Investigating the Level of Utilization of Information and Communication Technology Tools and Teachers' Literacy in Basic Science Teaching

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INVESTIGATING THE LEVEL OF UTILIZATION OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY TOOLS AND TEACHERS’ LITERACY IN BASIC SCIENCE TEACHING

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CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.0 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

The role of technology in teaching is rapidly becoming one of the most important and widely discussed issues in contemporary education policy (Rosen and Well, 1995; and Thierer, 2000). Most experts in the field of education agreed that, when properly used, information and communication technology hold great promise to improve teaching and learning in addition to shaping workforce opportunities.

Poole (1996) has indicated that computer illiteracy is now regarded as the new illiteracy. This has actually gingered a new and strong desire to equip schools with computer facilities and qualified personal necessary to produce technologically proficient and efficient students in developed countries of the world. There is no doubt that computer can aid the instructional process and facilitate students’ learning. Many studies have found positive effect associated with technology aided instruction (Fitzgerald and Warner, 2006).

Globally, the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) world has initiated a transition of emphasis from an analogue educational research based technological development to that of a digital knowledge based technological development in education. This has made it one of the basic building blocks of modern society. The technological change process has accelerated in tandem to create a new world power based ICT. Although ICT resources have been looked upon as tools for the upliftment of the standard of education in any nation, the level of compliance in implementing the ICT resources in instructional development process leaves much to be desired in Nigerian higher education system (Burnett, 2004).

In a school where basic science literacy is the goal, teaching should take its time. In basic science teaching, teachers need time for exploring, making observations, taking wrong turns, testing ideas, and doing things over; time for building things, calibrating instruments, collecting things, and constructing physical and technological models for testing ideas; time for learning whatever ICT and science they need to deal with the questions at hand; time for asking around, reading, and arguing; time for wrestling with unfamiliar and counterintuitive ideas and for coming to see the advantage in thinking differently.

Recent developments in ICT have drastically affected educational procedure for improved quality of education training given to teachers. ICT resources in instructional delivery in schools will serve a dual purpose and more efficient classroom instruction (Nzewi, 2009; Umoren, 2006). The occurrence of ICT has brought about rapid changes in technology, social, political, and global economic transformation. However, the field of education has not been unaffected by the penetrating influence of information and communication technology. The fact that ICT has impacted on the quality and quantity of teaching, learning, and research in teacher education the world over cannot be over emphasized. ICT has, therefore, provided opportunities for student teachers, academic and non-academic staff to communicate with one another more effectively during formal and informal teaching and learning (Yusuf, 2005).

Although it is recognised resources will differ from school to school, opportunities to create effective learning and teaching environments makes it necessary for tutors to not only talk about ICT in the classroom but also to model best practice by demonstrating different ways in which technology can enhance the delivery of ICT.

One cannot over-estimate the utilization of ICT in everyday activities of the school. Nzewi (2009) noted that ICT assists the school teacher to meet the task of school management in the areas of curriculum and instruction, school community relationship and school business operations. In support of this; Umoren (2006) argued that the introduction of ICT in schools enhances the daily school routine, programme, updating the evaluation of school programmes, solving individuals’ or groups’ as well as staff development. There is no doubt therefore, that secondary school education has become more complex and hence its management demands more from the managers. The enormous rise in the number students in schools as well as the multiplicity of programmes have made school principals to handle large quantity of data which they must process speedily to provide information for the teaching service commission and ministry of education for effective management and decision making.

ICTs in schools provide an opportunity to teachers to transform their practices by providing them with improved educational content and more effective teaching and learning methods. ICTs improve the learning process through the provision of more interactive educational materials that increase learner motivation and facilitate the easy acquisition of basic skills. The use of various multimedia devices such as television, videos, and computer applications offers more challenging and engaging learning environment for students of all ages.

1.1 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

In Nigeria, a formidable obstacle to the use of information and communication technology is infrastructure deficiencies. Computer equipment was made to function with other infrastructure such as electricity under controlled conditions. Electronics equipment such as radio, television, video recorder and even computers has been damaged due to irregular power supply. When electricity supply is not stable and constant, it is difficult to keep high-tech equipment such as computers functioning, especially under extreme weather conditions as obtained in Nigeria.

