ASTRACT
The study investigated the
utilization of e-counselling in social and academic adjustments among
undergraduates of Universities in Kebbi and Sokoto States, Nigeria. Descriptive
research design was adopted for the study, six research questions and four hypotheses
were formulated to guide the study. The population of the study comprised of
4275 first year and final year undergraduates of Faculty of Education selected
from two Universities in Kebbi and Sokoto States where guidance and counselling
services were in operation. The sample of the study was 427 undergraduate
students of Faculty of Education in the selected Universities for the study.
The sampling technique instrument that was used for data collection for the
study was titled “E-Counselling Utilization and Social/Academic Adjustments
Questionnaire”. The instrument was validated by experts from Guidance and
Counselling and Measurement and Evaluation, all from Faculty of Education,
University of Nigeria, Nsukka. The instrument was trial tested with 30 undergraduates
in Kaduna State. Cronbach Alpha Statistics was used to determine the internal
consistency of the instrument and the overall reliability indices of 0.75 was
obtained. Four hundred and twenty seven copies of the questionnaire were
administered to the respondents by the researcher with the help of two research
assistants. The data collected were analysed using mean, standard deviation and
t-test statistics. The results obtained indicated that the extent e-counselling
was utilized in social adjustment among undergraduates was high; the extent
e-counselling was utilized in academic adjustment among undergraduates was low;
there was significant mean difference in the utilization of e-counselling in
social and academic adjustment among male and female undergraduates and among
first year and final year undergraduates. Based on the findings, the researcher
recommended, among others that e-counselling facilities should be made
available in Kebbi and Sokoto States Universities to enable the undergraduates
to make adequate utilization of e-counselling services in social and academic
adjustments. Also, counsellors should be provided with more and stable
facilities to enhance more opportunities for e-counseling with the
undergraduates.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background to the Study
There is an expansion in the world of Information Communication
Technology (ICT) today, making the use of computer d1evices in nearly all
aspects of human activities necessary. In fact, there is hardly any activity of
life in the world today that does not involved the use of computer device,
including telephone lines, availability of cellular coverage, and other forms
of electronic transmission of data including internet (Nwachukwu, Ugwuegbulam
& Nwazue, 2014). According to Annual Global ICT data and ICT Development
(2014), internet use continues to grow steadily, at 6.6% globally in 2014 (3.3%
in developed countries, 8.7% in the developing world); the number of Internet
users in developing countries has doubled in five years (2009-2014), with two
third of all people online now living in the developing world. This shows that
the increase in the aforementioned cellular data coverage is apparent, as many
users have multiple subscriptions, with global growth figures sometimes
translating into little real improvement in the level of connectivity of those
at the very bottom of the pyramid; an estimated 450 million people worldwide
live in places which are still out of reach of mobile cellular service (Annual
Global ICT data and ICT Development, 2014).
The gap between the access to the internet and mobile coverage has
decreased substantially in the last fifteen years and the new data show ICT
progress and highlight remaining gaps and there is evidence that ICT is usable
even in the rural areas ICT Facts and Figures (The world in 2015). Thus, ICT
continues to take on new forms, with no technology set to usher in a new wave
of ICT electronics and gadgets. ICT newest editions into the modern electronic
world include smart watches, such as the Apple Watch, smart wristbands such as
the Nike+ Fuel Band, and smart TVs such as
Google TV. With desktops soon becoming part of a bygone era, and laptops
becoming the preferred method of computing. ICT continues to insinuate and
alter itself in the ever-changing globe.
However, ICT has impact on nearly every aspect of lives - from working to
socializing, learning to playing. The digital age has transformed the way young
people communicate, network, seek help, access information and learn. Young
people are now accessing internet and engaging in online communications through
a variety of means such as computers, smart tablets and electronic pads
(Reggio, 2015). The author also observed that it is widely recognized that
learners are motivated and purposefully engaged in the learning process when
concepts and skills are underpinned with technology and sound pedagogy.
Therefore, ICT plays vital role in educational needs of individuals.
