THE APPLICATION OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY TO THE LEARNING AND TEACHING OF ECONOMICS IN NIGERIA: A CASE STUDY OF SEC. SCH IN JOS
ABSTRACT
This research work is aimed at identifying the level and usage of Information Communication Technology in teaching economics in secondary schools. The sole aim of the study is to enhance teaching and learning using information communication technology which provides a safe and non-threatening ability for such students. The use for the application of the internet is worldwide which gives students immediate access to reach and source material. Difficult ideas are made more understandable when communication technology is applied to the teaching-learning process. It is true that the efficiency of an institution depends largely on the impact of training reached by the different personnel in such an organization. Student's productivity is a crucial factor in the success of any institution of learning. This project is divided into five chapters; chapter one, introduces the topic containing general background, statement of the problem, aims, and objective, the significance of the study, hypothesis, and research methodology. Chapter two reviews related literature on the topic and various theories related Chapter to the simplicity of teaching using information and Communication Technology. Chapter three deals with the description of how the study was carried out by the researcher, and this includes; the research design, population, and sample, sampling technique, an instrument for data collection-description and procedure for instrument development, the procedure for data collection, and method of data analysis. Chapter four analyzed the collected data. While chapter five discussed the summary of the whole work, conclusion, and recommendation.
TABLE OF CONTENT
Title Page………………..i
Certification……………ii
Dedication………………iii
Acknowledgment……….iv
Abstract…………………vi
Table of content………vii
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEMS
1.3 PURPOSE OF STUDY
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
1.5 RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
1.7 THE SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
1.8 OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF TERMS
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.0 INTRODUCTION
2.1 DEFINITION OF INFORMATION COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY
2.2 PARTS OF A COMPUTER
2.3 BRIEF HISTORY OF INFORMATION COMMUNICATION
TECHNOLOGY AND COMPUTERS
2.4 ADVENT OF INFORMATION COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY IN
NIGERIA
2.5 INFORMATION COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY IN EDUCATION
(ICT)
2.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF INFORMATION COMMUNICATION
TECHNOLOGY
2.7 THE ROLES OF INFORMATION COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY IN
THE TEACHING OF ECONOMICS
2.8 SUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEW
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1 RESEARCH DESIGN
3.2 POPULATION AND SAMPLE:
3.2.1 SAMPLE
3.3 SAMPLING TECHNIQUES
3.4 INSTRUMENTS FOR DATA COLLECTION
3.4.1 DESCRIPTION OF THE INSTRUMENT(S)
3.4.2 PROCEDURE FOR INSTRUMENT DEVELOPMENT
3.5 PROCEDURE FOR DATA COLLECTION
3.5.1 TOOLS OF DATA ANALYSIS
3.5.2 CHI- SQUARE AND DESCRIPTIVE ANALYSIS
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSES, AND DISCUSSION
4.1 INTRODUCTION
4.2 DATA ANALYSIS
4.3 HYPOTHESIS TESTING
4.4 DISCUSSION
CHAPTER FIVE
5.0 SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 SUMMARY OF MAJOR FINDINGS
5.2 CONCLUSION:
5.3 RECOMMENDATIONS:
5.4 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY:
5.5 SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER STUDY
REFERENCES
APPENDIXES
QUESTIONNAIRES
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.3 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
In today’s world, the use of adoption of information technology (ICT) in the teaching economics in secondary schools could be helpful in the task of capacity building, therefore; negative view in this direction could constitute a drawback to the achievement of our science and technology objectives (Adetula 2003).
The adoption and application of ICT Information and Communication Technology in teaching economics in secondary schools has come to occupy an important place in the education sector and national development and indeed the development of the world. This is because it has not only ensured scientific and technological development but it has also opened up more learning opportunities, improved the techniques of teaching and production of materials which reduce time consumption and distance.
Because of the adoption of or use of information communication technology in the teaching economics in secondary schools today one can communicate in different ways, fully capable of communicating his or her findings from economical inquiry using power points, spreadsheets to present graphs of data from around the world moreover, the evolution of technology can be traced from the earlier days of human existence when our early ancestors learn the benefits of setting in one area to cultivate farmlands and grow foods rather than wander from one place to the other. Settling down increased population which necessitates the investigation of tools to increase food production that was the beginning of technology advancement.
The computer is one of the greatest inventions of the 20th century which has contributed to the service of humanity through its capacity to automate the highly needed respective calculation earlier inventions have necessitated from the history of man existence, it is clear that there has been a continuous search for a way to reduce computational efforts primitive and mechanical tools to speed up calculation during the ear of the predigital electronic computer.