In Nigeria also, most secondary school teachers lack the skills to fully utilize technology in curriculum implementation hence the traditional chalk and duster approach still dominates in secondary school pedagogy. Information transfer using ICT is minimal or non-existence in secondary schools in Nigeria. Secondary schools in Nigeria are not given adequate funds to provide furniture, requisite books, laboratories and adequate classrooms let alone being given adequate funds for high-tech equipment (computers) and Internet connectivity.

Again, due to inadequate electricity supply, especially in rural areas in Nigeria, secondary schools located in those areas have no access to the Internet and are perpetually isolated and estranged from the world’s information superhighway.

Today’s science textbooks and methods of instruction, far from helping, often actually impede progress toward science literacy. They emphasize the learning of answers more than the exploration of questions, memory at the expense of critical thought, bits and pieces of information instead of understandings in context, recitation over argument, reading rather than doing. They fail to encourage teachers to work together, to share ideas and information freely with one another, or to use modern instruments to extend their intellectual capabilities.

1.2 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

The purpose of the study is to examine investigating the level of utilization of information and communication technology and teachers’ literacy in basic science teaching. The objectives of this study will be to:

Determine the available ICT tools in Junior Secondary Schools for Science teaching
Determine teachers ICT literacy in Basic Science teaching
Determine the levels at which teachers’ use the available ICT tools to teach Basic Science.
Determine the relationship between teachers’ literacy and utilization of ICT tools in teaching of Basic Science.
Determine the relationship between male and female teachers’ use of ICT tools.

1.3 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The study seeks to be guided by the following research questions:

What are the available ICT tools in Junior Secondary Schools for Science teaching?
How effective is teachers ICT literacy in Basic Science teaching?
What is the level of utilization of ICT of tools in teaching Basic Science?
What is the relationship between teachers’ literacy and utilization of ICT tools in teaching of Basic Science?
What is the difference between male and female teachers’ use of ICT tools?

1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The significance of the study lies in the hope that the findings may be of benefit to: Ministry of Education. The Ministry may use the study to understand the ICT factors affecting teachers’ literacy in basic science teaching and as result focus more attention on management of staff and their stability or retention in a teaching profession.

Again, it will enable both public and private secondary school proprietors to be able to plan systematically for ICT usage in their institution. Other stakeholders of education (parents, students, teachers, support staff, donors, will use the study as a checkpoint to act as a safeguard against any future happenings of the same nature.

The study helps teachers to reduce the use of files which are archaic thereby reducing storage space. Using files could lead to loss of vital information about the staff or students through mutilation, easy and unauthorized access of files and misplacement of important documents. This can be prevented through storage of information in diskettes, hard disks and back-ups of important information.

Furthermore, Ministry of Education will be able to properly recruit and retain teachers via ICT which in turn reduce the rate of ghost workers in secondary schools. It will contribute to the existing body of knowledge and will stimulate other research in areas of ICT in secondary schools.

1.5 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The work was investigated the level of utilization of information and communication technology and teachers’ literacy in basic science teaching in some selected schools in District IV, Yaba Lagos. The study was confined to five selected Junior Secondary Schools in District IV, Lagos State.

1.6 DEFINITION OF TERMS

Information Communication and Communication (ICT): Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is the automation of processes, controls, and information production using computers, telecommunications, software’s and other gadget that ensure smooth and efficient running of activities.

Influence: Influence is the action or process of producing effects on the actions, behavior, opinions, etc., of another or others.

Efficiency: Efficiency generally refers to behavior that is expected to maximize organizational success.

Computer: Is a data processing machine which can store and process data on the logic supplied by the user. The need for manual interference between data input and information output is eliminated.

Education: Education in its general sense is a form of learning in which knowledge, skills, and habits of a group of people are transferred from one generation to the next through teaching, training or through research.

Utilization: The proportion of the available time (expressed usually as a percentage) that a piece of equipment or a system is operating.

Availability: The ratio of (a) the total time a functional unit is capable of being used during a given interval to (b) the length of the interval.

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Investigating the Level of Utilization of Information and Communication Technology Tools and Teachers’ Literacy in Basic Science Teaching

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