The Extent of Availability of Computer System and Their Accessories for Effective Teaching and Learning of Computer Science in Senior Secondary (Case Study of Enugu North Lga)
CHAPTER ONE
Purpose of the study
The study was designed to find out the extent of availability of computer system and their accessories for effective teaching and learning in senior secondary schools under Enugu north local Government Area. The major aim of this research work was to find out:
- The extent of availability of computer systems and their accessories for effective teaching and learning of computer science.
- The methods used by the teachers in their teaching.
- How often are the learners exposed to practical knowledge of computer?
- The extent of maintance of available computer system and their accessories in schools.
Chapter Two
Review of Related Literature
Introduction
In this chapter we are going to know the availability of computer systems and their accessories in senior secondary school. The methods used in teaching computer science in schools studied, the extent by which students exposed to practical knowledge of computer system, the maintenance of available computer system and their accessories in schools.
Availability of Computer Systems and their Accessories in Senior
Secondary Schools.
Computer is an electronic device that accepts data as input and processes them electronically to provide the desired output or information with aid of a set of units or the coming together of all the other computer components. When this computer unit interacts meaningfully they achieve the goal of receiving data, processing data and release the result of the data processed. The most visible use of computers in instruction is to provide direct assistance to learners and assist teachers, administrators and educational technologists in helping learners. During the 32nd ministerial council meeting of national council of education in 1987, the Federal government of Nigeria decided to introduce computer education into the nations secondary schools system. This was followed by the inauguration of the national committee on computer education the same year. The functions of the committee include: “planning for a dynamic policy on computer education and literacy in Nigeria as well as devising clear strategies and terminologies to be used by the Federal and State government in introducing computer education in Nigeria Tribune April 11, 1988 cited ( Jegede and Owolabi 2005).
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Design of the study
The researcher used survey design in gathering information.
This study is an investigation research aimed at finding the extent of availability of computer systems and accessories for effective teaching and learning in senior secondary school under Enugu North Local Government Area.
Area of Study
This research was carried out in Enugu North Local Government Area of Enugu State.
Population of the Study.
There are 14 secondary schools in Enugu North Local Government Area, but only the senior students doing computer science in four (4) schools in the zone, constitute the population for this study. The total population of the schools studied is 240 students.
Chapter Four
Presentation and Data Analysis
This chapter is meant to present and analyze the data collected for the study.
Research Question 1
To what extent are computer system and accessories available in school?
Table 1
Availability of computer system and accessories.
Chapter Five
Discussion, Conclusions, Implications,
Recommendation, and Limitations of the Study.
This chapter presents the discussion of findings from the analyzed results, conclusions and implications of the study as well as the recommendations.
Discussion of Findings
The researcher aimed at investigating into the extent of availability of computer systems and accessories for teaching computer science in senior secondary schools. Its findings were in line with the observation of factors inhibiting the effective teaching and learning of computer science in Nigeria schools is the problem of inadequate instructional materials comprising essentially of computer hardware, software, laboratory and regular power supply. From the analysis of table 1, it was found that there was an appalling dearth of computer systems and accessories in the schools studied. Okeke (2009) like wise asserted that the requisites computer systems and accessories for computer education are only commonly obtainable in expensive private secondary schools. According to it, where the materials are available in public schools, there were either no power supply or complete accessories with which to put them to use. The results of the study was in agreement with the submission of Jegede and Owolabi (2003) that the dearth of appropriate instructional material for teaching and learning computer science, has largely influenced the choice of teaching methods adopted by the average computer science teacher, it was revealed in table 2 of this study that the lecture method was predominantly used for teaching computer science. Other teaching methods were found in the study to be scarcely used especially as they required the use of functional computer systems and accessories which were lacking in the schools. Data collected on the extent to which learners were exposed to practical packages were subjected to analysis and results confirmed that students were hardly exposed to practical packages such as Ms Excel, Ms Power Point, Corel Draw, Access etc. this findings corroborates the observation of Jegede and Owolabi (2003) that most product of secondary schools, having been taught computer science are in capable of skills on common application packages. It is the opinion of the research that this may be as a result of the unavailability of the computer system and accessories with which the packages were not go be taught. The teachers were constrained to teaching the theoretical contents of the subject, learning aside the practical, as there was usually no equipment for that purpose. The analysis on table of 4 sought to provide information on the extent to which the available computer systems and their accessories were maintained in the schools. The results of the analysis presented that the few available computer hardware and software were poorly maintained. In the schools were these are available, it was found that only monitors, keyboards an mouse were maintained. Thos findings was contrary to the opinion of Ogunsola (2006) that the hardware facilities were packed up, as soon as they break down, owing to the negligence of the school management towards releasing funds for regular and prompt maintenance and repair. This situation, according to Jegede and Owolabi (2003) will no doubt speed up the rate of depreciation of devices, there by possible leading to disuse.
