Educational Technology; An Enhancement Tool for Teaching and Learning
Chapter One
OBJECTIVES OF STUDY
The focus of this study is to uncover policy measures that are relevant for technology implementation in Nigeria’s higher education and how this is followed up in practical implementation at the selected case institution of the Faculty of Education, In Nigeria. To approach this overarching goal, the following study aims are presented to guide the study:
- To identify the implementation of Educational technology policies in schools, In Nigeria and
- To identify the challenges faced in the implementation of educational technology in schools.
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW AND THORETICAL FRAMEWORK
This chapter is concerned with review of literature relevant to the current study. Anderson and Arsenault (1998) state that for a successful research it is necessary to gather knowledge based on previous studies, which provides a researcher a guide to the right way. So, reviewing the existing literature in order to acquaint ourselves with the available body of knowledge relevant to the area of interest is one of the preliminary tasks while carrying out a research (Kumar, 2005).
Further, Bryman (2016) asserts “the aim of the literature review is to establish what is already known about the topic and to frame the review in such a way that it can act as a background and justification for your investigation” (p. 90). Therefore, the review of the literature is an essential step in the process and makes a valuable contribution to almost every operational step of carrying out a research (Anderson & Arsenault, 1998; Kumar, 2005).
Technology and education
Research on technology use has broadly documented educational technology have brought changes in a range of sectors with extensive impact on contemporary society, and fundamentally changing the way that we communicate, work, and entertain. Education is no exception, where educational technology applications have been used extensively over the years (Karagiannidis, Politis, & Karasavvidis, 2014). It is therefore argued that the university education has changed in such a way that there is growing pressure on the teachers to adopt new technology requiring them to undergo new orientation and training (Khaniya, 2007). Thus, the use of educational technology is essential for enhancing both teaching and learning activities in higher education. This is because with technology, teachers can help to enhance classroom teaching and learning. They can use educational technologyor technologies and provide students with structure and advice, monitor students’ progress, and assess their achievements. Students, on the other hand can be provided new opportunities in working together in teams or groups and using technology to search for information (Kozma, 2003).
Here, technology as an innovation can be an idea, practice, or object that is perceived as relatively new and helps individuals to form a network. Therefore, technologies having characteristics to communicate can enhance students and teachers in teaching and learning activities in higher education setting (Rogers, 2003).
With the rapid advancement of computers, digital learning materials offer additional affordances over traditional print materials that can significantly improve the quality of education (Karagiannidis et al., 2014) as digital technologies can facilitate learning through interaction, construction, discussion and collaboration (Laurillard, 2010). As a result, initiatives around the world from ministries, educational organizations, companies, etc., emerged and digital learning resources and educational software were developed (Karagiannidis et al., 2014). Therefore, innovations or technologies can mediate activities of teaching and learning. The question is although, how higher education approaches these technologies and what experiences we can draw from these approaches in practice.
We further go in details in the below sub sections which deal with findings of empirical studies, carried out in different contexts.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
This part deals with the overall methodological framework. It consists of research design, research methods along with data collection and data analysis procedures followed by the discussion of the validity and reliability of the study. Finally, the chapter presents the ethical issues and limitation of the study.
Qualitative research design
Qualitative research is concerned with “understanding how people interpret their experiences, how they construct their world, and what meaning they attribute to their experiences” (Merriam, 2009, p. 5). So, the present study adopted a qualitative research design and methods to interpret and explain what challenges are being faced to implement educational technologies in teaching and learning activities at FoE, In nigeria.
Qualitative research, according to Anderson and Arsenault (1998), is a kind of inquiry exploring phenomena in their natural settings. It uses multi-methods to interpret, understand and explain them. It is, therefore, “understanding experience as nearly as its participants feel it or live it” (Sherman & Webb, 1990, p. 7). In qualitative research, researchers believe that “there are multiple realities represented in participant perspectives, and that the context is crucial in providing an understanding of the phenomenon being investigated” (McMillan, 2008, p. 271). A qualitative research tries to reveal the meaning embedded in people’s experiences. However, the meaning is explained through the investigator’s own perception (Merriam, 1998).
For Sherman and Webb (1990) a qualitative research is directly concerned with experience as it is ‘lived’ or ‘felt’ or ‘undergone’ (p. 7). Therefore, qualitative research depends on the views of participants in the study (Creswell, 2012). Hence, this study, due to the nature of the problem and the research questions, employed a qualitative approach to investigate the case with the detailed and intensive study of perspectives and experiences of those people involving in teaching and learning activities with respect to educational technology.
Case study
According to Yin (2014), a case study is an investigation of a contemporary phenomenon in depth and within its real-world context, and its purpose is to collect detailed, systematic, and in-depth information about the case of interest Patton (2002). Moreover, “it is important in case studies for events and situations to be allowed to speak for themselves, rather than to be largely interpreted, evaluated or judged by the researcher” (Cohen, Manion, & Morrison, 2007, p. 254).
In case study, multiple methods are used for data collection. The researcher concentrates on a single phenomenon or case, and describes and explains it on the basis of the data (Merriam, 1998). It is a holistic research approach that uses several sources of evidence to study or evaluate a specific phenomenon or instance (Anderson & Arsenault, 1998). Case study research design is employed when researchers are interested in insight, discovery and interpretation rather than hypothesis testing (Merriam, 1998) so it is in fact an interpretation of a case or entity in a natural context, defined and characterized by its time and place (Cronbach, 1975; McMillan, 2008).
