it has also opened up more learning opportunities, improved the techniques of teaching and production of materials which reduce time consumption and distance.
Because of the adoption of or use of information communication technology in teaching of economics in secondary schools today one can communicate in different ways, fully capable of communicating his or her findings from economical enquiry using power points, spread sheets to present graphs of data from around the world moreover, the evolution of technology can be traced from the earlier days of human existence, when our early ancestors learn the benefits of setting in one area to cultivate farm lands and grow foods rather than wonder from one place to the other. Settling down increase population which necessitate the investigation of tools to increase food production that was the beginning of technology advancement.
The computer is one of the greatest inventions of the 20th century which has contributed to the service of humanity through its capacity to automate the highly needed respective calculation earlier inventions have necessitated from the history of man existence, it is clear that there has been a continuous search for a way to reduce computational efforts primitive and mechanical tools to speed up calculation during the ear of predigital electronic computer. The researcher observed that ICT is not effectively used in our classrooms situations; this is partly because most of the teachers are not computer literate, therefore making it difficult for them to operate ICT materials. The issue of power, which is needed to power the computers, is another problem affecting ICT application in the classrooms.
It is widely acknowledged that ICTs can be used to improve the quality of teaching and learning in both at the secondary and tertiary level. The prevalence and rapid development of information and communication technologies (ICTs) has transformed human society from the information technology age to the knowledge age (Galbreath, 2000). Moursund and Bielefeldts (1999) identified three major ways of using ICT for teaching and learning. These are information technology (IT) assisted learning, technology as a tool and computer and information science. Information technology (IT) assisted learning was divided into;
i. Computer-assisted learning, which is the interaction between a student and a computer system designed to help the students learn to drill and practice, tutorial, simulation and virtual realities.
ii. Computer assisted research implies where ICT is used as an aid to doing library and empirical research. This is enhanced through the growth of world wide web which has created virtual library that can only be accessed by the technological literate.
iii. Distance learning, which is the use of telecommunication, designed to facilitate students learning through e-mail, interactive web sites and two-way audio/video teleconferencing.
Information and communication technology (ICT) should be used as a pedagogically powerful tool for the construction and modeling of knowledge. Inspite of ICT recognized potentials; their integration in teaching learning process will be dependent on teaching. Empirical findings have indicated that even teachers who have competence in the application of ICT do not integrated them in their teaching. For instance, Moursund and Bielefeld (1999) report on now teachers use of information technology indicated that;
i. The technology skills of teacher education faculty were comparable to the skills of the student they teach and that
ii. Most teacher educators did not model the use of technology in their teaching. Thus, teachers need to be induced not only to be competent in using ICT but also in integrating them in instruction.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEMS
The use of Information Communication Technology in teaching economics in secondary schools, like any other devices is because of the ability or its capability to store large volumes of data, organize and analyze data accurately in other to produce quality information it has been the rapidly expanding trend. Could it be that there is a problem in the application of the ICT in economics classroom activities?
The improvement in the development of ICT facilities usage has been of a great deal. It is believed that this improvement has not been felt in the area of academic. Most students around the world knows how to operate this so called ICT facilities but it contribution to learning and teaching process has not been analyzed which is why this study is been set up to investigate the use of ICT in the teaching and learning of Economics among students in, Ekiadolor-Benin City.
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
1. How do teachers use ICT to solve problems in their everyday lives?
2. What conditions do constrain or enable utilization of ICT in teaching and learning?
3. How do students and teachers collaborate to address ICT based constraints encountered in their everyday teaching and learning?
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
1. To determine the extent at which teachers and students make use of ICT in their teaching and learning process.
2. To determine what constraints hinders the use of ICT in the study area.
3. To suggest solutions to the constraints that hinders the use of ICT in the study area.
1.1 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
This study is embarked upon to determine the use of ICT in the learning of Economics among student and teachers in senior secondary schools in Ekiadolor, Benin City, Edo State. Knowing the contribution of the use of ICT facilities will encourage the authority on how to make this facility more available to the students and also educate the available to the students and also educate the novice among the students the importance of using ICT.
SCOPE AND DELIMITATION OF THE STUDY
This study is limited to the use of ICT in the teaching and learning of Economics in senior secondary schools in Ekiadolor, Benin City, Edo State. Though, this study is limited to Economics only but it is believed that information gathered here can be used as a yardstick to determine what goes on in every other department in the study area.