INTEGRATION OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY IN DISTANCE EDUCATION PROGRAMME OF ABIA STATE UNIVERSITY UTURU

ABSTRACT

This  study was  designed  to  examine  the  integration  of  information  and communication  Technology  (ICT)  in  Distance  Education  programme  of Abia State University Uturu. The specific purposes of the study were to find out the ICT facilities  available  for distance education programme of the University, to ascertain the extent of integration of these ICT facilities in distance  education  programme;  to  determine  the  challenges  militating against the integration of ICT facilities in distance education programme and to suggest strategies for integration of ICT facilities in distance education programme  of  the  University.  The  study  was  guided  by  four  research questions and two null hypotheses. The design of the study was descriptive survey. The population of the study was 4,075 administrators, instructors and  students.  The sample consisted  of 570  respondents made up of 107 administrators, 63 instructors and 400 students. This sample was determined using Yaro’s statistical formula. The instrument was the questionnaire designed by the researcher and was validated by 3 research experts. The data collected were analyzed using mean scores and standard deviation while t- test was used to test the two null hypotheses formulated for the study. The data analyzed revealed among others that out of the 13 ICT facilities listed by the study, seven were available but not integrated in DE programme of the university while the other six (6) were said not to be available by the respondents. It also revealed that availability does not translate to integration as  only  one  out  of  the  13  ICT  facilities  were  accepted  to  have  been integrated  into  the  DE  programme  of  the  institution.  The  respondents accepted all the items listed as the strategies for enhancing the integration of ICT  facilities  in  DE  programme  of the  university.  It  was  recommended among  others  that  Abia  State  University  Uturu  should  incorporate  ICT literacy  courses  in  the  University  programme   generally  and  distance education programme in particular. This will enable them to reach a number of people who want to engage in distance education programmes and would equally help them attain their general objective of providing University education  to  as  many Nigerian  as  possible  irrespective  of  sex,  age  and constraint of time due to full time employment.

.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

Education is a  fundamental component of  human development. The process of education is lifelong and pervades all aspect of social life, helping the individual to reduce the ambiguity of his environment and to improve  some structure  in the  unstructured  event world  (Imo, 2000). Education could be informal, formal or non-formal. Distance education (DE) as a form of non formal education is used to cover various forms of study  at all levels  where  students are  not  in close contact with  their teachers. Consequently, Creed (2001) sees distance education as an educational process in which a significant proportion of the teaching is conducted  by  someone  far  removed  in  space  and/  or  time  from  the learners. DE is the type of education that takes place outside the conventional school system; it is imparted without necessarily having personal interaction with students or learners (Adebayo, 2007).

The nature of DE involves focus on open access to education and training provision, freeing learners from constraints of time and place, offering flexible learning opportunities to individuals and groups in the process (UNESCO: 2002). In the present era of technology, Mudasiru (2006) sees distance education as a student centered form of education which deals with the use of print and electronic technologies to present

individualized lessons to learners at a distance. Consequently, distance education suggests an educational approach designed to reach students in their homes, offices, shops, business premises etc. It provides learning resources for them to qualify without attending formal classes in any institution. Distance education therefore is a viable means of supporting attainment of academic, social and economic development in human endeavors.

The term distance education (DE)  acquired universal acceptance in the 1980s when the International Council for Correspondence Educations (ICCE), a UNESCO affiliated organization changed its name to the International Council for Distance Education (ICDE) (Ebirim, 2006). According to the International Encyclopedia on education, distance education  dates  from  the  mid  1800  when  universities  (in  United Kingdom) first conducted correspondence courses by mailing printed materials and assignments to students’ houses/homes. The concept gained wider acceptance with the founding of the Open University of United Kingdom (now British Open University) in 1863. The university was set up to provide courses for students who could not attend classes at traditional universities. The university has served as a model for hundreds of other open universities around the world that offer distance learning programmes. Keegan (1989) classified DE institutions in to five. The first two  are  the  public  and  private  schools  and  the  distance  teaching

universities. These two were termed autonomous while the other three; the independent study divisions of conventional schools, the consultation school and the integrated school, are tied to the structure of conventional universities or higher institutions. Keegan further stated that the autonomous DE systems are distinct in their use of media and support services for learning and that the independent study divisions of conventional higher institutions are identified with a variety of delivery modes.  These  could  include  correspondence  study,  sandwich programmes, part time teachers training programmes (PTTP), Open University, weekend programmes, adult literacy education programme, and National Teacher Institute (NTI) distance education among others.

