ABSTRACT
This study surveyed the impact of ICT skills on the academic
performance of Library and Information Science undergraduates in selected
universities in Edo State. The study adopted descriptive survey design and
questionnaire was used for data collection. The purposive sampling technique
was used to draw out a sample size of 300 from a population of 945. Out of the
300 copies of questionnaire administered, 253 were retrieved and analysed using
simple percentage, arithmetic mean and standard deviation. Findings from the
study showed that the available ICTs as indicated by majority of the
respondents include Internet (100%), computers (90.5%), uninterrupted power
supply (87.4%), printers (74.7%) and photocopiers (68.4%). It was discovered
that majority of the respondents indicated that they possess adequate skills in
internet surfing (mean score of 4.0), typing/typesetting (mean score of 2.74)
and word processing skills (mean score of 3.49). Findings revealed that the
impact of possessing ICT skills on use of ICTs are as indicated by majority of
the respondents include frequent use of ICTs (mean score of 2.91), confidence
in approach towards use of ICTs (mean score of 3.12) and proficiency in using
ICTs (mean score of 2.53) while the effects of ICT on LIS undergraduates’
academic performance include accelerated learning process (mean score of 2.79)
and better grades/CGPA improvement (mean score of 3.17). Finally, findings
showed that the challenges facing the development of ICT skills and use of ICTs
by LIS undergraduates, as indicated by majority of the respondents include
inaccessibility of ICTs (mean score of 3.78) and lack of motivation (mean score
of 2.74). Recommendations posited include improving the content of courses to
include use of ICTs, improving accessibility to ICT facilities through adequate
equipment of computer laboratories and motivation of undergraduates by
lecturers to use ICTs in accomplishing course assignments.
CHAPTER
ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1
Background
of the Study
Information
and Communications Technology (ICT) has become a phenomenon to reckon with in the
academic arena as its applications in modern
day education have made students not to be confined within the classroom environment,
they now explore the vast horizon of knowledge through ICT. ICTs are
evolving technologies and are difficult to isolate from academic environment.
Information
Communication Technology according to Unagha & Ugocha (2012) includes
computer and telecommunication facilities. It is concerned with the technology
used in handling, acquiring, processing, storing and dissemination of
information. Thus Information Communication Technology is any technology used
in producing, organizing and passing information through. Similarly, Oxford
Advanced Learners’ Dictionary sees ICT as electronic media used in processing,
analyzing, storing and sending out information. Evey et al (2010) observed that
ICT is innovative device that can carry out such functions as receiving,
storing, computing, analyzing, transmitting and retrieving information
presented to them and allowing for one-to-one or group communication among
humans.
Similarly,
Obashoro (2007) identified ICT infrastructure to include multi-media CD-ROMs,
MP3 players, websites, discussion boards, emails, computer-aided assessments,
learning management software, blogs, etc. In the same vein, Folorunso, Longe
and Ijere (2003) identified ICT infrastructure to include internet, World Wide
Web (www), Electronic Data Interchange (EDI), Local Area Network (LAN), Wide
Area Networks (WAN), Protocols, Content Management and Meta Data Standard
(MDS).
In
recent times, there has been intense advocacy both nationally and
internationally for the application of ICT in teaching and learning process. Ekpo
& Ifreke (2001) observed that the application of ICT in the school subjects
is to make learners learn better and teacher to teach well, it is not a
hindrance to teacher–student relationship. It rather ensures instructional
communication where the teacher manages the students, time and other required
resources to make sure that instructional events occur leading to a positive change
in performance of students. For example, Olaniyi (2006) observed that internet
system, which is a major ICT, gives students access to wide range of
information and knowledge about environment, socio-cultural, economic and other
aspects of life of the people in various parts of the world – education they
cannot afford not to have in the 21st Century.
It
is envisaged that educators will see ICT as a major teaching and learning
device across all educational institution. With its power of interactivity,
multimedia and communication, the computer proves an excellent tool for
teaching and learning. The idea is that students will be active “participants”
rather than “spectators” in teaching and learning process. With the use of
internet in teaching, for example, the role of the teacher changes from that of
“gatekeeper” of knowledge to that of “facilitator” and “manager” of the
learning environment. The students will become self-directed learners rather
than a passive learner (Ryan, Scott & Freeman, 2000). Through the guidance
of the teacher, each student/pupil sets priorities and achievable goals and
assumes responsibility for reaching the goals. As internet enables the students
engage in self-directed learning experiences and activities, that encourages
self-expression, co-operative learning and interaction not only with immediate
environment or their present curriculum, but with the outside world as well,
the students become vast in general knowledge as well as in their academic work
(Ekpo & Ifreke, 2001).
The
role of the university, both in the academic development of the individual and
the society at large, is changing and is, therefore, altering higher
education’s core production and delivery process, which brings new challenges
to the fore (Ryan, Scott & Freeman, 2000; Loing, 2005). School authorities
and lecturers must, therefore, continuously strive to create learning
environments and experiences that will enable students to construct their own
knowledge rather than embrace the traditional teaching method of knowledge
transfer especially through encouraging the development of ICT skills (Van der
Schee, 2003). Students need flexible, targeted, and accessible learning methods
(Ryan, Scott & Freeman, 2000) and these methods should be thought through
very carefully planned programmes that will result in competence of the
students to adequately use ICTs for academic purposes.
