THE EFFECT OF THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY ON THE INSTRUCTION OF MATHEMATICS AND ENGLISH SECONDARY SCHOOLS
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
The world is experiencing a third wave of social and technology transformation as the society is becoming more oriented to the information and communication technology (ICT). ICT is one of the various factors that are drastically influencing educational success in the educational section. Ademu (2004) sees ICT as a set of technological tools and resources used to communicate and create disseminate to store and manage information. The information dissemination is easily possible through computer technologies in teaching and learning of mathematics and English in secondary schools. Markauskaite (2006) opines that the introduction of computer technology into teaching and learning is a giant stride towards the quality of education.
The use of ICT is extremely compactable with the industrial form of learning (IFL) that is propounded by distance learning institute (DLI) the emphasis by such institution make it highly imperative that each stage of learning process is associated with skills that different learning pandered by using a different learning devices. This have prompted the cognitive theories like skinners to propound the usage at teaching machine which greatly reinforce the stimuli provided by the learning processes.
The relevance of information communication cannot be over emphasized in our day to day activities of learning for the purpose of this research work emphasis will be on the uses and influence of ICT in the learning of mathematics and English in secondary schools, mathematics and English occupies a unique position in the school curriculum. Mathematics and English is central to many science related courses such as medicine pharmacy, biomathematics and English and so on. It is obvious that no students intending to study these disciplines can do without mathematics and English. These factor and others have drawn attention of researchers and curriculum planners towards mathematics and English as a subject in school curriculum (Kareen 2003), in spite of the importance and popularity of mathematics and English among Nigerian students performance at senior secondary school level have been the focus of researcher for some time now. It has been observed that poor performance in science courses are caused by poor quality of science teacher, overcrowded classrooms and lack of suitable and adequate science equipment among others (Abduilahi 1982: Bajah 1979, Kareen 2003: Oguniyi 1979) student perform poorly in mathematics and English, because the heterogenous in terms of ability level. In addition the laboratory are ill-equipped and the mathematics and English syllabus is overcrowded and loaded (Ahemed, 2008: Ajayi 1998).
The potential benefit of information communication technology (ICT) cannot be over emphasized or underestimated in the contemporary worlds as there is plethora of establish finding on the instructional values of computer particularly in advance countries.
There are now several ICT package on different subject. It is obvious that the current trend in research all over the world is the use of computer facilities and resources to enhance student learning. This may be the reason why Handel man and ethal (2004) opined that many exercise that depart from traditional method are now readily accessible on the web (Ps 21) even though teacher do not use these facilities they further showed that the interactive approaches to lecturing significantly enhance learning.
In a review of empirical studies on ICT cotton (1997) concluded among owner that the use of ICT as a supplement to conversational instruction produces higher achievement that the use of conventional instructional computer based on education (ICT and other computer appreciation) produces higher achievement than conventional institutions alone, they retain what they have learned better with ICT than with effective owner instructional methods, such as teacher directed instructions and tutoring. Furthermore information communication technology have been found to enhance students performance than the conventional instructional methods in counselor education (Kaper, Robinson and Asadokehoe 2005).
However mill; (2001) findings recall that ICT was found to be as effective as classroom for fact based on learning but not as effective for topic requiring critical thinking or mathematical problem solving. In addition the time required for learner to use ICT was higher overall than conventional classroom instruction. Student taught using traditional instruction combined with the use of computer perform significantly better than student taught using traditional instruction in a large college setting (Akour, 2006). Similarly college students taught using lecture methods only (Basturk, 2005) bored on the review of several studies and short coming on studies company ICT with conventional instruction ICT can be considered as effective as tradition instruction. In order to encourage the participation of mathematics and English in secondary school, it is ideal that an approach which have a high level of stimulations particularly auditory and visual perception system with a high level of involvement, attention and concentration emotional arousal making the activity fun and stany recognition effect, using mental references models in particular use by the students is the basis for information communication technology (ICT) this is the reason why this work ismcarried out the level of usage and the influence of ICT in the teaching of mathematics and English using Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State as a case study.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The problem associated with the growth of ICT that have being focused upon in this work are political factors, economic factors, cultural factors and technological factors. Among the major problem associated with the application of ICTs the focus will be laid on socio-political factors, human and administrative factors, economic factors and technological factors. Further the work based on several case studies derive important conclusion and also provide permanent suggestions to ensure of information communication technology (ICT) in the third world.
1.3 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The purpose of this study is to find out the influence of ICT and the extent to which teacher uses ICT in the teaching of mathematics and English in some several secondary schools in Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State. The study examines the following.
The differences in performance of mathematics and English if any secondary school student to individualized information, communication, technology or cooperative computer assisted instruction and those exposed in conventional instruction. The influence of student gender on their performance in mathematics and English when they are exposed to individual information, communication technology or cooperative computer assisted instructions.
1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The project work will be important to school selected and used as case study the result of this work will thus spur the various school into lingering on their policies or reversing them if need be. It will encourage head teacher in providing the necessary requirement and also by being able to provide the necessary requirement for the usage of ICT in school. This restores high performance on student in mathematics and English.
The research will also provide useful information to principals of schools when recruiting mathematics and English teachers who can be able to provide guidance to students in the usage of ICT in the learning of mathematics and English in schools, identification of the causes of poor performance and participation in senior secondary schools, examination and the implementation of the recommendation/suggested in the work by the school authorities and the government will lead to better student performance. It is the hope of the researcher that this work will go a long way in findings solution to the problem of student mathematics and English in some selected secondary schools in Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State
1.5 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
Do you think technology is important to teaching and learning mathematics and English? Do you prefer school library to internet library? Do you prefer the conventional school or class teaching to the teaching you acquire by exploring the internet in the process of teaching mathematics and English? How often do you make use of technology facilities teaching mathematics and English?
1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
This study will be limited to a few selected secondary schools in Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State. This study covers the following secondary schools
Edo College Murtala Mohammed Way Benin Imaguero College Sapele Road Benin Eghosa Anglican Grammar School, Lagos Road Benin Immaculate Conception College Murtala Mohammed Way Benin Itohan Girls College, Sapele Road, Benin
1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS
Information: This refers t o the fact or detailed reports about somebody or something.
Technology: This is the scientific knowledge used in practical ways in industry for example in designing new machine.
Information technology: This is the study or the use of the electronic equipment especially computers for storing and analyzing information.
Communication: This is the activity or a process expressing ideals or feeling or giving people information.
Information Communication Technology (ICT): This is the entire process involved in processing sending and receiving, storing and retrieving of information using electronic device. It also seen as a set of technological tools and resources used to communicate and create disseminate to store and manage information.