A STUDY OF THE COMPUTER LABORATORY IN EDO STATE SECONDARY

SCHOOL AND THE PROBLEM FACED BY TEACHER IN THE USE OF THE

LABORATORY

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 CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.0. Introduction
This chapter covers the background to the study, statement of the problem, purpose of the

study, research objectives and research questions, scope of the study, significance of the study

and the conceptual frame work.

1.1 Background to the study

1.1.1 Historical perspective

UNESCO, (2016), Technological revolution has become a global phenomenon. It is no longer

taken as a luxury as it used to be in the early 1990’s. Many countries now regard understanding

of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) as part of the core of education,

alongside reading, writing and numeracy.

World governments through Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have realized the need

and value of ICTs in their respective economies to “Ensure inclusive and equitable quality

education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all”. They believe that integrating

ICTs in teaching and learning could improve learners ‘capabilities’ ( Inter-Agency and Expert

Group on SDG Indicators (IAEG-SDGs), 2016)

The introduction of the modern library and the pencil in the mid-1600s marked the beginning

of the use of technology in education. In the latter part of the 1970s, the very first computer

was integrated into schools. By the early 1980s when IBM created the first PC, nearly twenty

percent of schools in the UK and the US had computers in use.

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By the year 2015, more than 50% of public schools in UK and US included laptops for students

in their technology budget. It was at this same time, more than 90% of schools had access to

the Internet. By 2016, both in UK and US many schools were including tablet PCs for students

and teachers in their technology budget.

In African, governments have equally invested in the ICT infrastructures with South Africa in

the lead where by 2019, 85% of the country had gone digital (David Souter, 2015). East Africa

has greatly advanced in technology as reflected in the ICT policies designed by the different

countries for example Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania have already implemented the one laptop one

child policy.

Nigeria started embracing ICTs as part of its economic development strategy when the first

mobile phone service came onto the Nigerian scene in December 1994. The telecom company

Celtel, using the GSM 900 technology mainly targeted high end users like business people and

the diplomatic community. The cost of owning and maintaining a mobile phone was so high

that that having a car was estimated to be a cheaper undertaking. Owning a mobile phone was a

status symbol.

Since then, the ICT sector grew by 30.3% in the 2019/10 financial year accounting for 3.3% of

the GDP. Over 50% of the population are subscribed to mobile phone service provider and the

number of internet users increased from 2,475,812 in 2018 to 4,178,085 in 2016 (168% of

growth). Millions own smartphones, a fact driving digital penetration even in the rural

countryside. Internet users are estimated at 6.5million as of 2015, accounting for 18.5 percent

of the country’s population of 35 million. The increase in internet usage has been further fueled

by the country’s youth bulge. Nigeria has the world’s youngest population, with over 78%

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below 30 years. These are more embracing of ICTs than their older, and inevitably old school,

parents. (Sabiti 2016)

The Ministry of Education and Sports in Nigeria has become much more proactive over the last

two years as a result of the recent policy emphasis on ICT. Nigeria was the first country in

Africa that has used Microsoft Partners in learning to develop localized digital content

basing on the national curriculum (MAPEA, 2004)

1.1.2 Theoretical perspective

This kind of thinking can be related to the beliefs that were highlighted by constructivists

theorists like Dewey in the famous constructivism theory. According to Mascolol and Fischer,

2015" Constructivism is the philosophical and scientific position that knowledge arises through

a process of active construction."

In the constructivist classroom, the focus tends to shift from the teacher to the students. The

classroom is no longer a place where the teacher ("expert") pours knowledge into passive

students, who wait like empty vessels to be filled. In the constructivist model, the students are

urged to be actively involved in their own process of learning.

The main activity in a constructivist classroom is solving problems. Students use inquiry

methods to ask questions, investigate a topic, and use a variety of resources to find solutions

and answers. As students explore the topic, they draw conclusions, and, as exploration

continues, they revisit those conclusions. Exploration of questions leads to more questions.

It’s therefore important to expose learners to primary data sources (internet) to build their

potentials in discovering and interacting with others to share experiences. ICTs on this note

give instant access to knowledge so that learners become their own teacher to a certain extent.

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It’s therefore important to check teachers ICT competence levels, if this is to be realized.

1.1.3 Conceptual perspective

For many people, Information and Communication Technology, means computers and

computing related activities. However, this is not the case although computers and their

applications play a significant role in modern information management systems (Law, 2019).

Perron, (2016), ICTs are broadly defined as diverse set of technological tools and resources

used to communicate, convey, create, disseminate, manipulate, manage, and store data or data

by electronic means. It includes computers, the internet, broadcasting technologies (radio and

television), telephone, e-mail, text messaging, video chat (example, Skype), and online social

media (example, Facebook, watsapp).

In this study ICTs is viewed as a set of tools that can be used by the teacher to process, avail

and access information and communication from within and abroad to facilitate teaching and

learning in secondary schools in Edo State, Benin City. The services and products may include

but not limited to internet, mobile phones, computers, radios, television, and photocopiers

among others.

