THE LEVEL OF COMPUTER LITERACY AMONG THE JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS
1.0 INTRODUCTION
The Study’s Background
The global economy has been taken over by information and communication technology (ICT). Most, if not all, tasks necessitate the use of ICT. The education sector is not immune to this trend, as information and communication technology (ICT) has improved the method of teaching and learning; it has made teaching and learning easier.
ICT-assisted teaching and learning have expanded beyond the four walls of a classroom to allow students to learn from the comfort of their own homes. This technological advancement has also bridged the digital divide between information-rich and information-poor societies.
According to Tinio (2002), ICT has the potential to increase the relevance and quality of education in developing countries, and ICT has had an impact on the field of education, affecting teaching, learning, and research. Many scholars have demonstrated the numerous benefits of ICT to educational quality through their works (Yusuf, 2005).
Computer literacy refers to the ability to use computers to perform a variety of tasks, and it is becoming increasingly important in the learning process (Osuji, 2010). Computer literacy refers to the ability to use a wide variety of computer applications for a variety of purposes. Computer literacy, according to Albirini (2004), is educators’ belief in their computer knowledge and skills.
Because state governments in Nigeria needed to fully implement the National Policy on Computer Education in Nigeria policy, computer literacy education was introduced in Nigerian secondary schools in 1997. (Bada, Ajibade & Ojedokun, 2009, and Adomi & Kpangban, 2010).
The reasons for this are as follows: to introduce the use of computers in teaching, to make the current generation appreciate the use of computers, to make both students and teachers appreciate the benefits of computers to the education sector, and to expose both students and teachers to a vast body of knowledge.
Similarly, in order to fully implement the use of computers in schools, the Federal Government of Nigeria introduced the National Policy on Information Technology in 2001 to relate the message of computer literacy to secondary schools in rural areas.
With such policies in place, steps have been taken to improve the use of ICT in both teaching and learning at all levels of education, from primary to tertiary. However, the situation in primary and secondary schools across the country has not improved,
as we continue to see cases of most schools lacking computer laboratories and those that do have them lacking competent teachers to teach, among other factors. Computer education is lacking in junior secondary schools, despite the fact that some private schools are attempting to provide a few computers for learning.
When comparing the Nigeria National Computer Policy of 1987 with what is currently available across secondary schools in Nigeria, Jegede and Owolabi (2003) discovered that computer education is more prevalent in Federal unity schools and a few private schools. These schools are located in cities, which means that more schools in cities practice computer education than schools in rural areas.
According to a study conducted by Osunwusi and Abifarin (2013) to determine the level of computer literacy, private secondary schools have access to and use computers in teaching and learning more than public schools. Given the current state of
computer literacy in urban areas, the need to investigate the level of computer literacy among junior secondary school students in rural areas raises numerous questions, such as “Is computer literacy taught in rural areas?” Is computer science taught in primary schools? Is the National Policy on Education in Nigeria being implemented in rural schools?
These are serious concerns because the purpose of this study is to assess the level of computer literacy among junior secondary school students in the Kosofe Local Government Area of Lagos State. The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, in particular, has recently introduced the use of Computer Based Test (CBT) for its examination.
One of the exam criteria is that one be computer literate, and being computer literate necessitates a solid foundation, such as computers being taught beginning in primary school. A student who is taught computers in primary and secondary school will have no difficulty in the JAMB examination;
thus, it is important for this study to examine the level of computer literacy among junior secondary school students and make recommendations to improve computer literacy across junior secondary schools in Lagos State.
1.2. Problem Statement
Given the current technological trend, computer literacy has been identified as a problem in Nigeria’s education sector, particularly in Lagos State.
Because most schools do not teach computers, the level of computer literacy in junior secondary schools across the country is alarming. Schools that attempt to teach are more concerned with theory than with practice; there are no computers to match theory with practice; and schools that do have computers have a limited number of them.
