TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGES
Title Page- – – – – – – – – – ii
Approval Page – – – – – – – – iii
Certification – – – – – – – – iv
Dedication – – – – – – – – v
Acknowledgement – – – – – – – – vi
Table of Contents – – – – – – – ix
List of Tables – – – – – – – – x
Abstract – – – – – – – – xi
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION – – – – 1
Background of the Study – – – – – – – 1
Statement of the Problem – – – – – – – 10
Purpose of the Study – – – – – – – 13
Significance of the Study – – – – – – 13
Research Questions- – – – – – – 15
Research Hypothesis – – – – – – – 16
Delimitation of the Study- – – – – – — 16
CHAPTER II REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE – – – 18 Conceptual Framework- – – – – 18
- Information and Communication Technology Resources available for teaching Business Education Courses – – – 18
- The level of utilization of ICT resources in teaching Business Education subjects/courses in higher institutions – 26
- The benefit of ICT resources in teaching Business Education courses 53
- Problems facing ICT resources as it concerns teaching of Business Education subjects/courses – – – – 59
Theoretical Framework – – – – – – – 63
Review of Related Empirical Studies- – – – – – 67
Summary of Review of Related Literature- – – – 84
CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY – – – – 87
Design of the Study- – – – – – – 87
Area of the Study- – – – – – – – 87
Population of the Study- – – – – – – – 88
Instrument for Data Collection- – – – – – 88
Validation of the Instrument- – – – – – 89
Reliability of the Study- – – – – – – 89
Method of Data Collection – – – – – 90
Method of Data Analysis- – – – – – – 90
CHAPTER IV PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF DATA 92
Research Question 1- – – – – – – – 92
Research Question 2- – – – – – – – 93
Research Question 3- – – – – – – – – 95
Research Question 4- – – – – – – – 96
Research Hypothesis 1- – – – – – – 98
Research Hypothesis 2- – – – – – – 99
Research Hypothesis 3- – – – – – – 100
Findings of the Study- – – – – – – – 101
Discussion of Findings- – – – – – – – – 103
CHAPTER V SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 107
Re-Statement of the Problem- – – – – 107
Summary of Procedures Used- – – – – – 110
Major Findings- – – – – – – – 111
Implication of the Study- – – – – – 112
Conclusion- – – – – – – – 112
Recommendations – – – – – – – 113
Suggestions for Further Studies- – – – – – 114
References- – – – – – – – – 115
Appendices – – – – – – – – 125
Appendix I: Respondents’ Statistics – – – – 125
Appendix II: Letter of Request for Validation of Instrument – 126
Appendix III: Letter to the Respondents – – – – 127
Appendix IV: Questionnaire- – – – – – 128
LIST OF TABLE
Table Pages
- Mean Responses of the Respondents on the ICT resources available for teaching Business Education Courses in Tertiary Institutions in Ogun State 92
- Mean Responses of the Respondents on the Extent of Utilization of each ICT Resources for Teaching Business Education Courses in Tertiary Institutions in Ogun State – – – 94
- Mean Responses of the Respondents on the Benefits derived in using ICT Resources in Teaching of Business Education Courses in Tertiary Institutions in Ogun State – – – – – – 95
- Mean Responses of the Respondents on the Problems confronting the Use of ICT Resources for Teaching Business Education Courses in Tertiary Institutions in Ogun State – – – 97
- Comparisons of z-test differences between the Mean Ratings of Male and Female Business Education Lecturers on the Level of Utilization of ICT Resources in Teaching Business Education Courses in Tertiary Institutions in Ogun State – – – – – – 98
- Comparisons of z-test differences between the Mean Ratings of Male and Female Business Education Lecturers on the Contributions of Information and Communication Technology Resources to the Teaching Business Education Courses in Tertiary Institutions in Ogun State – – 99
- Comparisons of z-test differences between the Mean Ratings of Male and Female Business Education Lecturers on the Problem Facings Information and Communication Technology Resources in Teaching Business Education in Tertiary Institutions in Ogun State – 100
ABSTRACT
The study was carried out to investigate the availability and utilization of ICT resources in teaching of business education courses in tertiary institutions in Ogun State. The study adopted a survey research design. A population of 30 business education lecturers was used for the study. Four research questions and three null hypotheses were raised and formulated respectively to guide the study. Data collected were analyzed using the mean and standard deviation for the research questions while t test statistic was used for testing the null hypotheses.It was found out from the study that:nine out of twenty ICT resources were available for teaching business education courses; information communication technology resources were often utilized for teaching business education courses and information and communication technology resources highly contributed to the teaching of business education courses in tertiary institutions in Ogun State; All the problems presented were facing the teaching of business education courses using information and communication technology recourses in tertiary institutions in Ogun State. There was no significant difference in the Mean ratings of male and female business education lecturers on; the level of utilization of ICT resources; the contributions of information and communication technology resources and the problem facing information and communication technology resources in teaching business education in tertiary institutions in Ogun State. It was recommended that: relevant information and communication technology resources for teaching business education courses should be provided by government and philanthropists in the society. Also, Workshop, seminars and short time training should be organized for business education lecturers by school administrators and government in order to improve their skills in using all kinds of ICT resources for business education courses.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study
The twentieth century has brought growth and improvement to Business Education Courses in the area of information and Communication Technology. The rate of growth in information handling is quite alarming and has posed great challenges to all business educators (Olivers and Bernard, 2010).
