Utilization of Internet Resources for Research by Postgraduate Business Education Students
Chapter One
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The main objective of this study is to examine the utilization of Internet resources for research by postgraduate business education students. Other objectives of this study are to:
- Determine the extent to which postgraduate business education students are connected with internet resources.
- Determine the extent to which Postgraduate students in Business Education have access to internet resources
- Examine some of the challenges faced by postgraduate business education students in the utilization of Internet resources for research.
- Examine strategies that could enhance the effective utilization of the resources by postgraduate business education students.
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
INTRODUCTION
Our focus in this chapter is to critically examine relevant literature that would assist in explaining the research problem and furthermore recognize the efforts of scholars who had previously contributed immensely to similar research. The chapter intends to deepen the understanding of the study and close the perceived gaps.
Precisely, the chapter will be considered in three sub-headings:
- Conceptual Framework
- Theoretical Framework
- Empirical Review
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
Concept of Education
National Policy on Education (1979), given in Animn & Olusola (2016), defines education as the process of acquiring knowledge or learning. In addition to being a tool for personal development, education is the most effective weapon against poverty and a fundamental human right to which we are all entitled. It offers individuals the opportunity to improve their health, boost their productivity, and contribute to the promotion of civil society involvement. According to Animn and Olusola (2016), education is a process that contributes to the preservation of the world and our society, as well as the promotion of the essential development and growth for human survival and progress. In addition, individuals are educated and taught to meet the complex difficulties of living successfully for themselves and their families, as well as to make substantial contributions to the improvement and development of society as a whole. Therefore, the educational process has been characterized as the purposeful transfer of something desirable or desirable in a morally acceptable manner. It is a person’s physical, mental, moral, and spiritual development as a whole (Animn & Olusola 2016).
In essence, it implies that education should be structured to aid individuals in reaching holistic growth through participation in social activities, and that there should be a leader capable of guiding such education in a way that results in a person’s whole development. Education is a tool for national development, the most effective weapon against poverty, and a fundamental human right to which we are all legally obligated to adhere. It offers individuals the opportunity to improve their health, boost their productivity, and contribute to the growth of civic society. Education is a process that contributes to the preservation of the world and our society, as well as the promotion of the required development and growth for human survival and progress.
Education, according to Okeke (2015b), is the process of imparting information to an inexperienced individual in order to aid in his or her development in physical, cognitive, social, emotional, spiritual, political, economic, and other aspects. Consequently, Vice-Chancellors can be heard saying the following during commencement ceremonies to graduates of their institutions: “you have been deemed worthy in character and learning…” Specifically, it indicates that the individual has acquired adequate and appropriate knowledge, skills, and values (also known as cognitive, psychomotor, and emotional behaviors) in order to function properly as a member of the living society. Individuals enrolling in educational institutions are instructed on how to do these acts.
There are essentially two sorts of schooling. Education, both official and casual. Etymologically, according to Ocho (2005), referenced in Apagu & Simon (2017), formal education is the planned and systematic training delivered at an educational institution. The project or program has been methodically organized, planned, and implemented. In informal education, there is no fixed curriculum, and instruction occurs inadvertently and ad hoc. Education is the transformation of individuals into productive members of their respective society. Throughout this process, the adolescent acquires knowledge and becomes aware of her own skills, which she subsequently exploits for self-actualization and to serve others as well as herself. It acts as a means of preserving, sharing, and enriching a society’s cultural legacy. In every culture, education is connected with the acquisition of something important and good. As one of their fundamental rights, individuals have the right to get an education. Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, approved by the General Assembly of the United Nations in December 1949, states:
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
INTRODUCTION
In this chapter, we described the research procedure for this study. A research methodology is a research process adopted or employed to systematically and scientifically present the results of a study to the research audience viz. a vis, the study beneficiaries.
RESEARCH DESIGN
Research designs are perceived to be an overall strategy adopted by the researcher whereby different components of the study are integrated in a logical manner to effectively address a research problem. In this study, the researcher employed the survey research design. This is due to the nature of the study whereby the opinion and views of people are sampled. According to Singleton & Straits, (2009), Survey research can use quantitative research strategies (e.g., using questionnaires with numerically rated items), qualitative research strategies (e.g., using open-ended questions), or both strategies (i.e., mixed methods). As it is often used to describe and explore human behaviour, surveys are therefore frequently used in social and psychological research.
POPULATION OF THE STUDY
According to Udoyen (2019), a study population is a group of elements or individuals as the case may be, who share similar characteristics. These similar features can include location, gender, age, sex or specific interest. The emphasis on study population is that it constitute of individuals or elements that are homogeneous in description.
This study was carried out to examine the utilization of internet resources for research by postgraduate business education students. Selected postgraduate business education students in South-East and South-South Nigeria will form the population of the study.
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
INTRODUCTION
This chapter presents the analysis of data derived through the questionnaire and key informant interview administered on the respondents in the study area. The analysis and interpretation were derived from the findings of the study. The data analysis depicts the simple frequency and percentage of the respondents as well as interpretation of the information gathered. A total of two hundred and sixty one (261) questionnaires were received from respondents of which 260 were validated.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
SUMMARY
In this study, our focus was to investigate the utilization of internet resources for research by postgraduate business education students. The study specifically was aimed at determining the extent to which postgraduate business education students is connected with internet resources, determining the extent to which Postgraduate students in Business Education have access to internet resources, examining some of the challenges faced by postgraduate business education students in the utilization of Internet resources for research and examining strategies that could enhance the effective utilization of the resources by postgraduate business education students. This study was anchored on the connectivity theory.
The study adopted the survey research design and conveniently enrolled participants in the study. A total of 436 responses were received and validated from the enrolled participants where all respondents are drawn from Postgraduate students in Business Education in South-East and South-South Nigeria.
CONCLUSION
Based on the finding of this study, the following conclusions were made:
- The extent postgraduate business education students are connected with internet resources is very high.
- The extent Postgraduate students in Business Education have access to internet resources is very high.
- Some of the challenges faced by postgraduate business education students n the utilization of Internet resources for research include:
- Non-availability of various Internet resources,
- Issues surrounding research process and activities
- Improper guidance for research process and activities and
- Lack of provision of fund for cost/power supply among others
- The strategies that could enhance the effective utilization of the resources by postgraduate business education students include:
- Provision of Internet ready computers in the Business education units in the universities that offer business education programme,
- Improvement/steady power supply to power the Internet enabled devices among others and,
- Easy accessibility of internet resources to postgraduate business education students.
RECOMMENDATIONS
In the light of the findings and conclusions, the following recommendations are hereby proposed:
- There should be consistent orientation and re-orientation of the students with regard to research writing.
- Internet resources should be made adequately available and accessible in all the universities in Nigeria which can be achieved through collaborative efforts of the university authorities, government and non-governmental organizations.
- Universities that offer business education programmes through collaborative efforts with Network providers regularly organize seminar, workshops and training for business education students on the utilization of Internet resources for research.
- Companies that produce and/or import the necessary Internet enabled-electronic devices should be encouraged to establish in Nigeria so that the cost of incurring or purchasing these devices will be reduced.
REFERENCES
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