Assessment of the Methods of Teaching Computer Studies and Its Impact on the Academic Performance of Secondary School Students in Awgu Local Government Area of Enugu State
Chapter One
Purpose of the Study
The major purpose of the study is an Assessment of the methods of teaching computer studies and it’s impact on the academic performance of secondary school students. The study specifically sought to determine:
- the funding strategies for improving the teaching of computer studies in secondary school in Awgu local government area of Enugu State.
- the strategies for improving the availability and quality of instructional facilitiesrequired for the teaching of computer studies in secondary school in Awgu local government area of Enugu State.
- the strategies for improving teaching methodology required for the teaching of computer studies in secondary school in Awgu local government area of Enugu State.
- the strategies for improving the availability and quality of human resources required for the teaching of computer studies in Awgu local government area of Enugu State.
CHAPTER II
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
The review of literature of this study was organized under the following sub- headings:
- Conceptual Framework
- Theoretical Framework
- Related Empirical Studies
Conceptual Framework
Like every institution, secondary education is faced with the challenges of delivering educational services in the growing digital competitive world. We are in an era of globalization where the free flow of information is made possible through the use of the internet and satellite. It becomes imperative that a developing country like Nigeria should join the bandwagon of digitalization by improving Computer studies in secondary schools. To achieve this objective, the Federal Government decided to introduce Computer studies into the nation’s secondary school system by setting up a committee on Computer studies. According to Philip and Josiah (2003), the functions of the committee on Computer studies includes planning for a dynamic policy on Computer studies and literacy in Nigeria as well as devising clear strategies and terminologies to be used by the Federal and State Governments introducing Computer studies. The general objectives of the policy therefore include, bring about a computer literate society in Nigeria by the mid-1990s and enable present school children to appreciate and use the computer in various aspects of life and in future employment (Philip and Josiah, 2003).
According to Philip and Josiah, other objectives include ensuring that the general populace appreciates the impact of information and computer technology on today’s society, the importance of its effective use, and the technologies that process, manage, and communicate the information. Lastly is to ensure that the people of Nigeria know how to use and program computers, develop software packages, understand the structure and operation of computers and their history, and to appreciate the economic, social and psychological impact of the computer. According to them, the modalities and the strategies for achieving the stated objectives includes, training teachers and associated personnel, procurement of hardware facilities, curriculum development, software developments and evaluation as well as maintenance of hardware and peripherals (Philip and Josiah, 2003).
It is therefore necessary to note that creative and adaptable strategies are needed to upset the likely risk of not achieving these stated objectives. A strategy is therefore defined as a framework of decision which provides basis for more detail planning. Every strategy must be realistic and attainable. Just like the above mentioned strategies: are they realistic and attainable, what are obstacles to it attainment. The improvement of computer studies must be matched with adequate funding, instructional facilities, appropriate teaching methodology and human resources required for teaching and learning of computer studies.
Adequate funding is expedient for ensuring proper improvement of computer studies at primary and post primary school in Nigeria. According to Ayogu (2003), computer study is costly. Many strategies have to be put in place to finance computer studies. Ayogu however emphasized that such strategies for raising fund for computer studies could come from government, private sectors, community and or endowments. The world is growing so complicated in science and technology that we need to buckle up to the challenges in this digital age he concluded.
Without adequate instructional facility like the computer, meaningful learning cannot take place. No one can be computer literate without operating the computer (Ayogu, 2008). The computer can be applied for instruction in two distinct ways namely: Computer Assisted Instruction (CAI) and Computer Managed Instruction (CMI) (Obineli, 2008). According to Nworgu (2008), CAI is a program of instruction or package presented as computer software for instructional purpose. He further stated that the use of CAI has been found to make teaching and learning efficient, most effective, easier and less cumbersome since it present concepts in such organized manner that makes for greater clarity and easier understanding. On the other hand, Nworgu states that CMI is a program of instruction where the computer records the learners experience and interests.
According to Obineli (2008) the computer takes the place of the guidance counselor in CAI while in CMI; the guidance counselor manages the teaching learning process with the aid of the computer.
Computer Studies in Secondary School
The need for computer studies in secondary schools is enormous. The world is a global village, information dissemination is done in seconds, and offices are tuning into a paper-less office (Edhuze, 2003). All these could be attributed to digitalization, which is facilitated by information and communication technology devices such as computer, internet, fax, global system of mass communication (GSM) or mobile phone and satellites (Usoroh, 2008). This digitalization can only be made useful when a society is computer literate and the changes of becoming a computer literate society is through Computer studies taught mainly in secondary schools. This is a major challenge to schools, because it is their responsibility to graduate students who can fit into the information age. It can therefore be said that computer literacy is needed in a society like ours if we want to be part of this global consumer of ICT.