Business education course is run in education institutions all over the world. Although their structures may vary, the aims of the courses are consistent. According to America Vocational Association (AVA) in Osuala (2004) described business education as a programme of instruction which consists of two parts.
a. Office Education, a vocational education programme for office careers through initial, and upgrading education leading to employability and advancement in office occupations, and
b. General business education, a programme to provide students with information and competencies which are needed by all in managing personal business affairs and in using the services of the business world.
Makeri (1990) noted that Business Education is an educational programme that prepares students not only for entry into advancement, but also prepares individuals to handle their own business affairs and to function intelligently as consumers and citizens.
Njoku (2007) further posited that it is educational programme that equips the recipients with functional saleable skills; knowledge and attitude/value that enable them operate in the environment they find themselves. This operational statement buttresses business education as a study that provides the skills, knowledge and competencies needed for managing any successful business outfit, and also makes the recipients of business education programme to be self-reliant or employer of labour.
From the above definitions, it is crystal clear that business education has a variety of benefits to make the youth useful as an employee, an entrepreneur or to be self-reliant. The fact remains that business education enhances job creation and entrepreneurship development. The general aim of business education is to provide students with saleable skills and competencies needed to enhance the productive capacity of the citizens and to produce better consumers of goods and services (NCCE 2002).
Mebane (2000) said that the products of business education constitute very critical inputs to production in the quest for economic and national development. The rate of development of a nation depends on availability and utilization of ICT resources in all fields of economy. It will be shameful if the products of business education are found wanting in the world of work already permeated by these innovations. Nigerians are currently living in computer age. It can be vividly said that there is no area of life that does not have its own share of ICT resources as it affects our personal life, education, games, government and many more (Awuya and Iwuga 2000). To Onumah (2006) Information and Communication Technology Resources are vital factors in the students’ knowledge, acquisition of skills and ideas. Education would be failing woefully unless lecturers are familiar with the use of CD ROMs, E-mail, Internet, and on-line database searching.
Availability means to be available, find or get in abundant. Necessary Information and Communication Technology resources that are supposed to be available for teaching as well as keeping of school records, retrieving records, word-processing, analyzing students’ performance, searching for knowledge include: electronic learning facilities (computer assisted learning, tutorial drills, database and excel, computer assisted design, spreadsheets, word processor, computer assisted testing), telephone, websites, fax/facsimile, electronic library, internet facilities, global system for mobile communication, white board, bulleting board, television lesson, radio broadcast, reprographic machine, storage devices, (compact disc), teleconferencing device, electronic-mail, interacting radio counseling, interactive voice system, audio-cassette, micrographic system, power-point device, photocopier, microfilm and computer to mention but a few. Information communication technology resources have become critical tools for professional training.
Utilization means ability to use something for practical purpose. It implies that the sooner the learners find and know how to use ICT resources, the easier they can find the way to capture the newest methods of data acquisition and transformation of knowledge (Ngurukwem 2005).
Before ICT resources became widely used, different methods and equipment were used by teachers to teach, record, store, retrieve information and conduct researches. Some of these equipments include: filing cabinet, manual typewriter, tape-recorder, concrete objects and analogue telephone to mention but a few. Some of these methods of teaching also include: lecture, assignment, excursion and so on. As the volume of work increased, the need also arose for more efficient and effective ways of passing and managing information. In tertiary institutions, manual information systems are giving way to electronic information systems (Igbinoba 2005).
According to Lucy (1987), ICT is the acquisition, processing, storage and dissemination of vocal, pictorial, textual and numeric information by a micro electronic based combination of computing and telecommunications. Oliver and Chapman (1990) see ICT as the technology which supports activities involving the creation, storage, manipulation and communication of information together with their related method, management and application. Teaching of Business Courses could be simplified and made more effective through the use of ICT resources. ICT resources have been found to effectively aid instruction in the area of tutorial, drill and practice, test administration, test question banking, management of instruction and simulation.
The areas where ICT resources are used in teaching Business include:
Computerization of students’ records, learning records, learning process: (Computer Assisted Learning, (CAL), Computer Managed Learning (CML), Computer Based Training (CBT), Computer Aided Design (CAD) and so on, Library automation, and Research activities, etc.
The computerization of students’ records, examination records and library automation simply mean the use of computer for information processing in the various quarters. Another relevant area is the Computer Assisted Learning (CAL) otherwise known as Computer Aided Instruction (CAI) or Computer Based Training (CBT). This generally has to do with the use of computer for teaching. In other words, it depicts a situation whereby the computer is being programmed to assist the students in learning some courses.
