IMPACT OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT) ON CLASSROOM TEACHING
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.10The Study’s Background
It is difficult, if not impossible, to envision future learning environments that are not supported in some way by information and communication technologies (ICT). Looking at the current widespread diffusion and use of ICT in modern societies, particularly among the young – the so-called digital generation – it should be clear that ICT will have an impact on the entire learning process today and in the future.
Almost everywhere on the planet, the African Union (AU), European Union (EU), and member countries have dedicated effort and resources to the promotion and implementation of ICT in education and training, and they continue to do so (e.g. the EU eLearning Program and the SourceCrew Virtual Classroom Program powered by Elluminate).
In other words, there is a widespread belief that ICTs can and should play an important role in changing and modernizing educational systems and learning methods. Despite decades of efforts, there is little scientific evidence of ICTs’ concrete contributions to the learning domain. As a result, there is a need to gather evidence on the impact of ICT on education and training in Africa.
However, many early online courses, such as those developed in the 1970s and 1980s at the New Jersey Institute of Technology, courses at the University of Guelph in Canada, the British Open University, and online distance courses at the University of British Columbia (where Web CT, now incorporated into Blackboard Inc., was first developed), have always made extensive use of online discussion between students.
Furthermore, long before the term “e-learning,” practitioners such as Harasim (1995) placed a strong emphasis on the use of learning networks for knowledge construction. Virtual classrooms (online presentations delivered live) are also being used more frequently as an online learning platform and classroom by a variety of education providers, including Minnesota State Colleges and Universities and Sachem School District.
E-learning lends itself naturally to distance and flexible learning, but it can also be used in conjunction with face-to-face instruction, in which case the term Blended learning is commonly used. Bernard Luskin, an e-Learning pioneer, contends that the letter “E” must be understood to have a broad meaning if e-Learning is to be effective.
According to Luskin, the “e” should be interpreted to mean exciting, energetic, enthusiastic, emotional, extended, excellent, and educational in addition to the traditional national interpretation of “electronic.” This broader interpretation allows for 21st-century applications and incorporates learning and media psychology.
In higher education, in particular, there is an increasing trend toward developing a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) (which is sometimes combined with a Management Information System (MIS) to form a Managed Learning Environment) in which all aspects of a course are handled through a consistent user interface standard across the institution).
A growing number of traditional universities, as well as newer online-only colleges, have begun to offer a select set of academic degree and certificate programs via the Internet at a variety of levels and disciplines. While some programs require students to attend on-campus classes or orientations, many are entirely online. Several universities also provide online student support services such as online advising and registration, e-counseling, online textbook purchase, student governments, and student newspapers.
ICT in the form of e-Learning can also refer to educational websites that provide children with learning scenarios, worksheets, and interactive exercises. The term is also widely used in the business sector, where it generally refers to low-cost online training. Screen casting is a recent trend in the e-Learning industry.
There are numerous screen casting tools available, but the latest buzz is all about web-based screen casting tools, which allow users to create screencasts directly from their browser and publish the video online, allowing viewers to stream the video directly.
The benefit of such tools is that they allow the presenter to show his ideas and flow of thoughts rather than simply explaining them, which can be more confusing when delivered via simple text instructions. The expert can deliver clear, complete instructions using a combination of video and audio, simulating the one-on-one experience of the classroom.
From the learner’s perspective, this provides the ability to pause and rewind, as well as the advantage of moving at their own pace, which a classroom cannot always provide.
1.11Problem formulation
One of the major challenges confronting Nigeria’s educational sector is the alarming disparity between the astronomical increase in the number of applicants seeking admission into various higher institutions and the facilities available in these institutions to provide quality education;
the primary reason for their existence. Every year, the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) registers hundreds of thousands of students seeking admission to the country’s various institutions of higher learning.
Unfortunately, less than 20% of these students are accepted by these institutions, as the facilities available on-site can only accommodate a limited number of students. In fact, even those admitted to these institutions frequently outnumber the facilities available to support qualitative education and make the academic environment conducive to learning.
As a result, it is not surprising that in most of these institutions, students are frequently crammed into lecture rooms, with most students struggling to find desks and chairs just to listen to lectures. More outrageous and humiliating is the situation in which students sit on the floor while others hang from window frames in order to attend class and listen to their lecturers.
Students are not alone in facing the horrifying situation of sitting on the floor and hanging on the window frames in class to receive lectures. In our institutions of higher learning, lecturers are also affected by this unfortunate situation.
For example, due to the large number of students in their classes, lecturers dissipate their energy while lecturing because they must shout, rather than speak, to be audible enough for the students to hear them. There is no public address system, and when there is,
it is frequently not powered by electricity. Obviously, both lecturers’ and students’ productivity suffer as a result. And, in the end, the original goal of these institutions (providing high-quality education of international standards) is defeated.
The introduction and adoption of effective and efficient ICTs will undoubtedly help to improve the aforementioned unfortunate situation while also complementing these institutions’ efforts to provide quality education. It is a creative and innovative development that enables teachers to teach in a more comfortable and convenient manner.
