Determinants of ICT’s Influence on Literacy and Culture: a Case Study of Secondary Schools in Yola, Adamawa State, Nigeria
CHAPTER ONE
AIM AND OBJECTIVES
This research is aimed at discovering the cultural challenges impeding acceptance and the use of ICT by testing a framework for effective ICT integration into the classroom of Jimeta-Yola schools of Adamawa state.
The objectives are:
- To investigate how ICT tools can be adopted in the Secondary Schools in the Jimeta-Yola in Adamawa State.
- To examine the influence of culture on the acceptance and use of ICT in education by testing a framework that would enhance the acceptance and use of ICT within classrooms of the Secondary Schools in Jimeta-Yola of Adamawa State.
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
INTRODUCTION
The review of the literature is discussed in this section which consists of the related review of previous studies in Information Communications Technology (ICT) and culture. The theoretical and conceptual frameworks are also discussed in this chapter. The conceptual framework entails the ideas regarding the research and theories that are related to the study are also described in the theoretical framework. The area of focus in this study includes ICT in education, and culture. Hence, the conceptualization starts with Information and Communications Technology (ICT).
INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)
ICT has different definitions and thus can be interpreted in many ways; therefore different perceptions of ICT have been reviewed by scholars (Oyserman, Kemmelmeier, & Coon, 2002). ICT can be defined as a passing of information or communication via technologies that allows the sharing of information via telecommunications medium, an example of this medium could be the cell phones, wireless networks, and much more. The World Bank Klees (2002) sees ICT as “hardware, software, networks, and media collection, storage, processing, transmission, and presentation of information (voice, data, text, images).” Another definition of ICT is “understood as the technologies that help in gathering, manipulating, storing and circulating of information in so many ways in such a way that sound facilities are present.” Talking about these technologies, it encompasses computers, cell phones, geographical information services and radios. Player-Koro (2012) defined ICT as the blending of hardware and software, networks together with the medium of communication, partnership and engagement that aids in the process of managing and converting of data and knowledge. Krause, Pietzner, Dori, & Eilks (2017) categorized ICT into three parts which are; the use of computers; which includes information technology, networking technologies that handle the cell phones we use daily and the internet we use on it, and lastly, telecommunication technologies that deal with the broadcasting of radio and television.
In this study, ICT is defined as the collection, storage and dissemination of data and information via the use of educational application software by students and teachers in their teaching and learning activities within and outside the classroom.
THE NEED FOR ICT IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS
There is no doubt that ICT is altering the lifestyle of the present society such as in the education and day-to-day activities in the way that people interact with one another (Cukier & Mayer-Schoenberger, 2013a) . ICT has brought about the free flow of information and communication of knowledge to millions of people via its knowledge applications and this has generated new thoughts, choices, and opportunities. As a result, ICT has produced an information society or knowledge society as is referred to by some scholars. The South African Institute for Distance Education Kofi (2007) indicates that not all part of the world population has reached the digital level, there is what is called a ‘’digital divide’’ which means that some of the world population have not or very little access to ICT while some have full access to ICT. Therefore, the need for ICT within education can help close this digital divide/ gap.
Any nation that needs to progress and be productive needs to put more effort into its educational system in such a way that quality education is provided together with necessary resources that needs to support the ICT. By providing quality education, it will help to convey various skills as a tool that will enhance the productivity of the nation and this can be achieved by infusing ICT into the educational system. Hawkins (2002) states that a progression of skills in information reasoning is that in which the resources are consistent,
excellently accessed, recognized, understood, contextualized and clearly informed to colleagues. ICT in education has to be uniformly understood and the infrastructural devices readily available to be accessed at any time when needed. UNESCO (2002) states that any nation that desire to be effective in giving quality learning methods in schools needs to adopt ICT into its educational system. According to UNESCO (2002), all governments should aim to provide the most comprehensive education possible for their citizens within the constraints of available finance. Because of the essential position of ICT in modern societies, its introduction into education will be high on any political agenda.
CHAPTER THREE
METHODOLOGY
INTRODUCTION:
This study follows a quantitative research methodology guided by a primary analysis research design. The quantitative research method is the right approach for this study, this is because it entails and measures the attitudes, behaviours, opinions and other variables related to the targeted sample population of this research. Also, it strives to understand the problem statement of the research by looking at the perception of the sample population (Kickul & Neuman, 2000). Therefore, the aim is to know the extent of the impact of ICT on literacy education and culture. Quantitative research methodology is powerful when it comes to acquiring social and cultural information about the qualities, practices, opinions, behaviours and cultural settings of a specific population (Neuman, 2000).
RESEARCH DESIGN
Primary data is used in gathering data in this research. Primary data are data that are gathered directly from the source by the researcher (Marshall & Rossman, 1995). Subsequently, the research endeavoured to cover Jimeta-Yola metropolis making it appropriate for the author to make use of primary data in an effective way. The researcher has total control on who to participate in the research (Hox & Boeije, 2005).
This strategy for gathering data was utilized in light of the fact that it enabled the researcher to break down the impact of ICT on literacy education with reference to cultural barriers. Thus, making it visible to understand that ICT is of advantage in educational system with respect to culture.
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION
Demographic Information
This section of the work describes the data collected from the target population. The information helps the researcher to know details about the target population.
CHAPTER FIVE
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
Introduction
The summary of theoretical and practical implications will be discussed in this chapter and some recommendations for Secondary schools. The research limitation, contributions, and future research are as well discussed in this chapter.
Discussion
Technology in education is an activity that has been in existence for decades in developed countries. In order to breach the gap of acceptance of technology in the developing countries, certain barriers that are holding it needs to be addressed. So, this research focused on the cultural barriers hindering the acceptance of technology in secondary schools of Jimeta-Yola of Adamawa state, Nigeria. For technology acceptance to be successful in Jimeta-Yola, certain steps need to be followed; such as training and creating awareness for usefulness of this educational application software in teaching/learning activities, there is also need to create specific periods to teach the students on how to use the educational applications. Also, school authorities need to be cross checking on both teachers and students on how effective they carry out their teaching/learning activities in the schools. The study found that cultural barrier is one of the factors that affect the acceptance of technology. As the cultural barrier was discussed in the literature review as a weakness to the acceptance and adoption of technology in education. So, with such the UTAUT model was modified with an external factor to suit the context of the study which is the cultural barrier the quantitative findings clearly specify that cultural barriers had a negative influence on behavioural intention to accept technology into education.
Limitation of the Study
As any other research has its own limitations, so does this research. The time factor was an element that hindered the study as the time frame of gathering data and analysing the data was limited. If time was not an issue, the researcher would have used another method of analysing data in order to have reliable and accurate results, though the method used in the study is valid and reliable. Another limitation is that some teachers and students were not willing to participate in the filling of the questioner as they were not aware of the importance of the research. Another important limitation is that the research only studied one culture in Adamawa State, it would have been better if other cultures within the State are studied as well.
Further Recommendation
In order to tackle some of the limitations listed above, more studies and investigations need to be carried out in terms of validation and generalization especially towards the barriers hindering the acceptance of educational technologies into educational systems of developing countries. UTAUT model was tested in this study in order to fit into the context of the impact of literacy education and culture in Adamawa State. UTAUT model can be used as a guide and frame of reference for additional investigation by challenging the model using several contexts and States within Nigeria. Some of the elements that need to be addressed could be security, language and religious influences, peer pressure and social influences.
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