CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
In today’s world, the use of adoption
of information technology (ICT) in teaching of economics in secondary schools
could be helpful in the task of capacity building therefore; negative view in
this direction could constitute a draw back to the achievement of our science
and technology objectives (Adetula 2003).
The adoption and application of ICT
Information and Communication Technology in teaching of 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 teaching of economics in secondary
schools today one can communicate in different ways, fully capable of
communicating his or her findings from economical enquiry using power points,
spread sheets 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
farm lands and grow foods rather than wonder from one place to the other.
Settling down increase population which necessitate 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 predigital electronic computer.
The researcher observed that ICT is not
effectively used in our classrooms 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.
1.2
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 the rapidly
expanding trend. Could it be that there is a problem in the application of the
ICT in economics classroom activities?
1.3 PURPOSE
OF STUDY
The
purpose of this work is to ascertain the current statues 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
teaching of 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
of 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
leaning for the growth of the Nigeria educational sector?
1.5
RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS
There is 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 in 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 in 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 internet that is world wide web gives students
immediate access to 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 lack of time for the researcher to travel to other places of sources
of data. And also lack of 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 meaning but for
the purpose of this study are giving 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 which 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 semi-conductor 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 co-ordinates the operations of all the other
part 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 computer that looks like a
typewriter. It is used to input raw data into the computer.
MONITOR: The part of computer that looks like
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 text.
TELECOMMUNICATIONS: Is the process that allows the
transmission of available or visible information over 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 analog signal (telephone) to digital signals
which the computer understands.