Distance  learning  is  not  a  recent  concept  in  Nigeria.  Akinpelu (1982) indicated that the Department of Adult Education at the University of Ibadan first proposed  the  need  for distance  learning  in 1960.  The programme was titled Pilot correspondence programme in the science subjects to experiment in the field of science education at pre-university level and thereafter to expand gradually to certain other vital areas necessitating in-service training. In 1972 the University of Lagos established its Correspondence and Open Studies Unit (COSU). This unit was to take care of Distance Learning (DL) programmes. The unit was renamed Correspondence and Open Studies Institute in 1997  (Nwizu:

2001).

The National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) was first established  in  July  1983.  It  was  closed  a  few  months  later  in  1984 because of various defects and reasons which the Federal Government felt should be corrected. These reasons where however not explained in the source (NOUN 2007). In 2001 the University was resuscitated. The National Open University operate through a combination of classical first and  second  generation (correspondence and  face-to-face contact) to  a third generation level of operation (web-based modules, textual materials, audio and video tapes as well as CD-ROMs). The university currently has

18 study centres and plan to have at least one study centre in each of the

774 local government areas of Nigeria. It runs programmes in education, arts and humanities, business and human resources management and science as well as technology (Mac-Ikemerijima, 2005).

Prior  to  the  establishment  of  National  Open  University,  the National Teachers’ Institute (NTI) was the first institution specifically established by the government to provide distance education course designed to upgrade under qualified and unqualified teachers to obtain Teachers Grade Two Certificate. NTI also introduced the Nigerian certificate in education by distance learning in 1990 (Commonwealth of learning,   2001).   Also   in   1978   the   Institute   of   Management   and Technology   (IMT)   Enugu   in   alliance   with   the   Anambra   State Broadcasting   Corporation   (ABC),   established   the   IMT   UNIAIR

programme. An initial pilot programme was organized in history, government and economics for Advanced Level WAEC. Due to the success recorded, programmes for Nigerian National Diploma (NND) and Higher National Diploma were added (Oliji: 1999).   University of Abuja in 1990 established its Centre for Distance Learning and Continuing Education (CDLCE) to provide educational opportunities to many Nigerians who cannot go through the conventional education system. In

1998 Abia State University, Uturu established her Institute for Distance education Abia (IDEA),  with the  general aim of providing university education to as many Nigerians as possible irrespective of sex, age and constraints of time due to full time employment. In view of the above general reason, the following objectives were stated to further justify the establishment of the institute. To provide university education to:

Those who for one reason or the other could not get regular education. Those Nigerian workers especially those at the high echelon of their establishments who could not benefit from regular university education. Others who wish to acquire new skills/qualification so as to enable them to change from their present job to a more rewarding employment.   Source: IDEA (p. IV)

The institute was equally established to organize seminars/workshops to enable those in other sectors of education to know where to concentrate research and development (IDEA Programme of studies,  nd).  The  following  programmes  areas  are  covered  by  the

university through distance education (DE). Bachelor of Science (B.Sc) in government and Public Administration, Accountancy, Management, Marketing,  economics,  banking  &  finance,  library  and  information science and Bachelor of Arts BA in History and International relation, English  language  and  Literature,  Mass  Communication  (IDEA programme of studies, nd). All these programmes are offered to learners through the first and second generation mode which is print materials and face-to-face contact on weekend basis, no ICT facility is employed in the teaching. Since the programmes are meant to cater for different spectrum of people mentioned above, it would have been an ideal thing to integrate ICT into the DE programmes of Abia State University, Uturu to facilitate and improve on the quality of delivery mode of instruction. Meanwhile the University has some functional ICT facilities like the University website, computer, telephone, radio but none of these facilities is used for distance education programme even for registration of DE students.

Distance education programmes are dependent on good communication for successful learning to take place and effective communication promote needed interaction between the teacher and student as well as student and student in teaching learning situation. This is because interaction is essential to student’s learning and to the overall success of distance education programmes. Recent studies by distance educators  have  confirmed  that  interaction  in  distance  education  and

learning   environment   results   to   increased   academic   achievement (Neibuhr and Neibuhr 1999). Consequently the new information order has placed a lot of responsibilities on the shoulders of both the learners and their instructors and this has fostered new directions in the teaching and learning process hence the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) which has become a core part of both individual and institutional mission in learning.