This is especially true in a virtual classroom where the presence of teachers and students is not always required. This is made possible by web collaboration technology. Virtual classrooms, like physical classrooms, are interactive, and in a densely populated area, it allows the institution to admit more students than they currently do without compromising the quality and standard of education they provide, but rather improves it.
1.12The study’s objectives
The goal of this project is to describe the impact of ICT on classroom teaching through the eyes of students and teachers from various institutions of higher learning. And the objectives encompassed by this objective are as follows:
Improving the current problem and challenges that institutions of (higher) learning in Nigeria face in terms of matching their facilities to the number of students admitted to their schools.
Using eLearning, to create a conducive teaching and learning environment for lecturers and students.
To create an online network and community for teachers and students.
To introduce Nigerian higher education institutions, lecturers, and students to technological advancements and innovations related to eLearning.
1.13The Study’s Purpose
The primary goal of this research is to investigate the impact of ICT in classrooms by incorporating ICT equipment and tools into the teaching-learning process as a media and methodology. In general, to familiarize teachers and students with the use and operation of computers, as well as related social and ethical issues, and to provide prospects and trends for incorporating information and communication technology (ICT) into general educational activities.
1.14Research Issues
The following are some potential research questions:
What are the factors that contribute to our school teachers’ and higher education lecturers’ underutilization of ICT capabilities?
What role can the government play in modernizing our teachers’ and lecturers’ productivity in terms of technological advancement?
What role have our higher education institutions played in matching their facilities to international standards, so that many of our lecturers can be counted on anywhere in the world?
What is the level of readiness of our teachers and lecturers in terms of teaching with cutting-edge technology?
1.15Theory of Research
Based on the research questions, the following hypothesis was developed:
1st Hypothesis:
Information and communication technology is a powerful catalyst for reforming and improving classroom instruction.
The alternative hypothesis is that true improvement is found in schools that use technology as a supplement to their materials rather than as a catalyst, and that improvement is achieved when technology is applied to specific educational problems.
Hypothesis number two:
Even if the instructional materials are of poor quality, the successful operation of the ICT system in the classrooms will assist students in achieving higher learning skills. Academic achievement is determined by the teachers’ roles and the school’s expectations (goals), not by instructional materials and information obtained through the use of the ICT system.
According to the opposing hypothesis, the use of ICT will lower academic achievement due to wasted time spent reviewing lower quality materials from websites.
3rd Hypothesis:
The level of teachers’ ability to integrate ICT in their teaching-learning situations determines the success of ICT implementation. According to this hypothesis, teachers mediate the use of ICT, and the intellectual value of ICT is strongly related to the teachers’ ability.
The opposing hypothesis is that successful ICT adoption is determined by the technological infrastructure of the schools and the students’ ability to use the ICT rather than the teachers’ abilities.
4th Hypothesis:
The technological knowledge gap between haves and have-nots should not widen if everyone has equal access to the ICT system.
The opposing hypothesis is that if everyone has equal access to the ICT system, there will be a greater disparity in technological knowledge between the haves and have-nots.
1.16Importance of the research
With the increasing use of technology in all aspects of society, confident, creative, and productive use of ICT has become a necessary life skill.
ICT capability includes not only mastery of technical skills and techniques, but also the ability to apply these skills purposefully, safely, and responsibly in learning, daily life, and employment. Capability in ICT is essential for participation and engagement in modern society.
ICT can be used to search for, create, analyze, and present information, as well as model situations and solve problems. ICT allows students to collaborate and exchange information on a large scale by providing rapid access to ideas and experiences from a diverse range of people, communities, and cultures.
ICT is a powerful force for social change, and citizens should understand the social, ethical, legal, and economic implications of its use, as well as how to use ICT safely and responsibly. Increased ICT capability promotes initiative and independent learning by allowing students to make informed decisions about when and where to use ICT to improve their learning and the quality of their work.
Some of the importance of ICT in classroom teaching are discussed below:
Access to a wide range of educational resources
In this day and age, ICT provides a wealth of resources to improve teaching and learning skills. It is now possible to provide audiovisual education with the help of ICT. The learning resources are becoming increasingly diverse.
With this vivid and extensive technique now included in the ICT curriculum, students are encouraged to view computers as tools to be used in all aspects of their studies. They must, in particular, use new multimedia technologies to communicate ideas, describe projects, and organize information in their work.
Immediate access to information
Education now has a sense of urgency thanks to advances in technology. In this day and age of computers and web networks, the pace of imparting knowledge is extremely rapid, and one can be educated at any time and from any location. New information technology is frequently introduced into well-established patterns of working and living without fundamentally altering them.
For example, despite the fact that typewriters have been replaced by personal computers, the traditional office, with secretaries working at keyboards and notes written on paper and manually exchanged, has remained remarkably stable.
Whenever you want to learn
In this day and age of computers and web networks, the rate at which knowledge is imparted is extremely rapid, and anyone can be educated. Because of the boom in ICT, one can study whenever he wants, whether it is day or night, and whether he is in Nigeria or the United States.
