THE ISSUE OF THE EFFECTIVENESS AND REGULARITY OF ICT USE AMONG BUSINESS EDUCATION STUDENTS
ABSTRACT
Information and communication technologies (ICTs) have proven to be extremely beneficial to the educational sector over the years. Computers, the internet, projectors, and other similar technologies are examples of such technologies. This study looks into the effectiveness and consistency of ICT use among business education undergraduates.
This study was restricted to the University of Lagos (UNILAG) and Lagos State University (LASU). The sample population consisted of 200 business undergraduates from the two universities mentioned above. In order to analyze the data, the Chi-square statistical tool was used. The following recommendations were made:
The administrations of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) and Lagos State University (LASU) ensure that more ICT tools are provided for the school in order to accommodate the school’s ever-growing population of students. Because
business education students at the two universities are making good use of the ICT facilities provided by their schools, the school administration should try to ensure that basic necessities such as electricity are always available. This would ensure continued use. The existing ICT facilities in those two universities should be constantly updated to ensure that their Business Education students can compete with their counterparts from other parts of the world.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 THE STUDY’S BACKGROUND
ICT stands for Information and Communication Technology. They are a diverse set of technological tools and resources used to communicate as well as create, disseminate, store, and manage information. Computers, the internet, broadcasting technologies (radio and television), and telephony are among these technologies (Volman,2005).
In recent years, there has been a surge of interest in how computers and the internet can be best used to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of education at all levels and in both formal and non-formal settings (www.en.m.wikibooks.org).
However, ICTs are more than just these technologies; older technologies such as television, radio, and telephone, which are now receiving less attention, have a longer and richer history as instructional tools. Computers and the internet are still in their infancy in developing countries, owing to limited infrastructure and the attendant high cost of access. ICTs are causing rapid changes in society.
They have an impact on every aspect of life. The effects are becoming more visible in schools. ICTs give both students and teachers more opportunities to tailor teaching and learning to individual needs, and society is pressuring schools to respond appropriately to this technological innovation.
Tinio (2002) discusses the potential of ICTs in increasing access and improving the relevance and quality of education in developing countries. He went on to say that ICTs greatly facilitate the acquisition and absorption of knowledge, providing developing countries with unprecedented opportunities to improve educational systems,
improve policy formulation and implementation, and broaden the range of opportunities for business and the poor. One of the most difficult challenges faced by the poor and many others living in the poorest countries is a sense of isolation, and ICTs can open access to knowledge in previously unimaginable ways.
According to Watson (2001), ICTs have revolutionized the way people work today and are now transforming education systems. As a result, if schools train students with yesterday’s skills and technologies, they may be ineffective and unfit for the world of tomorrow.
This is a compelling reason for ICTs to gain global recognition and attention. For example, ICTs are dependable tools in facilitating the achievement of one of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which is the achievement of Universal Basic Education by 2015.
Former United Nations Secretary General Kofi Anan points out that in order to achieve the goal of Universal Primary Education by 2015, we must ensure that information and communication technologies open the door to education systems.
This demonstrates the growing demand for and importance of ICTs in education. Because ICTs allow students and teachers to tailor learning and teaching to individual needs, society is pressuring schools to respond appropriately to this technological innovation.
The use of ICT is making a significant difference in student learning and teaching methods. Over the last 20 years, schools in the Western world have made significant investments in ICT infrastructure, and students now use computers more frequently and for a broader range of applications (Volman, 2005). Several studies show that students who use ICT facilities learn more than those who do not.
ICT provides a variety of technical tools that improve the academic experience, allowing for greater variety, diversity, and organization in education. Business Education, like all other courses of study, provides a creative field in which the opportunities offered by ICT can be explored.
It goes without saying that businesses cannot thrive in the modern era without an informative and communicative edge, nor can business education graduates be globally competitive without being imbued with ICT skills. Against this backdrop, this researcher investigates the frequency and effectiveness of ICT use among business education students.
1.2STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
It has been brought to the attention of business education stakeholders the invaluable importance of ICT tools such as computers, audio-visual equipment, internet access, and so on to the course. They are unsure, however, whether this technological opportunity is being most effectively and optimally exploited and explored.
Information Communication Tools are an essential part of business and business education, and their widespread use, particularly in recent years, is gradually being implemented in undergraduate training. Furthermore, many universities and
libraries in Nigeria are rapidly incorporating ICT tools such as computers and the internet into their programs for student use. The goal of this study is to investigate the effectiveness and consistency of ICT use among business education students.
1.3 STUDY OBJECTIVE
The following goals are being pursued by this research:
i. To reveal the degree of possession of ICT tools by undergraduate students in the institutions covered by this study, thereby predicting the spread and literacy of ICT among those students.
ii. To ascertain the extent to which business education students in those schools use the school’s ICT facilities.
iii. To ascertain the extent to which business education students use ICT facilities to supplement their studies.
iv. Determine how students can make better use of the ICT resources to which they have access.
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
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 resources?
iii. Are business education students making 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 RESEARCH HYPOTHESES
The following hypotheses were developed to achieve the study’s goal:
HYPOTHESIS ONE
H1: Business education students do not have enough ICT tools to help them with their studies.
HYPOTHESIS TWO
H2: Business education students do not make adequate use of the school’s ICT resources.
HYPOTHESIS THREE
H3: Business education students are not making adequate use of ICT resources to supplement their studies.
HYPOTHESIS FOUR
H4: Business education students are not fully utilizing the features of ICT tools.
1.6 STUDY LIMITATION
This study will primarily focus on business education students at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) and Lagos State University (LASU).
1.7 STUDY LIMITATIONS
The researcher was also hampered by intermittent power outages, which hampered certain observations.
1.8 THE STUDY’S IMPORTANCE
i. This research will expose the flaws in business education students’ use of ICT technologies.
ii. This research will help to open the eyes of business education students to the unexplored variety of opportunities that exist in ICT use.
iii. This research will also help business education students understand how to increase the impact of ICT on their studies.
1.9 OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF TERMS
i. Information Communication Technologies: In this study, this refers to the computer and internet connections used to handle and communicate information for learning purposes.
ii. E-learning: This is a learning program that uses an information network, such as the internet, an intranet (LAN), or an extranet (WAN), in whole or in part, for course delivery, interaction, and/or facilitation. Web-based learning is a subset of e-learning that refers to learning via an internet browser such as moodle, blackboard, or internet explorer (Tinio,2002)
iii. Blended learning: A learning model that combines face-to-face classroom practice with e-learning solutions. For example, a teacher may facilitate student learning in class and use the module (modular object oriented dynamic learning environment) to facilitate learning outside of class.
iv. Constructivism: This is a learning paradigm that views learning as a process. Individuals “construct” meaning or new knowledge based on their prior knowledge and experience (Johanssen, 2004). In contrast to the long-standing behaviorism view of learning, educators refer to it as emerging pedagogy.
v.Learner-centered learning environment: This is a learning environment that focuses on the skills, attitudes, and beliefs that learners bring to the learning process, with its impetus derived from the constructivism learning paradigm.
In the context of this article, it refers to a student’s personal involvement in the learning task through the use of a computer and/or an internet connection.
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