INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT): EFFICIENCY, FREQUENCY AND USAGE AMONG BUSINESS EDUCATION STUDENTS IN HIGHER INSTITUTION

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT): EFFICIENCY, FREQUENCY AND USAGE AMONG BUSINESS EDUCATION STUDENTS IN HIGHER INSTITUTION

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

The introduction of electronic learning technology in the twenty-first century has accelerated the development of learning. Learning is made easier in developed countries such as China and Japan due to easy access to computers, internet service, and other electronic devices. As a result, students are enthusiastic about using these devices in the learning process. There appears to be free access to information on a wide range of topics (Bupo & Ndinechi, 2015). To improve student performance, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) provides open access to information on a wide range of subjects, including Business Education. According to Nwagwu and Azih (2016), the world is rapidly transitioning to a global digital society through the use of ICT facilities, and at the heart of this transition is the use of ICT facilities. This revolution is the ease with which information, ideas, innovations, and lifestyles spread to the world’s nooks and crannies. It has transformed the nature and manner of instructional preparation and delivery in education in general, and Business Education programs are unavoidably impacted by this rapid change in Information and Communication Technology (ICT). According to Ajisafe (2014), information and communication technology (ICT) is the technology that assists students in recording, storing, processing, retrieving, transferring, and receiving information. According to the World Bank (2007), information communication technology (ICT) entails the use of hardware, software, networks, and media for the collection, storage, processing, transmission, and presentation of information (voice, data, text, images, and so on) as well as related services. Obanya (2002) defines ICT as a

In today’s knowledge-driven society, harnessing the process, methods, and products of electronic communication related technologies and other related resources to improve the productivity, spread, and efficiency of set program activities geared toward the achievement of clearly defined goals is a broad term. Furthermore, Deebom and Zite (2016) defined Information and Communication Technology (ICT) as electronic media, devices, and applications used in the classroom to facilitate effective teaching and learning processes. Teaching and learning materials include all materials, media, and devices made available by ICT that appeal to all senses, feelings, and learning.

Today, the adventure and advancement of new technologies (ICT) have posed a challenge to the traditional method and process of learning, as well as changed the learning environment. the management of education to a more flexible, friendly, and simplified form (Deebom & Zite, 2016). According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organizations (UNESCO), ICT has evolved from a communication and information technology to a curriculum creation and delivery system for educators and learners. According to Okereke (2005), various electronic devices and facilities have been used to aid education in developed countries. He claims that for several years, electronic mail, real-time text conferencing, and online tutorials have been used in the teaching and learning process. According to Ipaye (2011), some e-learning platforms used in developed countries include websites, wikis, blogs, Second Life, e-mail, twitters, course management systems, video/audio podcasts, facebook, threaded discussion lists, and so on. Video/audio text chat, videoconferencing software, and so on. However, it appears that e-learning is underutilized in Nigerian tertiary institutions. Many Business Education students appear to lack e-mail addresses, are unable to operate a computer, and have little knowledge of e-learning platforms. According to Olusegun, Gabriel, Sushil, and Zhang (2006), computer literacy influences e-learning utilization, and many Business Education students lack the necessary competency in computer operations that serves as the foundation for e-learning integration to improve academic performance. According to Nwagwu and Azih (2016), business education is a vocational program that provides recipients with the skills, attitudes, knowledge, and understanding required for effective participation and contribution as producers and/or consumers of business products. It follows that

that Business Education prepares individuals who will adequately participate in business activities and also equip individuals with business knowledge and skills. These lofty goals of business education would be impossible to achieve without incorporating information and communication technology (ICT) into the training of their students through the use of e-learning.

The use of e-learning by Business Education students in tertiary institutions will lay the groundwork for the use of computers and software in academic programs. It also improves student performance because teaching and learning are made easier and more tangible rather than abstract. It also assists them in handling assignments, writing ICT-based exams, presenting seminars, conducting effective research, and packaging, disseminating, and receiving messages in modern offices. In light of the foregoing,

Students in Business Education should use ICT innovations to better equip and improve their academic performance through modern learning techniques.

Statement of the Issue Traditional educational practices no longer provide students with all of the necessary skills to survive economically in today’s workplace and to improve academic performance, particularly among Business Education students. This is due to the fact that the teaching and learning process in Business Education in Nigerian tertiary institutions is still in its most primitive form, with lecturers and students still relying on textbook information and lecturers class verbalization due to a general lack of enthusiasm for innovation and the adoption of modern technologies such as ICTs (Edet & Francis, 2013). Ajayi (2008) also observed that today’s schools are organized around yesterday’s ideal, yesterday’s standard. requirements, and yesterday’s resources, and they weren’t even doing well yesterday. Nonetheless, the use of computer applications in teaching has undoubtedly contributed significantly to the delivery of knowledge. It has made the teaching and learning process more exciting, and an approach to learning that is simple to understand has been encouraged. ICT has greatly influenced how Business Education students approach academic and research challenges, and its impact on our daily lives cannot be overstated. As a result, many Business Education lecturers and students have yet to fully utilize ICT for teaching and learning in order to improve academic performance, particularly in Business Education. It is also regrettable to note that teaching at the higher level of education and Business Education are both declining.

Particularly, it is still reliant on traditional practices and materials, and its students rarely use information and communication technology facilities (Gbenga, 2006; Nwaosa & Okolocha, 2014). Against this backdrop, the purpose of this study is to investigate the efficiency, frequency, and usage of information and communication technology (ICT) among business education students in higher education institutions using Abia State University as a case study.

1.3 THE STUDY’S OBJECTIVE

The broad goal of this study is to investigate the efficiency, frequency, and usage of information and communication technology (ICT) among business education students in higher education institutions using Abia State University as a case study.

The following goals are being pursued through this research:

i. To determine the level of ICT tool ownership and efficiency among undergraduate students in Abia State.

University.

ii. To ascertain the extent to which business education students use ICT facilities to supplement their studies.

iii. Determine whether Business Education students’ competency in using ICT tools correlates with learning outcomes.

iv. Determine the extent to which Business Education students’ use of ICT facilities influences their academic performance at Abia State University.

1.4 QUESTION FOR RESEARCH

HO1: Undergraduate students at Abia State University have a low level of ICT tool ownership and efficiency.

HO2: Business education students at Abia State University use ICT facilities to supplement their studies to a low extent.

HO3: ICT facilities that are utilized by Business Education student does influences their academic performance in Abia State University.

1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

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 study’s findings will contribute to the general body of knowledge and serve as a reference material for both students and scholars who wish to conduct additional research in a related field.

1.6 APPLICATION AND LIMITATIONS

The scope of this study includes Information and Communication Technology (ICT): efficiency, frequency, and utilization among business education students at Abia State University. However, the study is limited to business.

Abia State University, Uturu, Abia State, education student.

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 because 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 business education students at Abia State University, Uturu, Abia State. As a result, the findings of this study cannot be generalized to universities in other Nigerian states. Furthermore, the researcher will participate in this study at the same time.

with other academic work will prevent you from giving your full attention 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 successful.

1.8 OPERATIONAL TERM 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 learning is a subset of e-learning that involves learning through the use of an internet browser such as moodle, blackboard, or internet explorer (Tinio,2002)