EVALUATION OF THE EFFECTIVENESS AND REGULARITY OF ICT USE AMONG BUSINESS EDUCATION STUDENTS IN TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1BACKGROUND OF STUDY

Business education is critical to a country’s prosperity. For optimal educational teaching and learning of business education courses, there must be an adequate supply of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) instruments. Information and communication technology (ICT) is a must-have tool in this digital age. To address the problems of the information age, the ICT sector is undergoing a paradigm shift. It is also a powerful force that has influenced many aspects of people’s lives. The impact of ICT in sectors such as law, tourism, commerce, engineering, architecture, and medicine over the last three decades cannot be overstated. As a result, the ways in which these fields operate have changed dramatically. Surprisingly, students and lecturers have become the new teaching and learning standard. learning. To ensure optimal teaching and learning in higher education, adequate supplies of ICT tools for both professors and students are required (Desmond 2019). A business education program is required to produce professional business educators in secondary and higher education, as well as quick thinkers for economic progress. They went on to say that educational programs require adequate facilities and equipment. Education regulatory bodies such as the National Universities Commission (NUC) and the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) have proposed a set number of facilities for a given number of students. Meanwhile, numerous examples have been documented demonstrating the government’s willingness to provide excellent facilities in order to improve performance. According to Anderson and Glen (2016), today’s ICT improves technical advantages in accessing, acquiring, altering, and presenting information. According to Ajisafe, information and communication technology is any technology that is used to create, store, process, and use information in various formats to aid communication. According to Oluwalola (2018), ICT is a type of education that provides learners with applicable digital abilities, allowing such individuals to contribute profitably to societal growth. Today, information and communication technology (ICT) has significantly improved both teacher and student performance in both developed and developing countries. According to one study, (90 percent) of European instructors use ICT at various levels of education to improve effectiveness and student understanding. Despite the importance of ICTs in education, it has been stated that lecturers in Nigerian higher education institutions lack the digital skills required to deploy and exploit ICT-based teaching (Agbo). Apkan’s research on lecturer efficiency in Nigeria reveals a mismatch between the use of ICT resources and instructors’ abilities. As a result, in order to acquire the competencies and abilities required for effective use of technological instructional delivery, business education teachers must be effectively taught and retrained (Akpan 2020). Tinio (2002) asserts that ICTs have the potential to increase access while also improving the relevance and quality of education in developing countries. He went on to say that ICTs significantly ease knowledge acquisition and absorption, giving developing countries an unprecedented opportunity to improve educational institutions, better policy formation and implementation, and broaden the variety of options for businesses and the disadvantaged. As a result, if schools teach children yesterday’s skills and technology, they will be left behind.

may be ineffective and unfit for today’s world. This is reason enough for ICTs to gain worldwide attention and awareness. This demonstrates the increased demand for ICTs in education as well as their growing significance. Because ICTs enable students and teachers to tailor learning and instruction to individual needs, society is putting pressure on schools to respond appropriately to technological advancement.

The use of ICT has a significant impact on student learning and teaching methods. Over the last 20 years, Western schools have invested heavily in ICT infrastructure, and students now use computers more frequently and for a broader range of purposes (Volman, 2005). Several studies have found that students who use ICT learn more than those who do not. ICT offers

a variety of technological tools that improve the academic experience by allowing for greater variety, diversity, and organization in education. Business Education, like all other fields of study, provides a creative field in which ICT’s potential can be realized. This researcher investigates the frequency and effectiveness of ICT use among business education students against this backdrop.

1.2. PROBLEM STATEMENT

It goes without saying that businesses cannot thrive in the current era without an informed and communicative edge, and business education graduates cannot compete on a global scale without ICT skills. According to Okah (2018), the invaluable value of ICT resources such as computers, audio-visual equipment, internet access, and so on to the course has been fully brought to the attention of the students.

business school stakeholders. They are unsure, however, whether this technical possibility is being grasped and investigated in the most efficient and effective way. Information Communication Tools are an important part of business and business education, and their widespread use, especially in recent years, is gradually being integrated into undergraduate education. Furthermore, many universities and libraries in Nigeria are rapidly incorporating ICT tools like computers and the internet into their programs for student use. The goal of this study is to investigate the efficacy and consistency of ICT use among business education students.

1.3 THE STUDY’S OBJECTIVE

The following goals are being pursued through this research:

i. Determine the extent to which undergraduate students in the institutions have access to ICT tools.

This study will predict the spread and literacy of ICT among those students.

ii. To ascertain the extent to which business education students in those schools make use of the school’s ICT facilities.

iii. Determine the extent to which business education students use ICT to supplement their studies.

iv. Determine how students can make better use of the ICT resources to which they have access.

1.4 QUESTIONS FOR RESEARCH

i. Are business education students adequately equipped with the ICT tools required for genuine academic growth and global competitiveness?

ii. Are business education students making adequate use of the school’s ICT facilities?

iii. Do business education students make adequate use of ICT resources to supplement their studies?

iv.

How can students in business education make better use of the ICT resources available to them?

1.5 THE STUDY’S SIGNIFICANCE

This study will expose the flaws in business education students’ use of ICT technologies.

This study will assist in opening the eyes of business education students to the unexplored variety of opportunities available in ICT use. This study will also assist business education students in understanding how to increase the impact of ICT on their studies. The findings of this study should help to expand the stock of knowledge on the effectiveness and regularity of ICT use among business education students, which will hopefully contribute to existing literature. Additionally, it will serve as a resource for students and scholars who wish to conduct additional research in a related field.

1.6 THE SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The scope of this research is limited to the effectiveness and consistency of ICT use among business education students. This research will primarily focus on business education students at the University of Ibadan in Oyo State.

1.7 THE STUDY’S LIMITATIONS

The researchers encountered minor constraints while conducting the study, as with any human endeavor. The significant constraint was the scarcity of literature on the subject due to the fact that it is a new discourse, so the researcher incurred more financial expenses and spent more time sourcing for relevant materials, literature, or information and in the data collection process, which is why the researcher resorted to a limited sample size covering only the University of Ibadan in Oyo State. As a result of the study’s findings

It cannot be generalized to other junior schools in other Nigerian states. Furthermore, the researcher’s involvement in this study while also working on other academic projects will impede maximum dedication to the research. Nonetheless, despite the constraints encountered during the research, all factors were minimized in order to provide the best results and make the research a success.

1.8 OPERATIONAL TERMS DEFINITION

In this study, this refers to the computer and internet connections used to handle and communicate information for the purpose of learning.

E-learning is a type of learning program that uses an information network, such as the internet, an intranet (LAN), or an extranet (WAN), entirely or partially, for course delivery, interaction, and/or facilitation. Web-based education is a subset of

e-learning refers to learning through the use of an internet browser such as moodle, blackboard, or internet explorer (Tinio,2002)

Blended learning refers to learning models that combine in-person classroom practice with online learning. A teacher, for example, may facilitate student learning in class and use the module (modular object oriented dynamic learning environment) to facilitate learning outside of class.

Constructivism is a learning paradigm that views learning as a process. Individuals “build” meaning or new knowledge based on prior knowledge and experience (Johanssen, 2004). In contrast to the long-established behaviorism view of learning, educators refer to it as emerging pedagogy.

Learner-centered learning environment: This is a learning environment that focuses on the skills, attitudes, and beliefs that students bring to the classroom. The learning process whose impetus is derived from a learning paradigm known as constructivism. In the context of this article, it refers to the student’s personal involvement in the learning task via computer and/or internet connection.

 

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