Utilization of Media Resources for Instructions in Adult Literacy Centres in Abia State, Nigeria

Utilization of Media Resources for Instructions in Adult Literacy Centres in Abia State, Nigeria

CHAPTER ONE

Purpose of the Study

The general purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which media resources are utilized in adult literacy centres in Abia State. Specifically, the study sought to:

identify media resources that are available in adult literacy centers for instructional purposes in Abia State;
find out the extent to which media resources are utilized in teaching and learning in adult literacy centres in Abia State;
find out the extent to which gender determines adult literacy instructors’ utilization of media resources in teaching and learning in adult literacy centres in Abia State;
ascertain the extent to which teaching experience determines adult literacy instructors’ utilization of media resources in teaching and learning in adult literacy centres in Abia State;
ascertain the problems affecting utilization of media resources for instructions in adult literacy centres in Abia State; and
identify the solutions to the problems affecting utilization of media resources for instructional purposes

CHAPTER TWO

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

Literature review for this study is organized under the following sub-headings:

Conceptual Framework

Media Resources Instructional Media
Utilization of Instructional Media Adult Education
Adult Literacy

Theoretical Framework

Media Theory (Normative) Theory of Instruction Resource-Based Theory

Review of Related Empirical Studies

Studies on Available Resources for Instruction in Adult Literacy Centres.
Studies on the Extent of Utilizaton of Available Resources for Instruction in Adult Literacy Centres
Studies on the Extent to which Gender Determines the Utilization of Media Resources in Adult Literacy Centres
Studies on Extent to which Teaching Experience Determines Adult Literacy Instructors’ Utilization of Media Resources
Studies on Problems Affecting Utilization of Instructional Media in Adult Literacy Centres

Summary of Literature Review

Conceptual Framework Media Resources

The concept media has been defined in various ways. Nwoji (2002) defines it as audiovisual materials of any type which help in the achievement of specified instructional objectives. Similarly, Ezeano (2013) perceive media as information carriers which are usually employed or utilized for instructional purposes. In a related sense, Amedzro (2005) contends that the concept of media suggests the use of mass media in the promotion of non-formal education especially for purposes of public sensitization, information and mobilization. The media in this sense include community newspapers, pamphlets, books, magazines, radio/television programmes, films and postal services, etc. However, for reasons of clarity, media resources are perceived in this study as means of facilitating instruction or for the promotion of knowledge and acquisition of skills and values. Media therefore serve as channels of instructional communication.

CHAPTER THREE

RESEARCH METHOD

This chapter presents the procedures to be employed in the study. It is organized under the following sub-headings: design of the study, area of the study, population of the study, sample and sampling technique, instruments for data collection, validation of the instruments, reliability of the instruments, procedure for data collection and method of data analysis respectively.

Design of the Study

The design adopted for this study was descriptive survey research design. A descriptive design describes the status of exiting phenomena based on certain representative generalizable sample of respondents (Nworgu, 2006). This design was deemed suitable for this study because information sought was from the respondents, such as adult literacy instructors and adult learners spread across Abia State as far as utilization of media resources for instructional purposes was concerned.

Area of the Study

The area of study was Abia State. Abia State is one of the five states in South East geopolitical zone of Nigeria. It is predominantly inhabited by the Igbo people who speak the Igbo language. The state was created on 27^th August 1991 from the old Imo state. It is located on longitude 5˚25˝N and latitude 7˚30˝E. It occupies the total land area of 6,320km² (2,440 square metres). Its population is 2,833,999 based on the 2006 census (National Population Commission, 2006). There are 17 Local Government Areas in Abia State namely, Aba North, Aba South, Arochukwu, Bende, Ikwuano, Isiala Ngwa North, Isiala Ngwa South, Isiukwuato, Obi Ngwa, Ohafia, Osisioma Ngwa, Ugwunagbo, Ukwa East, Ukwa West, Umuahia North, Umuahia South, Umunneochi receptively.

CHAPTER FOUR

DATA ANALYSIS AND PRESENTATION OF RESULTS

This chapter dealt with the data analysis and presentation of results based on the research questions and hypotheses that guided the study. The summary of the results are presented in tables below.