The researcher observed that ICT is not effectively used in our classroom situations; this is partly because most of the teachers are not computer literate, therefore making it difficult for them to operate ICT materials. The issue of power, which is needed to power the computers, is another problem affecting ICT application in the classrooms.
1.4 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEMS
The use of Information Communication Technology in teaching economics in secondary schools, like any other devices is because of the ability or its capability to store large volumes of data, organize and analyze data accurately in other to produce quality information it has been a rapidly expanding trend. Could it be that there is a problem with the application of ICT in economics classroom activities?
1.3 PURPOSE OF STUDY
The purpose of this work is to ascertain the current status of ICT use in economics. Specific objectives of this work are as follows:
1. Access the extend to which some schools use information communication technology in the teaching economics in secondary schools and operational activities
2. Find out the advantages of the application or use of information communication technology to the teaching of economics in secondary schools
3. Identify problems in the use of ICT in teaching and learning situations
4. Recommend ways of using information communication technology in teaching economics in secondary schools effectively in order to promote the technique in teaching and learning for the growth of the Nigerian educational sector, most especially in secondary schools.
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
The following research questions would guide the study
1. To what extend has Information Communication Technology has been used in teaching economics in secondary schools and operational activities
2. What are the advantages of the application of Information Communication Technology in the teaching of economics in secondary schools?
3. What are the problems in the use of ICT in teaching and learning situations?
4. What are the ways in which the application of information communication technology can be used effectively, in order to promote the technique in teaching and learning for the growth of the Nigerian educational sector?
1.5 RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS
There are no significant differences in the performance of students who use information communication technology and those who do not.
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The cardinal objective of carrying out this research is paramount with respect:
A. The teacher: The teacher will hopefully benefit from this study because it will help the teacher to get a better understanding of ICT and also how it can be used to teach the students effectively, thereby making teaching easier for the teacher
B. The administrators: Also this work or study will hopefully benefit the administrators because it will make documentation easier for them instead of keeping documents in paper form, they can easily keep it on their computers and they can easily find it when they want to make use of it.
C. The students: This work or study will benefit the student hopefully because it will make it easy for the students to understand what the teacher is teaching, and also the students can also get more information on the internet thereby widening their knowledge.
1.7 THE SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
The research is on the use of Information Communication Technology and its importance in teaching economics in secondary schools. The study is to enhance teaching and learning using Information Communication Technology which provides a safe and non-threatening environment for learning with the flexibility to meet individual needs and the ability of such students. The use or application of the internet that is worldwide web gives students immediate access to a richer source of materials, difficult ideas are made more understandable when communication technology make them isib1e and effect the power of trying different ideas and take risks, encouraging analytical and divergent thinking (Hansell, 2002:149).
The work is limited in secondary schools within Jos North because of the lack of time for the researcher to travel to other places of sources of data. And also lack finance to enable the researcher to transport himself to other various places or cities in the country. However, care is taken to ensure that all data collected for this study are sufficient for the analysis.
1.8 OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF TERMS
The following term concepts may have other meanings but the purpose of this study is to give operational definitions. ICT Information Communication Technology involves the use of computers and telecommunication devices for requiring processing, organizing, storing, and distribution of various types of information used in many fields of human endeavors.
COMPUTER: An electrical device that processes data at a very great speed according to a program stored within the device.
CHIP: Silicon chip is a very thin piece of silicon or other semiconductor materials. Only a few millimeters square on which all the components of a complete circuit (e.g. a radio, watch, calculator, or computer).
CPU: Central processing unit is the part of the computer that controls and coordinates the operations of all the other parts of the computer. It changes raw data (which is not useful or meaningful) to processed information.
E-MAILS: A system for transmitting messages and computer fuels electronically from one computer to another e.g. computer network over the internet in an office.
KEYBOARD: the part of the computer that looks like a typewriter. It is used to input raw data into the computer.
MONITOR: The part of the computer that looks like a television. It displays raw data and processed information on the screen.
PROCESSING: The production of text using a computer application made for the input processing and retrieval of the text.
TELECOMMUNICATIONS: This is the process that allows the transmission of available or visible information over a long distance by means of electrical or electronic signals e.g. telephones, radio, TV, telegraph, and fax data.
INTERNET OR E-MAIL SERVICES
A computer set to prepare the message
A telephone set for communication
A modem to convert signals from an analog signal (telephone) to digital signals which the computer understands.
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