Another issue is the lack of competent teachers, which is linked to a low level of computer literacy among junior secondary schools. Some computer science teachers, particularly in rural areas, are unskilled.
They are only good at the fundamentals of computers, and this knowledge alone will not provide them with the opportunity to fully educate the students on computer literacy. These are some of the issues for which this study will make recommendations.
1.3. The Study’s Objectives
The purpose of this study is to assess the level of computer literacy among junior secondary school students in Lagos State’s Kosofe Local Government Area.
The study’s specific goals are as follows:
i. To find out if there are any qualified computer science teachers in the Kosofe local government area.
ii. To assess the factors influencing computer literacy in junior secondary schools in Lagos State’s Kosofe Local Government Area.
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iii. To identify strategies for increasing computer literacy in junior secondary schools in the Kosofe local government area.
iv. To investigate the level of computer literacy in junior secondary schools in the Kosofe local government area.
v. To make recommendations for ways to improve computer literacy in Lagos State.
1.4. Research Issues
The following research questions were posed to guide the study, and the following answers will be sought as a basis for testing the hypotheses:
i. Are there qualified computer science teachers in the Kosofe local government area?
ii. What factors influence computer literacy in junior secondary schools in Lagos State’s Kosofe Local Government Area?
iii. How can junior secondary schools in the Kosofe local government area improve their computer literacy?
iv. What is the level of computer literacy in junior secondary schools in the Kosofe LGA?
v. How can computer literacy in Lagos State be improved?
1.5. Hypothesis Statement
The following are the null hypotheses proposed in this study:
The First Hypothesis
Ho: There is no significant relationship between computer literacy and academic performance in students.
Hypothesis number two
Ho: Junior secondary schools in the Kosofe local government area lack computer facilities.
1.6. Importance of the Research
This research study aims to contribute both theoretically and practically to the Nigerian education sector. It will seek to provide ordinary insight on areas concerned with computer literacy and will investigate the possibility of improving the level of computer literacy among junior secondary school students in Kosofe local government area and Nigeria as a whole.
It also aims to add to the existing literature on the level of computer literacy among junior secondary school students in Lagos State’s Kosofe local government area. Furthermore, this research study makes recommendations to improve Nigeria’s level of computer literacy.
The study has the potential to persuade the government and secondary school administrators of the importance of providing computer facilities in schools in order to raise the country’s level of computer literacy. It will encourage even non-governmental organizations to contribute to the provision of computers, computer textbooks, and even internet services in secondary schools.
Finally, this research is expected to contribute to the body of knowledge. It would also be beneficial to tertiary students writing final year projects, as well as lecturers.
1.7. The Study’s Scope
This study’s scope includes the level of computer literacy in Nigeria. However, due to logistical constraints, this study has been limited to determining the level of computer literacy among junior secondary students in Kosofe local government, Lagos State.
1.8. Study Limitations
The following are some of the study’s limitations:
1. Time: – This is the first limitation that had a negative impact on the research study because carrying out the study takes time and one cannot afford to miss lectures and embark on a journey to the cost study.
2. Finance: This is another limitation because the study requires sufficient funds to carry out the research, and without the funds, the study will fail.
1.9. Glossary of Terms
1. Level: A position on a scale of quantity, extent, or quality.
2. Computer Literacy: The ability to use computers and related technology efficiently, with a range of skills ranging from basic use to programming and advanced problem-solving.
3. Junior Secondary School: A school that serves as a bridge between an elementary and a high school, typically for students in the seventh, eighth, and ninth grades.
4. Student: A person who is formally engaged in learning, particularly one who is enrolled in a school or college; pupil.
5. JAMB (Joint Admission and Matriculation Board): Is a Nigerian tertiary admissions examination board. The board administers entrance exams for prospective undergraduate students at Nigerian universities. The board is also in charge of administering similar exams to applicants to Nigerian public and private monotechnic, polytechnics, and colleges of education.
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THE LEVEL OF COMPUTER LITERACY AMONG THE JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS
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