The use of ICT has increased and broadened the
impact and skills of students on how to seek information electronically. Interestingly,
acquiring ICT skills have become increasingly important in the pursuance of a
degree-level education. This is because how students manipulate these
e-learning resources and the way they are used for learning is necessary. ICT
skills deal with the application of ICT to specific purposes. It is not just
about using software packages or using operating systems, neither is it
concerned only with keyboarding skills and student’s ability to copy-type or
follow instructions. Rather, ICT skills among undergraduates is about students’
ability to use their knowledge about ICT to find, develop and present
information; whether it is text, image or number, or all of these in an
integrated task. The means of acquiring these ICT skills must be imbedded in
students learning and be part and parcel of their educational experience as to
impact on their academic performance and other aspects of their lives. The
question then is, in the light of all the factors affecting ICT use, what are
the possible impacts of ICT skills and ICT use on the academic performance of
undergraduates?
1.2
Statement
of the Problem
Information
and Communications Technology (ICT) skills remains a necessity for
undergraduate students to be able to participate successfully in today’s global
information society. In this technology-intensive society, students are
required to be proficient in ICT especially computers. On the contrary,
observation by the researcher has shown that many undergraduate students lack
the wherewithal, rudiments needed to make effective use of ICT to meet their
educational requirements. For example, some undergraduates cannot effectively use
the internet without calling for assistance. It has also been revealed that
many undergraduates always seek for assistance in one way or the other while
using ICT facilities such as the computer.
In
developed countries, students are required to demonstrate computer proficiency
early in their educational experience by means of passing an assessment test.
However, this is hardly obtainable in our part of the world. Consequently, most
undergraduates may lack ICT skills. In view of the foregoing, the present study
intends to investigate the impact of ICT skills on the academic performance of
undergraduates in the Department of Library and Information Science in selected
universities in Edo State.
1.3 Objectives of the Study
The
overall objective of this research is to study the impact of ICT skills on the
increase in undergraduates’ academic performance. The specific objectives are:
i.
To determine the availability of ICTs for
use by LIS undergraduates in universities in Edo State.
ii. To
examine the level of ICT skills possessed by LIS undergraduates in Ambrose Alli
universities in Edo State.
iii. To
determine the effects of ICT skills on LIS undergraduates use of ICT in
universities.
iv. To
find out the effects of ICT use by LIS undergraduates on their academic
performance.
v. To
identify the challenges facing the development of ICT skills by LIS
undergraduates in universities in Edo State.
vi. To
identify the challenges facing the use of ICTs for academic purposes by LIS
undergraduates in universities in Edo State.
1.4 Research Questions
i.
What are the available ICTs used by LIS
undergraduates in universities in Edo State?
ii. What
are the ICT skills possessed by LIS undergraduates in universities in Edo State?
iii. What
is the effect of ICT skills on LIS undergraduates’ use of ICT in universities?
iv. What
are the effects of ICT use on LIS undergraduates’ academic performance in
universities?
v. What
are the challenges facing the development of ICT skills by LIS undergraduates
in Universities.
vi. What
are the challenges facing the use of ICTs for academic purposes by LIS
undergraduates in universities?
1.5 Scope of the Study
This study will focus
on the impact of ICT skills on the academic performance of LIS undergraduate
students in Nigeria. Undergraduate students of Library and Information Science
in Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma and University of Benin, Benin City will be
used for the study. Undergraduates from other departments will be excluded from
this study.
1.6 Significance of the Study
It
is hoped that the findings of this study will be significant in that
Information and Communication Technology (ICT) skill is a factor which not only
affects university students’ social affairs but also influence the their
academic performance when properly utilized for that purpose. Therefore, it is
hoped that findings from this present work will expose the challenges
undergraduates face as regards the acquisition in access to information. It is
also hoped that the present study will highlight the hindrances bedeviling
students’ access to and use of ICT facilities.
It
is believed that this study will establish a practical basis for increased
training of university undergraduates on the use of ICTs beyond the performance
of basic functions of the computer as it aims to draw attention to the need for
the possession of ICT literacy in the 21st century. That is, it will
benefit both the government as an information resource on the basis of which
policies can be formulated. The benefits for librarians will be immense also,
as the putting into practice, the recommendations from this study will make
their jobs easier and run smoothly when their patrons have ICT skills with
which to access electronic-based documents and other services. The benefits for
the student will be in the form of encouragement to develop ICT skills that
will be use to them and positively impact on their academics. Finally, it is
hoped that this research work will be of benefit to researchers carrying out
similar or related study, serving as a source of information.
1.7 Operational Definition of Terms
- Academic
performance: The outcome of
education — the extent to which a student or institution has achieved
their educational goals.
- ICT Skill: The
ability to use Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) for
performing functions with ICTs, carry out information retrieval and the
accomplishment of simple, ICT-based basic tasks.
- Impact: The marked effect or influence of one thing on another;
Measure of the tangible and intangible effects (consequences) of one
thing's or entity's action or influence upon another.
- Information
and Communications Technologies (ICTs) – This is
an umbrella term that includes any communication device or application,
encompassing: radio, television, cellular phones, computer and network
hardware and software, satellite systems and so on, as well as the various
services and applications associated with them in the collection,
processing and dissemination of information
- Skill: The ability to do something well;
expertise. An ability and
capacity acquired through deliberate, systematic, and sustained effort to
smoothly and adaptively carryout complex activities or job functions.
- Undergraduate: A university student who has not yet obtained a first
degree.
- Universities:
High-level educational institutions in which
student study for degrees, and academic research is done.
- Library:
A building or room containing collection of
books, periodicals, and sometimes films are recorded music for use or
borrowing by the public or the members of an institution.
- Information: Facts provided or learned about something or someone, which is conveyed or represented by a particular
arrangement or sequence of things.
- Science: The
intellectual and practical activity encompassing the systematic study of
the structure and behaviour of the physical and natural world through
observation and experiment.
- Library and Information Science: The profession devoted to applying
theory and technology to the creation, selection, organization,
management, preservation, dissemination and utilization of collections of
information in all formats.
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