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
This chapter deals with an analysis and presentation of the data on the basis of documents and interviews with a leader, a teacher and four students. Firstly, it presents an analysis and main findings from the documents related to policies and strategies in technology use in higher education in Nigeria and how this relates to priorities in schools, . Secondly, it describes the institutional context, policy documents and infrastructures along with the discussion of findings based on the document analysis of institutional strategies and observation of physical environment. Thirdly, it describes potential and practical implementation from teacher and student perspectives. Finally, it analyses the contradeducational technologyory features that seem to emerge based on CHAT perspectives. This is followed by the summary of findings related to the research questions of this study.
CHAPTER FIVE
RECOMMENDATION AND CONCLUSION
This final chapter presents an overall concluding remarks drawn from the findings of the study. Further, based on the findings of the current study, it presents recommendations for researchers, policy makers, educationists, etc., who directly or indirectly involve in teaching and learning activities.
Conclusion
The findings of this study show developing countries like Nigeria are facing many challenges in technology adoption.
In the empirical case of FoE, which is a leading faculty in terms of students and staff in the field of teacher education throughout the country (, 2014), lacks typical shortcomings in its own strategic plans on effective management and enhancement for improving the quality of the whole teaching and learning system. Also, the physical infrastructure is unsupportive for technology use. Therefore, one reason behind this is the lack of well-crafted plans and policy documents at the institutional level in line with the Proposed Higher Education Policy-2014 and EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY Policy-2015.
Various research regarding these issues prove that technology can benefit both teaching and learning activities when used in the right way, enriching the learning environment with tools that extend the possibilities of communication between teachers and learners and the world (Ferreira et al., 2014). Thus, technology use should be prioritized especially in developing countries. But technology use in Nigeriaese higher education is not highly prioritized despite direction and encouragement for the integration of EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGYs in higher education (Ministry of Information and Communication, 2015; University Grants Commission, 2014). Awareness of typical pitfalls in developing countries seem here to be overlooked in both political and institutional respects.
Despite the lack of supportive physical environment equipped and advanced with technology, few technologies are used to enhance teachers and learners in their teaching and learning.
More importantly, teachers and students in the whole perceive technology as a useful tool which can create interactive learning environment providing them with an opportunity of sharing messages, views, ideas, learning resources, etc. It is therefore clear that attitudes regarding technology use are positive, which paves an important ground for further reform efforts. Nevertheless, few teachers seem unmotivated to blend technology in teaching and learning processes, which as a result, affects successful implementation of EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY (Khan et al., 2012).
But, in order to overcome the main shortcomings identified in this study, solid plans and evaluation strategies on technology use and implementation are clearly required.
Recommendations
The current study shows that the institution i.e. FoE has no policy and strategic documents holding the institution accountable. It is therefore, strongly recommended that the institution must start formulating a policy document in line with higher education policies and EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY policies following up the incentives given by the ministries. Similarly, it is recommended that the evaluation of implemented technology should be carried out on a regular basis so that its effectiveness can be identified, which ultimately can also provide an opportunity for leaders and teachers to learn from their experiences and make informed decisions on how the institution should go further with strategies in practical work.
The potential of technology use at the institution is also limited due to unsupportive physical infrastructure identified during the observations. The institution lacks classrooms equipped with technological equipment. It is thus necessary that the institution needs to initiate developing a more supportive infrastructure. More specifically, classrooms should be smartened with necessary technologies, and technological equipment should be made available for teachers and students. This could technologically enrich classrooms to offer students new instructional and learning experiences, and promote a more interactive teaching and learning environment (Earle, 2002).
This study also revealed that students mostly use smart mobile phones in their learning. For example, mobile phones provide students with the facility of sharing messages, views and solutions on a particular subject matter. Therefore, mobile phone technology emerges as a beneficial tool to enhance learning and teaching environment. This technology could be used more systematically to provide students and teachers with the opportunity to access to information and engage interactively (Abachi & Muhammad, 2014). Hence, it is suggested that mobile technologies should be further explored for other possibilities to digitize the educational setting. The potential in these efforts is especially interesting since the technology is cheap, easily available and can draw on an existing and more well-functioning infrastructure.
Since the study revealed that teacher’s attitudes towards technology use is positive, this use on mobile technology appears as realistic regarding motivation. However, few teachers are not motivated. In this regard, Tarus, Gichoya, and Muumbo (2015) claim that lack of interest of the teaching staff to use technology in teaching poses a challenge hindering the implementation of e-learning. Therefore, it is necessary to identify possible factors demotivating them in using technology also in the future to enhance teaching and learning in this matter.
Similarly, the study revealed students’ involvement in technology use in their learning is less focused. It is therefore important to train students to use EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGYs to support them in learning.
Finally, it is implied that more research on technology use in Nigeriaese higher education context from neutral parties rather than from those who are directly or indirectly connected with should be carried out so that there will be less chances of having biasness and influence in the findings of the study with regard to the situation of technology use at the university (Kirkwood, 2015). Documenting the features identified in the case-study in this study hopefully represents a possible step in the right direction both regarding the Faculty of Education, but also for the higher education sector as such in Nigeria.
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