In this study as defined by Bakabulindi (2018), ICTs can still refer to the availability and

userability of these gadgets. Roediger (2017) defines learning as “Acquiring knowledge and

skills and having them readily available from memory so you can make sense of future

problems and opportunities” such learning empowers student to make wise choices and solve

problems in future. Learning can be obtained through academic studies and working

experiences while on job. In this study learning will simply refer to the process through which

learners will acquire knowledge and skills with the interaction of different technologies with an

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aim of achieving academic excellence and applying the acquired skills and knowledge in

solving future challenges.

Recent trends towards the constructivist approach and teacher learner interaction suggest that

the learning process can be enhanced through the use of technology, which adapts to the

presentation of user needs, preferences and requests. Due to the interactive nature of the

internet, it is well suited for a creative learning approach (World Bank, 2004).The ability to

share knowledge and experiences with an emerging global community is one of the biggest

benefits of internet to education. This enables the students to actively seek out their

counterparts in other countries in order to come up with joint research projects on a variety of

topics (World Bank, 2004).

In this study, the institutional factors include; adequate ICT support infrastructure, and

adequate ICT competent staff and ICT school policy. ICT support infrastructure in this case

refer to well-equipped computer laboratory, power supply, internet access, ICT accessories

such as mobile phones, radios televisions. Competent staff include, trained staff to use the

equipment, special capacity building sessions in ICT, support staff in ICT such as laboratory

technicians, having enough ICT teachers. ICT school policy include, timetable allocations to

lessons, laboratory policies, ICT budgets and procurement processes in schools, school rules

and regulations on possession of ICTs by both teachers and learners.

1.1.4. Contextual perspective.

Teaching is becoming one of the most challenging professions in our society where knowledge

is expanding rapidly and much of it is available to students as well as teachers at the same time.

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As new concepts of learning have evolved, teachers are expected to facilitate learning and

make it meaningful to individual learners rather than just to provide knowledge and skills.

Modern developments of innovative technologies have provided new possibilities to teaching

professions but at the same time have placed more demands on teachers to learn how to use

these new technologies in their teaching.

These new technologies are seen currently as mind tools, because they might function as

intellectual tool kits that allow the citizen of the third millennium to create new knowledge; To

reflect on the process of their own learning; To engage in critical thinking about a subject; To

help them in internal negotiations and meaning making; To construct personal representations

of meanings and to support mindful thinking, (Wegerif, 2004); Improvement of communication

among students and teachers Stensaker (2017); Promotion of collaborative learning and

learning centered approaches to teaching (sellinger,2019); Increased flexibility and the

development of competences-based curriculum, Dede (2019) ; alters the learning environment

and the learners. With all the efficiencies of ICT and its continuous innovations for the

teaching and learning process, it is expected that all learners have access to benefit from these

efficiencies. Full access to the benefits of ICT for teaching and learning is limited by the

unavailability and inability to purchase relevant resources particularly in developing countries.

ICTs are exerting impacts on pedagogical approaches in the classrooms. Their contribution to

changes in teaching practices, school innovation, and community services is considerable.

A research review by Kozma (2015) suggests three significant concerns of consideration

regarding ICTs impact on education. Firstly, student out comes such as higher scores in school

subjects or the learning of entirely new skills needed for a developing economy. Secondly, we

should consider teacher and classroom outcomes such as development of teachers’ technology

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skills and Knowledge of new pedagogic approaches as well as improved attitudes toward

teaching. Finally, one has to consider other outcomes such as increased innovativeness in

schools and access of community members to adult education and literacy.

Because of the increased global technological changes, it forced the government of Nigeria

through cabinet to approve the National ICT policy frame work 2019, drafted a sector policy

on ICT in education whose main objective was to Update the legal and security measures for

the effective use of ICT in education.; Address the language, socio-economic, disability, and

cultural barriers to accessing ICT; Adopt cost-reducing measures to counter the high cost of

ICT equipment, installation, and maintenance, paving the way for more equitable access;

Produce more ICT-literate teachers; Streamline operations of the different ICT providers in

order to avoid duplication and conflict of interest, and to secure everyone’s co-operation;

Provide the requisite ICT infrastructure to the poor rural schools during the first phase of

implementation; Define the minimum technical specifications of the ICT equipment.

Many schools Nigeria in various district Wakiso in particular are faced with a lot of

institutional challenges which at times may be a major hindrance in the teacher’s usage of ICTs

in teaching and learning process. This has made many teachers to maintain the traditional

methods/classical method of teaching such as chalk and talk, dictation of notice and at times

lecture methods which may not be as interactive as when ICTs have been incorporated.