Conclusion
Based in the Finding of this Study, the researcher therefore concludes that.
- The computer systems and accessories for teaching and learning computer science in schools are largely unavailable.
- The teachers of computer science are constrained to use of teacher centre methods following the unavailability of appropriate instructional materials which would have been used to promote learner centre methods.
- The extent to which students are exposed to practical computer packages in the schools is largely unsatisfactory and calls for improvement.
- The available computer systems and accessories for teaching computer science in the schools in the schools are poorly maintained.
Implication of the study.
The findings from the study reveal the prevailing problems which in small measure will affect the attainment of the objectives of the objectives of computer education. The implication of the study therefore includes in fact that:
- Teachers of computer science will be constrained to use the lecture and other teacher centre methods for teaching the subject in schools.
- Students will end up gaining only theoretical knowledge of the subject and having little or no knowledge of practical package.
- The lack of maintenance of available computer systems and accessories may results to depreciation and disuse of the devices.
Recommendations
Having considered the findings of the study, the researcher hereby recommends that both state and local government should provide and equip all the senior secondary schools in Enugu North Local Government Area with the following:
- Government should endeavor to increase the funding of education, especially science and technical education, considering the cost of procuring relevant equipment like computer systems and their accessories for effective teaching and learning of computer science to make the nation be at per with others.
- The teachers should be trained in the adoption and use of improvisation for teaching.
- The school management should devise measure to ensure the proper maintenance of available computer system and accessories in their school, since they cost much to procure and repair them.
- Teachers should liaise with the school management to adopt out source for needed devices especially for learning practical applications.
Limitations of the study.
The only challenge faced by the researcher was difficulty encountered in reaching the respondents especially during school hours.
Suggestions for further study.
In this study, the researcher investigated in the extent of availability of computer systems and their accessories for effective teaching and learning of computer science in senior secondary schools under Enugu North Local Government Area. She is suggesting that similar research should be carried out on ss1 students in other Local Government Area on the following:
- The cause of unavailability of computer systems and their accessories in secondary school.
- Ways of eliminating the unavailability of computer systems and their accessories in secondary schools.
Reference
- Adelabu, C.I. (2006) globalization and imperatives for changes in educational Policy making and implementation in Nigeria a paper presented by Dr. (Mrs.) Modupe adelabu, faculty of education ObafemI Awolowo
- University, Ille-ife, Osun state Nigeria at the 3rd vittachi international Conference on rethinking educational change 1st -5th July 2006, ifrane, Morocco. http.// encyclopedia 2 the fredictions.com/UNeSCO.
- Aneke I.C (2005) some concepts and application in information technology.
- Published by immaculate publication limited Enugu. Jedlicks K; Herrington, D.E. and Kristonic, W.A. (2008). The persistence of teacher Under utilization of computer technologies in the classroom. National Form of teacher education journal, vol. 18 No2.
- Jegede, P.O. and Owolabi J.A. (2003) computer education in Nigeria secondary School. Gaps between policy and practice, Meridian, a middle school Computer technologies journal a service of N.C state university, religion, N.C, volume 6, issue2, summer 2003, ISSN
