STRATEGIES FOR IMPROVING THE TEACHING OF BUSINESS COURSES THROUGH THE USE OF ICT FACILITIES IN SOME SELECTED TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS OF LEARNING IN BAUCHI STATE

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

• Background to the study

The use of information and communication technology (ICT) facilities in teaching and learning process is not a new phenomenon in promoting education, especially in those developed countries, all over the world. Presently, some higher institutions of learning in Nigeria are using information and communication technology (ICT) facilities for modern achievement. Computer and communication technologies have offered tremendous opportunities for teaching by electronic means (Rogina, 2002). The use of new multimedia technologies and internet in teaching is seen as a strategy to improve accessibility, efficiency and quality of education by facilitating access to resources and services as well as remote exchanges and collaboration.

The use of ICT facilities in teaching has become a new paradigm and a new philosophy in education with a mission to serve as development platform for present day society based on knowledge. The students of the business studies need to be utilized and adequately trained with knowledge of each day development in information and communication facilities for efficiency, accuracy, and economic advantages. The use of ICT facilities in teaching involves the use of electronic technology to deliver education and training application, monitors learners performance and report learners’ progress (Sale, 2002). Similarly, Hedge and Hayward (2004) defined ICT in teaching as an innovative approach for delivery electronically mediated, well designed learner – centered and interactive learning environment, to any one, any place, any time by utilizing the internet and digital technology in concern with instructional design principles. It is more of teaching and learning with use of computers and multimedia.

Business courses comprise the potential prime people, that any organization desired either educational or non educational institutions (i.e. Secretaries, Accountants, Managers/Administrators). They have great responsibilities than ever before as sophisticated equipments and computers are now introduced into the world of work. Therefore, tertiary institutions of learning offering business courses have to overlook the feasibility of providing ICT facilities to cope with the challenges ahead of the students. Information and communication technology facilities offer a particular perspective on business activities focusing on the general contribution of collecting, sorting, progressing, retrieving and presentation of information through ICT facilities.

Ajalaye (2004) highlighted that information and communication technology does not refer to only internet and telephone but include the satellite, radio, television, video tapes, tape recorders, compact disc, etc. ICT have revolutionary impact on educational methodology globally, for effective teaching processes. According to Yusuf (2005), teachers need training not only in computer literacy but also in the application of various kinds of software packages in teaching and learning. Teacher training in ICT is inevitable and crucial because information and communication facilities are tools that help them to take full advantage to enhance teaching and learning process.

Subsequently, the use of ICT facilities in educational system facilitate learner – centered collaborative environment which emphasizes the importance of intrinsic learning through social interaction. While according to  the vygotsky (1978) cited in the write up on mobile learning by Geddes (2005), learner – centered interaction result in learners being more engaged and helps to develop personal intellectual structures that foster deeper understanding and allow students to discuss complex situation and resolve ambiguities with international commonality of communication over the internet. Therefore, ICT facilities provide learners with secondary access to environment, and international learning facilitators which they would otherwise be unable to access, as wireless ICT facilities become more common and accessible. Students will be able to participate in international communication. Utilization of ICT devices has greatly brought about rapid changes in today’s classroom, as video cassette recorders, compact disc recorders, cell phones, network computers and computer software have brought some changes in classroom teaching by supplementing and complementing some aspect of teaching processes for educational quality (James, 2005).

1.2 Statement of the problem

The traditional mode of teaching in tertiary institutions of learning is usually a teacher – centered method of teaching (lecture method) whereby the teacher verbally delivers a body of knowledge to students, the teacher is active while the students remain passive and spoon fed. Therefore, there is need for transformation in teaching process from teacher – centered method of teaching to student – centered method of teaching, whereby student performs the learning activities either by reading, writing and manipulating the instructional materials in use. He is active rather than being passive. Therefore, this study is intended to examine the strategies for improving the teaching of business courses through the use of ICT facilities within the tertiary institutions of learning in Bauchi state.

1.3 Purpose of the study

The main purpose of the study is to determine the strategies for improving the teaching of business courses through the use of ICT facilities in some selected tertiary institutions of learning in Bauchi state. The is study specifically to seek for the following;

1. To find out problems faced with ICT utilization in teaching business courses in the selected institutions.
2. To find out the availability of ICT facilities in the selected institutions.

• To determine the teachers’ knowledge on the use ICT facilities for teaching purposes.

1. To find out the possible strategies for improving the teaching of business courses in using ICT facilities

1.4 Research Question

The following research questions were raised to guide the conduct of the study;

1. What are the problems faced with ITC utilization in teaching and learning business courses at the tertiary institutions?
2. How adequate are ICT facilities in the tertiary institutions for teaching business courses?

• To what extent the teachers have adequate knowledge about the utilization of ICT facilities in teaching process?

1. What are the possible strategies that will improve the teaching of business courses using ICT facilities in tertiary institution?

1.5  Research Hypothesis

1. Lack of ICT facilities has significantly contributed to the problems associated with teaching of business courses.
2. Lack of ample knowledge about utilization of ICT facilities by business courses teachers has significantly contributed to the students’ poor performance.

1.6 Significance of Study

The result of this study would be valuable in the following specific ways;

The students of business courses would benefit from the result of this study as they will be adequately trained and equipped with necessary skills and knowledge which will manifest after graduation and the result may also be useful for the students carrying out research.

The business courses teachers will benefit from the result of the study if utilized, by gaining more knowledge, skills and experience of delivering instruction through the use of ICT facilities.

The result of this study will also be useful to the educational institutions as the result provides information necessary for improving the teaching processes in business course.

Employers of labor will derive the advantage if opportune to employ such graduates who are well trained and equipped with necessary knowledge and skills through the use of ICT facilities which would result to maximum productivity of an organization.

1.7 Scope of the study

This study covers the entire students studying business courses in tertiary institutions of learning in Bauchi state.

• Definition of Terms

Teacher – centered mode of instruction; is the process of teaching whereby the teacher verbally delivers a pre-planned body of knowledge to his students while students listen and jot down points.

Student – centered mode of instruction; is the process in which the students learn all on his own a field of study or topic broken into bits according to his interest and ability, and consult teachers only when he needs him.

Information – Can simply be defined as a processed data, while data is a raw facts about an entity.

Technology – Is the application of basic scientific knowledge in providing solution to problems around us.

DOWNLOAD THE FULL WORK

DISCLAIMER: All project works, files and documents posted on this website, UniProjectTopics.com are the property/copyright of their respective owners. They are for research reference/guidance purposes only and some of the works may be crowd-sourced. Please don’t submit someone’s work as your own to avoid plagiarism and its consequences. Use it as a reference/citation/guidance purpose only and not copy the work word for word (verbatim). The paper should be used as a guide or framework for your own paper. The contents of this paper should be able to help you in generating new ideas and thoughts for your own study. UniProjectTopics.com is a repository of research works where works are uploaded for research guidance. Our aim of providing this work is to help you eradicate the stress of going from one school library to another in search of research materials. This is a legal service because all tertiary institutions permit their students to read previous works, projects, books, articles, journals or papers while developing their own works. This is where the need for literature review comes in. “What a good artist understands is that nothing comes from nowhere. All creative work builds on what came before. Nothing is completely original.” - Austin Kleon. The paid subscription on UniProjectTopics.com is a means by which the website is maintained to support Open Education. If you see your work posted here by any means, and you want it to be removed/credited, please contact us with the web address link to the work. We will reply to and honour every request. Please notice it may take up to 24 – 48 hours to process your request.