Collaborative learning is a type of learning that occurs when two or more people work together
ICT has now made it possible to study and teach in groups or clusters. We can work together to complete the task using online collaboration technology. Efficient postal systems, the telephone (fixed and mobile), and various computer-based recording and playback systems all play a role in educational broadcasting in the new millennium.
Many children in developed countries and among educational elites elsewhere are now familiar with the Internet and its Web sites, but it remains of little significance to many more who lack the most basic means of subsistence.
A multimedia approach to education
Audio-Visual Education is the planning, preparation, and use of devices and materials for educational purposes that involve sight, sound, or both. Still and motion pictures, filmstrips, television, transparencies, audiotapes, records, teaching machines, computers, and videodiscs are among the devices used. The expansion of audio-visual education has mirrored advancements in both technology and learning theory.
According to research in the psychology of learning, the use of audio-visuals in education has several advantages. Perception, the process by which the senses gather information from their surroundings, underpins all learning. The higher processes of memory and concept formation are impossible to achieve without prior perception.
People can only pay attention to a limited amount of information at one time, and their choice and perception of information is influenced by previous experiences. Other things being equal, researchers discovered that receiving information simultaneously in two modalities (vision and hearing, for example) is more effective than receiving it in a single modality. Furthermore, learning is enhanced when material is organized and visible to the student.
These findings point to the importance of audio-visual aids in the educational process. They can aid perception of the most important features, be meticulously organized, and require the student to use more than one modality.
Information that is true and up to date
The information and data available on the internet are completely accurate and up to date.
The Internet, a collection of computer networks that adhere to common standards and allow computers and the programs that run on them to communicate directly, provides true and correct information.
Library on the internet
Thousands of different types of operational and experimental services are supported by ICT. One of these is an online library. This online library has a wealth of information.
Learners are encouraged to view computers as tools to be used in all aspects of their studies as part of the ICT curriculum. They must, in particular, use new multimedia technologies to communicate ideas, describe projects, and organize information in their work. This necessitates them selecting the best medium for conveying their message, structuring information in a hierarchical manner, and linking information together to create a multidimensional document.
Learning at a distance
Distance learning is a method of learning that takes place at a distance rather than in a classroom. Late-twentieth-century communications technologies, most recently multimedia and interactive, open up new possibilities for an unprecedented expansion of home-based learning, much of it part-time, on both an individual and institutional level.
Within the context of a continuing communications revolution, the term distance learning was coined, largely replacing a previously confusing mixed nomenclature—home study, independent study, external study, and, most commonly, though limited in pedagogical means, correspondence study.
In response to criticisms that distance learning is an inadequate substitute for learning alongside others in formal institutions, the convergence of increased demand for access to educational facilities and innovative communications technology has been increasingly exploited. Reduced costs per student have been a strong motivator. At the same time, students who study at home save money on travel and other expenses.
Whatever the reason, distance learning allows students who are unable to study alongside others for whatever reason (course availability, geographical remoteness, family circumstances, individual disability) to do so. Simultaneously, it appeals to students who prefer to learn at home. Furthermore, it appeals to professional and business education organizers by providing an incentive to reconsider the most effective way of communicating critical information.
Access to children with disabilities should be improved.
The impact of information and communication technology on the lives of disabled children has been dramatic. ICT provides a variety of software and techniques for educating these impoverished people. People who are profoundly deaf from birth are unable to learn to speak unless they receive special training at a young age.
Deafness from birth results in severe sensory deprivation, which can have a serious impact on a person’s intellectual capacity or ability to learn. A child who develops a hearing loss early in life may not receive the same level of language stimulation as children who can hear.
Up to the age of seven, the critical period for neurological plasticity exists. Failure of acoustic sensory input during this period leads to failure of synaptic connection formation and, potentially, an irreversible situation for the child. A deaf child’s academic progress may be slower than that of hearing children due to a delay in learning language.
Academic lag is typically cumulative, so a deaf adolescent may be four or more academic years behind his or her hearing peers. Deaf children who receive early language stimulation through sign language, on the other hand, perform academically on par with their hearing peers.
1.17The study’s scope
The impact of ICT on learning can be approached in a variety of ways. There is no single concept of ICT-assisted learning. There are numerous possibilities, including computer-assisted learning, web-learning, computer-classes, online training, distance education, eLearning, virtual learning, digital training, and so on. This study takes a broad view of ICT and teaching.
As a result, its impact on the teaching process includes not only traditional teaching outcomes, but also student use of ICT (learning), organizational use of ICT by education and training institutions, and, last but not least, the impact of ICT-enabled education on, for example, personal development, confidence, and self-esteem.
ICT is becoming a more important factor in education. Computers are used in developed countries to supplement traditional educational practices as well as to develop new modes of learning such as online education (a type of distance education).
This gives students the opportunity to choose what they want to learn. Programming and blogging are becoming more popular as computers become more widely available. Technology provides powerful learning tools, such as multimedia, that demand new skills and understandings from students, as well as new ways to engage students, such as virtual learning environments.
Virtual classrooms are one such tool. They are a “interactive, Web-based visual representation of a dynamic object that provides opportunities for constructing mathematical knowledge” (Moyer, Bolyard, & Spikell, 2002).
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