According to DES report (2018), few teachers in Benin City have embraced the use of ICTs in

teaching and learning process yet if properly used could yield all the mentioned above benefits

to the learners especially academic excellence and future problem solving skills as well as

helping transforming the current teacher-centered methods of teaching to an interactive child-

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centered method where learners highly interact with the environment both within the country

and outside the country through the use of ICTs. It’s therefore important for the government to

pay a closer attention to the challenges that affect teachers ICT usage in secondary schools in

order to realize the benefits of education. On this note therefore, this study seeks to investigate

the institutional challenges that affect teachers from using ICTs in secondary schools in Edo

State Benin City.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Whereas ICT is common in Nigeria, and Edo State in particular, a good number of teachers

have not yet embraced these new ICTs for purposes of enhancing learning in the classroom in a

systematic way. Much as the government of Nigeria has continued to support and increase

awareness for example according to Nigeria Communications Commission (UCC) report and

Ministry of Education and Sports report (2019), 1027 school have been provided with 816 labs

installed with internet connectivity, 634 schools have virtual science content installed, 930

teachers have been retooled with computer skills and 62,000 community training labs (person)

have been put in place (UCC, 2019). Ministry of ICT and national guidance report 2018,

2.5billion shillings through National ICT Initiatives Support Programme (NIISP) was issued

out to support ICT use in schools, retooling of teachers in form of workshops, training of

support staff such as laboratory technicians, develop ICT frameworks and manuals as well as

developing ICT curriculum. Despite all the above efforts by the government, teachers ICT

usage is still very low at less than 40% in Edo State. More than 60% of the teachers do not use

the available ICT equipments. This remains a key challenge because if its not solved it can lead

to low student competency in ICT skills and therefore affecting their employment status in

future.

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Apparently there is no empirical study that has been conducted in Edo State secondary schools

to establish the institutional factors that are responsible for low ICT usage by teachers. This

study therefore is intended to address this gap by establishing institutional factors that

significantly affect teachers from using ICTs in the teaching and learning process

1.3 Purpose of the study

The purpose of this study was to establish the underlying institutional factors that affect ICT

usage by teachers in secondary schools in Edo State, Benin City.

1.4 Objectives of the study

The objectives of the study included:

1. To establish the effect of adequate ICT infrastructure on teachers’ ICT usage in

Secondary Schools in Edo State.

2. To establish the effect of adequate staff on teachers’ ICT usage in Secondary Schools in

Edo State.

3. To establish the effect of ICT support policies on teachers’ ICT usage in Secondary

Schools in Edo State.

1.5 Research questions

1. What is the effect of adequate ICT infrastructure on teachers’ ICT usage in Secondary

Schools in Edo State?

2. What is the effect of adequate staff on teachers’ ICT usage in Secondary Schools in

Edo State?

3. What is the effect of ICT support policies on teachers’ ICT usage in Secondary Schools

in Edo State?

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1.6 General Hypotheses

HA1 1. Adequate ICT infrastructure affects teachers’ ICT usage in Secondary Schools in Edo

State.

HA2 ICT support policies affects teachers’ ICT usage in Secondary Schools in Edo State.

1.7 Significance of the study

The findings of this study may be useful to the following;

Teachers need to know more about ICT and what it can provide. They also need to be able to

critically evaluate and discriminate what resource to use and whether one should be used at all.

They need to be able to understand conceptually and in pedagogically-appropriate ways, how,

where and why to use ICTs, improve teachers’ awareness to the available ICT facilities in

school to expand their knowledge and skills to improve the quality of teaching and learning.

Ministry of education and sports as well as the school management in policy making and

prioritizing while funding school activities and formulating institutional capacity building

framework to empower ICTs for education.

1.8. Scope of the study

The content scope of the study was limited to ICT support policies, ICT support infrastructure

and ICT competent teachers and how they affect teachers in the use of ICT during teaching and

learning process in Edo State, Benin City.

The study was carried out in secondary schools in Edo. The schools in Edo State were selected

because there low ICT utilization in the area.

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1.9 Conceptual framework.
Figure 1.1 conceptual framework showing the relationship between the study variables.

Independent variables (I.V) Dependent Variable (D.V)

Teacher ICT usage

 School policies on ICT  Assessment and evaluation

of learners
 Adequate ICT
ICT incorporated lessons
infrastructure in school
 Promoting research
 Staff ICT competence
 Digitalized Record keeping

Extraneous Variables

- Students Absenteeism
- Management of the school
- Students population
- Staff attitude towards ICT
In
stitutional factors.

Source: Adopted from Dede, (2019) and Modified by the Researcher.

From the conceptual frame work, both the independent and extraneous variables affect the

nature of the dependent variables. Extraneous variable are the other factors that affect the

dependent variable. In order to minimize their effect, the researcher will use standardized

procedures and instructions.

The independent variables that is to say ICT school policies, ICT infrastructure and teachers

competence are expected to bring about increased number of ICT facilitated lessons, proper

record keeping, promoting research amongst teachers, academic excellence of learners

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1.10. Operational Definitions of Key Terms

In this study ICTs are a set of tools that can be used by the teacher to process, avail and access

information and communication electronically within and abroad to facilitate teaching and

learning.

Institutional factors refer to ICT skills of teachers, ICT infrastructure, and ICT policies

Secondary School is an intermediate level between elementary school and college and usually

offering general, technical, vocational or college preparatory courses

An institution is a social structure in which people corporate and which influences the

behavior of people and the way they live.

A teacher is a person who helps students to acquire knowledge

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