THE EXTENT OF AVAILABILITY AND USES OF COMPUTERS IN STATE AND PRIVATE SECONDARY SCHOOLS (A CASE STUDY OF SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN ENUGU METROPOLIS)
ABSTRACT
This study, investigated the extent of availability and uses of computer in teaching and learning in the state and private secondary schools. The study was designed to find out some factors that are responsible for any difference between the two types of schools. In order to do this effectively, five research questions were asked and answered. The literature related to the study was reviewed under the following factors. Areas where computer is used, kinds of software/Application programs, spread sheet, internet, graphical packages, attitudes of students towards computer learning and computer studies curriculum. The design of the study is survey. The area of the study is Enugu metropolis. The population of the study was 71502. The sample of the study was 4000. The sampling technique was random sampling. The instrument used is questionnaire. The instrument was validated by two experts in the school of Science Education. The reliability of the instrument was obtained using test – retest method. Data obtained were analysed using rate scale and decision rule. Results showed that there are more computers in state secondary schools more than in private secondary schools and the application software learned by the school are spreadsheet, word processor and windows. Also the result showed that some schools do not have computer laboratory and also, there is limited power supply. Conclusively students in state government schools use more computer than students in private secondary schools which indicate better achievement by students in state secondary school. Finally, the researchers suggest that both state schools and private schools should be equipped with computers and softwares or computer materials.
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Science and computer education is of paramount important in the technology development of any country of the world.
Nigeria as a developing country can not be left out. In her quest for economic and technological development, therefore, the emphasis of science and science education have been greatly stressed by the federal and state government in the past and up till date.
Furthermore, computer which is an electronic device that is capable of accepting data craw facts from which required information is produced, as input, processes the data and produces information (that is information gotten from the processed data) as out put, fast, accurately and thus more efficiently than human being is a very important subjects and also a central science subject which can be applied in other subjects and in various aspects of our daily lives. For instance in Engineering, medicine, commercial purposes, security, schools learning, and administrator, communication networks, brewing to mention but are few. With the knowledge of computer education the problem of school record such as administration register, fees – registrar, staff record, school account etc can be prepared, amended, updated with the computer.
From the foregoing a well programmed science education is needed to achieve the above knowledge for the development of technological growth in the country.
Gbanganja (1991) et el envisaged that the best as of building a country to be scientifically and technologically mounted is to strengthen science education. Computer education which has just been introduced into most Nigerian secondary schools but has not been included in the West Africa examination council (WAEC)’s syllabus is more challenging because, everybody want to be computer literate. Computer learning, comprises both theoretical as well as practical aspects, unlike formerly when the use of computer was associated with big companies and parastatals like conglomerates, and is and other financial houses.