Many authorities have defined information and communication technologies in their own ways and emphasis is placed on the fact that they are forms of technologies used to create, store and communicate information. These ICTs include: the radio, the video, computer, audio cassette, television, telephone, e-mail, internet, virtual library, teleconferencing, world wide web, (www). Iroka and Uzoagba (2010) defined information and communication technology as the electronic means of capturing, processing, storing and disseminating information. Uruah  (2004)  sees  ICT  as  technology  that  is  used  to   propagate information rapidly to any part of the world given the availability of appropriate infrastructure. Schaware (2005) in his own contribution noted that ICT is technology that can lead to significant development such as making more people acquire knowledge through the use of ICT.   Also (World Bank (2002) argued that information and communication technologies (ICT) generally hold out the opportunity to revolutionize

pedagogical methods and expanding access to quality education system. ICT enable learners learn how to think independently about what they learn and so develop the spirit of confidence and independent study.

ICT enables instructors, learners, libraries and schools to communicate with one another and share information to enhance understanding,  have  access and  view  documents  in  richly  formulated texts and pictures, connect friends, colleagues, scholars and resource persons in almost all parts of the world. This is because ICT has the potential of making individual learners acquire the skills that can enable them seek knowledge in and out of school and effectively make use of such knowledge.

Etuk (2007) emphasized that ICT has changed how people live, work, play and learn in developed countries. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is applicable in all round endeavors of education  generally  and  distance  education (DE) in particular.  In  the developed countries according to Etuk, students acquire knowledge through satellite transmission broadcast, audio and video conferencing, and teleconferencing or may participate in the conferences on the World Wide Web (www) and other computer networks. E-learning which is the current  mode  adopted   in  DE  is  an  instructional  content  learning experience delivered through electronic technology as well as other ICT devices    like    the    internet,    computer,    e-mail,    virtual    library,

ComputerAssisted Instruction (CAI),  the mobile phone.  These are used in many industrialized countries to individualize instruction for greater achievement by distance learners. Since these ICT facilities are used to facilitate teaching/learning process in distance education it is therefore, imperative to integrate ICT in distance education programmes of Abia State University, Uturu for the goals and objectives of the university DE to be achieved. The need for integration of ICT facilities in Abia State University distance education programme has become more necessary because  other  contemporary  institutions  offering  similar  programmes

have move on the 3rd  generation level of distance education operation,

modules and internet facilitated programme delivery. Most of these institutions  have  website  through  which  the  programmes  are administered. The university of Lagos distance learning institute can be reached at its website (URL)  http://dli.unilag.edu.ng. The following links are available to visitors on this website,

About distance Learning institute (DLI), portal, login (for students registration),   information,   school   schedules  and   online   programme events. University of Abuja Centre for Distance Learning and Continuing Education (CDLCE) could be reached through Uniform Resource Locator (URL)  http://www.uniabuja.edu.ng/.  In  the  same  vein,  University  of Ibadan  Distance  Learning  Centre  and  National  Open  University  of Nigeria     could     be     reached     through     their     respective     URL

http://dlc.ui.edu.ng/ and http://www.nou.edu.ng/noun/index.htm-. The Institute for Distance Education Abia (IDEA), a distance education unit of Abia State University Uturu has neither functional website nor URL through which it can be reached.   Therefore it is imperative to explore ways of integrating ICT facilities in distance education programme of Abia State University Uturu.

Statement of Problem

ICTs have great potentials in enhancing education generally and distance  education  (DE)  in  particular  and  as  well  bridge  the  gap  of distance between the teachers and the learners and help in no small measures   in   programme   delivery.   Abia   State   University,   Uturu established  her Institute for Distance Education (IDEA) in 1988.  The Institute was established to provide university education through distance learning to as many Nigerians as possible irrespective of sex, age and constraints of time due to full time employment. From the programme brochure lectures are offered  to learners through the first and  second generation mode of distance learning, which is print materials and face- to-face contact on weekend basis. However, it is believed that if modern ICT facilities are incorporated into the programme it would lift the mode of delivery from print and face-to-face contact to a third generation level of operation, the virtual reality. Regrettably, Abia State University unlike most  distance  education  institutions  in  Nigeria,  knowing  the  great