In many countries, the role of ICT is linked to issues of educational
attainment and the importance of ICT for advancing robust learning strategies
on the side of the students. It is also used as a tool for the support of
personalization strategies in teaching and learning (Kozma, 2008). ICT can also
be used to increase visualization and variation in many subjects. As a greater
proportion of our homes are linked to the Internet, the role of ICT in home/
school access is now being exploited. Many children start to use ICT at an
early age, and the home and the family are, in many cases, an arena for the
initial acquisition of digital skills. In addition, Kozma (2008) has identified
important reasons for investing in ICT for education which include: to support
economic growth mainly by developing human capital and increasing the
productivity of the workforce; to promote social development by sharing
knowledge, fostering cultural creativity, increasing democratic participation,
improving access to government services and enhancing social cohesion; to advance
education reform, major curriculum revisions, shifts in pedagogy or assessment
changes; to support educational
management and accountability, with an emphasis on computer-based testing and
the use of digital data and management systems, as well as supportive programme
such as counselling (Kozma, 2008). According to Onuekwusi and Onuekwusi (2010),
the use of computer devices appear to be more pronounced in the field of
education as it is used in teaching, learning, evaluation processes and counselling.
The use of computer devices like phone and laptops tablets among others.
for counselling in Nigeria should not be a ‘taboo’ or an exception as this has
long been functioning in advanced countries. Distance communication between a
counsellor and a client is not a new concept as the great psychologist; Sigmund
Freud utilized letters extensively to communicate with his clients in his time
(Nwachukwu, Ugwuegbulam &
Nwazue,
2014). American Counselling Association (ACA, 2014) acknowledged ICT in counselling
as pivot for educational growth and advancement. Thus, Counsellors actively
attempt to understand the evolving nature of the profession with regard to
distance counselling, technology, and social media and how such resources may
be used to better serve their clients. They strive to become knowledgeable
about these resources (American Counselling Association –ACA, 2014).
Every sound profession looks for and welcomes new innovations into their
field for the welfare of their service consumers all over the world. Internet
has brought a lot of innovations in the world today such as e-learning and
e-counselling. Today, people who have interest can now access education
especially that of tertiary through what is called e-learning. Therefore, a
consumer of education can be anywhere and at any time access education that
enhances their development. In the same vein, professional counsellors can
embrace e-counselling as one of the best practices in the development of
counselling practice in under-developed and developing countries for the
benefit of the services’ consumers who may not be able to
get their services due to geographical location, time and any other problem
(Uzoekwe, Obika, & Obineli, 2012). In Nigeria for instance, everyone is becoming
conversant with cellular phones and their associated text messages, email and
subsequently becoming computer literate and many need counselling.
The term, counselling according to Okorodudu, (2010) refers to a process
involving a professionally trained individual in the application of
psychological principles and practices in assisting individuals and groups to
cope with their life adjustment needs in the society. Okoye, (2008) defined a
counsellor as a professionally trained person who help others solve their
problems for now and in the future. According to Nwachukwu (2008), Counselling,
is a formal and systematic process of organized services offered in the school
system to help an individual know and develop his potentials to the fullest,
thereby consciously acquiring proper self-knowledge, understanding of self and
situation and skills for appraisal of self-in-situational relation, for
appropriate decision and action, in education, the world of work and the
society. This broad definition of counselling covers both school and university
settings. It presents guidance and counselling as a programme that enable
students make right adjustment in the university. Thus, counselling denotes a
relationship between a concerned counsellor and a person with a need.
Counselling relationship is usually person-to-person, although sometimes it may
involve more than two people. It is designed to help people understand and
clarify their views of their life-space, and to learn to reach their
self-determined goals through meaningful, well-informed, choices and through
resolution of problems of an emotional or interpersonal nature and can take
face-to face format or electronic format (Anwana, 2005; Mmaduakonam, 2008;
Ekpo, 2007; Uzoekwe, Obika, & Obineli, 2012).
Face-to-face counselling is the normal conventional counselling that
usually takes place at the counsellor’s office or counselling centre and both
the counsellor and.....
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