In a move to help Nigerians overcome backwardness in computer and digital know-how, many spirited Nigerians has mapped out strategies for helping its citizens become computer literate. Such bold steps will help close the narrow gap between Nigeria and developed countries. Inline with this, he further noted that, computer literacy and IT knowledge offers room for self employment since a trained computer literate person could end up operating a business center become a programmer or even a tele- engineer. For those that are going into business, it can also aid them in the area of speed, data keeping, accuracy and information processing. Today, one of the fundamental demands in many established interviews for job seeker is computer literacy skill. Many people have failed to secure jobs which they are qualified for only for lack of knowledge and skills in computer operations (Ayogu, 2008).
CHAPTER III
METHODOLOGY
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This chapter presents the procedure adopted for this study under the following sub-headings;
Design of the Study
This study adopted a survey research design. A survey research design according to Osuala (2001) centers on individual and their opinion, belief, motivation and behavior. The design was considered suitable since the study will solicit information from principals, vice principals and teachers in secondary schools in Egor Local Government Area in Edo State where computer studies is taught.
Population for the Study
The population for the study comprise of 282 respondents which includes 118 principals, 118 vice principals and 46 computer studies teachers from the one hundred and eighteen secondary schools in Awgu local government area of Enugu State .
CHAPTER IV
PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF DATA
This chapter presents the result of the data analysis for the study. The presentations were organized according to the research questions and null hypotheses formulated to guide the study.
CHAPTER V
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
This chapter presents the summaries of the statement of the problem procedures adopted in conducting the study and major findings of the study. Also presented in the chapter are conclusion, recommendations based on the findings of the study, implications of the findings and suggestions for further studies.
Summary of Findings
Based on the data collected and analyzed, the following major findings of the study on THE Assessment of the methods of teaching computer studies and it’s impact on the academic performance of secondary school students in Awgu local government area of Enugu State are:
- Ten strategies on the ways for improving the funding of computer studies were instrong agreement with the opinions of the respondents (principals, vice principal and teachers). This was with means ranging from 19 – 4.24.
- A total of 10 items were considered as what should be the strategies for improvingthe availability and quality of instructional facilities required for the teaching of computer studies in secondary schools in Awgu local government area of Enugu State. They were in agreement with the opinions of the respondents with means ranging 89 – 4.14.
- Allthe 15 items on the strategies for improving the teaching methodologies required for the teaching of computer studies were agreed to as important by the respondents with means ranging from 98 – 4.28.
- All the eight items on improving the availability and quality of human resourcesrequired for the teaching of computer studies were agreed to by the respondents as important with means ranging from 15 – 4.25.
- Therewas no significant difference in the mean ratings of principals, vice- principals and teachers on the strategies for improving the funding strategies required for the teaching of computer
- Therewas no significant difference in the mean ratings of principals, vice- principals and teachers on the strategies for improving the availability and quality of instructional facilities required for the teaching of computer
- Therewas no significant difference in the mean ratings of principals, vice- principals and teachers on the strategies for improving the teaching methodologies required for the teaching of computer
- Thereis no significant difference in the mean response of principals, vice- principals and teachers on the strategies for improving the availability and quality of human resources required for the teaching of computer studies in secondary schools in Edo
Conclusion
The study concludes that there are some basic strategies that could be adopted in order to improve the teaching of computer studies in secondary schools in Awgu local government area of Enugu State. The study is of the view that computer studies should provide sound basis for further training in computer science at the tertiary level of education thus should be relied upon to enable students acquire the basic skills and knowledge needed to either secure a job and earn a living or to pursue further studies in the area computer and information science.
Evidence from the study also revealed that funding strategies for computer studies could be used in improving the teaching of computer studies in secondary schools. It is also found that strategies for improving the availability and supply of instructional facilities as well as teaching methodologies strategies could be used to enhance the teaching of computer studies in secondary schools. It is evident in the study that when students are adequately trained under an improved learning environment where instructional facilities are provided and qualified teachers engaged for the services of teaching and learning applying by proper teaching techniques there is no doubt that the performance of students in computer studies will improve considerably, and as such they are bound to develop a remarkable interest in computer studies and develop the necessary skills required to secure and succeed in the workplace.
Recommendations
The following recommendations were made based on the findings of the study and the implications of the study:
- School administrators (Education Secretaries and Principals) should ensure thatcomputer teachers are sponsored on retraining programmes at least twice a year through workshops, seminars and conferences to enable them learn the modern technological skills in their chosen field of
- Theschool administrators should as a matter of urgency liase with private sectors to provide computers and other instructional materials needed for teaching of computer
- Parents through the PTA and other major stakeholders of our education shouldassists our secondary schools by donating instructional facilities like laptons, desktop computers, multimedia, generating sets, internet etc to enable students practice and acquire the skills of
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