potentials of ICT, seem not to be able to integrate ICT facilities in their programme and visible efforts have not been made in integrating these ICT facilities. Some other sister institution involved in the similar programmes  have  gone  ahead  of  the  institution  in  integrating  ICT facilities in to their programmes especially the internet.   Some of the benefits of integrating ICT in DE programme include; bridging the gap of time and distance which is a big problem in DE, getting the right types of content and learning materials to the individual and to this end be used for the production of study materials for the learners. Furthermore, ICT enhances the management and administration of DE. These benefits seem not to be maximally attained due to non integration of ICT facilities in DE programme of the University. Hence the DE programme are done with  great  difficulty  in  relationship  between  the  students  and  their teacher, dissemination of learning content materials as well as production of learning materials. Based on the above, there is the need to investigate the means of integrating ICT facilities in distance education programme to provide easy and convenient means of teaching and learning as well as enhance independent learning and build learners knowledge in research skills.

The problem of this study therefore, is to explore the ways of integrating

ICT facilities in DE programme of Abia state university, Uturu.

Purpose of the Study

The  general  purpose  of  the  study  was  to  explore  ways  of integrating Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in DE programmes of Abia state university Uturu.

Specifically the study addressed the following objectives

1.  To find out the ICT facilities available for distance education (DE)

programme of Abia state university.

2.  To ascertain the extent of integration of these ICT facilities in DE

programme of Abia State University Uturu.

3.  To determine the challenges militating against the integration of

ICT facilities in DE programme of Abia state university.

4.  To suggest strategies for effective integration of ICT facilities in

DE programme of Abia state university.

Significance of the Study

The findings of this study will be of great benefit to: Abia State University Uturu, Distance learners, and the instructors, institutions that offer DE programme, policy makers, workers, and different spectrum of people who want to engage in distance education programme.

The findings of the study will help improve the quality of DE

programme of Abia State University by enhancing their mode of delivery

from print and face-to-face contact to third generation level of operation which is e- learning.

The findings of the study will enable the instructors know how to get the right content and learning materials to the learners. Consequently, the learners will be motivated through the findings of the study to acquire the necessary ICT skills that will enable them seek knowledge in and out of school and make use of the knowledge acquired.

To the institutions that offer distance education programme, the findings will make them know the great potentials of ICT and equally encourage the integration of ICT in their institutions.

To workers and different spectrum of people who want to engage in distance education programme, the findings will expose them to the potentials of ICT and therefore motivate them to acquire the skills for them to have access to global networks and pools of knowledge.

The findings will motivate the policy makers in such a way that they would ensure that ICT education be integrated into the Nigerian system of education generally and particularly distance education programme.

Lastly, this study will add to the existing literature in the field of distance education.

Research Questions

The following research questions will be formulated to guide the study:

1.  What are the ICT facilities available for DE programme in Abia state university Uturu?

2.  What  is the  extent of integration  of  these ICT facilities in  DE

programme of Abia State University Uturu?

3.  What are the challenges militating against effective integration of

ICT facilities in DE programme of Abia state university?

4.  What are the strategies for enhancing the effective integration of

ICT in DE programme of Abia state university?

Hypotheses

The following null hypotheses are formulated to guide the study and will be tested at 0.05 level of significance.

Ho1: There will be no  significant difference in the mean response of instructors and learners on the extent of   ICT integration in distance education programme of Abia State University, Uturu.

HO2: There will be no significant difference in the mean responses of

Learners  and  administrators  on  the  challenges  militating  against

effective  integration  of  ICT  in  DE  programme  of  Abia  state university.

Scope of the Study

The study was intended to cover the four centres of DE programme of Abia state university Uturu. The centres are located in Aba, Umuahia, Uturu and Uzoaku. The content and scope of the study involves an examination of ICT facilities used for DE programme, the extent to which the  ICT  facilities  are  integrated  in  the  programme,  the  challenges militating against the integration of ICT in DE programme and the strategies for enhancing the integration of ICT in DE programme of Abia State University Uturu.

₦5,000.00 – DOWNLOAD FULL PROJECT DOWNLOAD FULL PROJECT Added to cart

---

---

---

---

---

Related Project Topics :