With the advent of multi-media systems, CAL offers both Visual (character/graphic) display; as well as audio (sound) through a set of speakers. The system thus facilitates the work of the lecturers by enabling students to move at their own pace without stress (Osuala 2004). This implies that:
- Students can write essay on a word-processor instead of using typewriter.
- Student can employ e-mail services for mailing assignments, making enquiries and assessing course materials.
Other application areas of ICT in teaching business education courses are:
- Computer-based tools designed to make complex tasks easier or faster; word processor/laptops for writing, data based managers and statistics programmes for analyzing data and spread sheet for budget. Also, communication and artistic words that combine sounds and moving images can now be produced as readily as text.
- Prospective students can scan through internet to view various Schools and other programmes, and make their choice.
- Homework/assignment on courses like typewriting and shorthand etc can be given to students using the GSM or Fax machine.
- Teleconferencing, an interactive session of discussion group, Seminar and Conferences and many more.
Morrison (1989) and U.S. Congress 1988) rightly observed that the proposals for using ICT in education are so varied that it is no more an exaggeration to presume that there are ways to use ICT resources to teach and learn everything.
The need for utilization of ICT resources in teaching of Business Education Courses cannot be over emphasized. The primary functions of ICT resources are: to make teaching faster, easier and more effective. According to Igbinoba (2004), teachers’ duties include: imparting knowledge, keeping school records such as students’ results, retrieving students’ documents, analyzing students’ performances, setting of examination questions, carrying out research work and many more. The performance of the above mentioned duties could be greatly enhanced through the use of ICT resources such as fax machine, computer system, internet accessing, copiers, word processors etc.
Michael (2003) posited that the use of ICT in teaching Business Education can enable students to develop autonomy in learning independent group activities to complement the effort of lecturers. Also, lecturers can teach one thousand (1000) students simultaneously through computer network like Local Area Network (LAN). Furthermore, Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM), Telephone, E-mail facilities can be employed as effective communication tools between lecturers and their students. In short, the argument for the use of ICT resources by Michael (2003) is all encompassing as it covers several areas of teaching/learning interest which also includes students’ abilities to make good judgment about the benefit of ICT to their work and creativity in handling ICT resources in the present age. In addition, to the benefit identified above, Oladunjoye and Morrison (2002) agreed that a considerable number of graduates in business education are likely to find employment in electronic working environment designed to enhance the speed and efficiency of producing and disseminating products and services to consumers.
Akinyele (2008) pointed out the problems of ICT as it is prone to plagiarism and forms of academic frauds. This is already seen in Handsets, Students’ Projects, Thesis Submission, Paper submitted for Journal Publication and Paper Presentation. There is threat of security and privacy of information on the internet. Most confidential information stored by lecturers is at risk and insecure if such information is stolen. Introducing viruses into the computer system could also disrupt the work of the lecturers as many files and data could be lost through this crime.
Also, there is a general belief that in the future, information and communication technology would lead to unemployment, as most of the lecturers’ jobs would have been replaced with machines. Aja (2002) supported this statement that “technology has tended to escalate the fear of white collar workers who believe that technology causes unemployment or loss of jobs”.
Other problems confronting the usage of ICT resources in teaching business education course as highlighted by Eruanga (2005) are: anxiety, computer pornography, common with students in tertiary institutions, promotion of laziness on the part of lecturers, cost of hardware and software, invasion of privacy, promotion of frauds and crimes, creation of digital division within class among students, shifting attention from the primary goal of learning processing to development of ICT skills which is secondary goal.
The application of ICT in teaching business education courses faces a lot of barriers and challenges. Effiong (2005) submitted the following as barriers to effective teaching of business education courses and ICT in Nigeria especially Ogun State.
- The level of poverty among Nigerians is so high that many lecturers can still not afford personal computers/Laptops for themselves to sustain computer training they required.
- High cost of ICT resources such as hardware and software of computers. They are very expensive to buy and maintain.
- Poor electricity supply: there is constant power failure necessitating standby arrangements. Poor electricity supply destroys ICT resources. Effective teaching cannot take place without electricity. Students lag behind without the usage of it to practice with the ICT resources. Hence, it makes teaching and learning processes to be slow.
- Inadequate ICT resources/infrastructural facilities. Most higher institutions in Ogun State do not have the relevant equipment to enable students gain hands or experience such as: studio, laboratories, Dictaphones, scanning machines and internet facilities.
- Insufficient Personnel: Higher institutions in Nigeria, especially in Ogun State lack qualified lecturers in the field of ICT. For instance, courses in business education are full of half-baked or non-specialists in areas like, Shorthand, Business Communication, Business Mathematics, Computer Appreciation
In the light of all the facts enumerated above, this project will be concerned with determining the availability and utilization of Information and Communication Technology resources in Tertiary Institutions of learning in Ogun State.
Statement of the Problem