Research Question one:

What are the media resources available for instruction in adult literacy centres in Abia State?

CHAPTER FIVE

DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSION, RECOMMENDATIONS AND SUMMARY

This chapter presents the discussion of results, conclusion, educational implications, recommendation(s), limitation(s) to the study, suggestions for further studies and finally, the summary of the study.

Discussion of Findings

Findings of the study are discussed under the following sub-headings;

Media resources available in adult literacy centres for instructional purposes in Abia State

The findings of the study showed that available media resources for instruction in adult literacy centres in Abia State include mainly the routine or conventional ones such as pictures, posters, primers, alphabets/letters, textbooks/modules, radio sets/programmes, graphs, chalkboards, maps and atlases, globes, specimens, charts, chalks, radio programmes, pamphlets and newspapers. However, the ICT related media resources such as television, overhead projector, computers, internet connectivity, video recorders, electronic boards, telephones, CD-ROMs and CD players etc in the 21^st century are mostly not available. These findings were naturally unexpected because investment in instructional media provision especially by government and donor agencies has been largely on routine or traditional media which are cheaper to procure and used by illiterate adult learners mostly in rural areas. These findings are in line with Ibrahim (2011) who found that good and relevant textbooks were some of the instructional materials available to enhance students’ academic performance in agricultural science. Inconsistent with the findings of this study is that of Obi (2006) who submits that basic instructional materials for teaching agricultural science in Secondary Schools were not available. Accordingly, Orem (2006) found that prescribed instructional materials were hardly available for use by teachers who also fail to improvise in the absence of these materials. In the same vein, Ojiba (2002) found that there were few available instructional materials for effective teaching of business subjects. The findings of this study therefore suggest that while the traditional media resources for instructional purposes are available, ICT related media resources are still inadequate. Thus, it is necessary that efforts should be geared towards providing the modern ICT related instructional/media resources for teaching in adult literacy centres for improved adult literacy campaigns based on best global practices

The extent media resources are utilized for instructional purposes in adult literacy centres in Abia State

The findings of the study revealed that media resources are utilized to a low extent for instructional purposes in adult literacy centres in Abia State. It also established that there was no significant difference between the mean ratings of adult literacy instructors and adult learners on the extent media resources are utilized for instructional purposes in Abia State. The implication of this finding is that both adult literacy instructors and adult learners have almost the same opinion on the extent of utilization of media resources for instructional purposes in Abia State. Supporting the findings of this study.

The solutions to the problems affecting utilization of media resources for instructional purposes

The findings of the study showed that the perceived solutions or remedies to the problems affecting the use of media resources by adult literacy instructors and adult learners include adequate government funding of adult literacy campaign, donor agencies and bodies should be encouraged to invest more on instructional media provision, there should be effective maintenance of available instructional media, available media resources should be easily accessed by instructors, effective supervision to be encouraged to enable instructors teach with relevant instructional media and periodic orientation in form of training, workshop, symposia should be organized for facilitators on the use of media resources.

Conclusion

The study was conducted to determine the extent of utilization of media resources for instructions in adult literacy centres in Abia State, Nigeria. The study was largely predicated on the existing pedagogical and theoretical assumptions that availability of media resources in adult literacy centres in Abia State could empirically determine utilization by adult literacy instructors and learners. It was also assumed that gender and teaching experiences of adult literacy instructors could determine utilization of instructional media for instructional purposes. Similarly, it was envisaged that some common problems viewed by both adult literacy instructors and adult learners could affect utilization of media resources for instructional purposes in adult literacy centres in Abia State.

Recommendations

Based on the findings of the study the following recommendations are made:

Governments through the relevant ministry of education should provide all the needed media resources (mostly ICT facilities that were found in this study to be seriously inadequate) to guarantee optimum utilization towards effective instructional delivery in adult literacy centres for the realization of the objectives of establishing adult literacy centres in Abia State, Nigeria. This is because nobody can think of utilization of media resources without first of all making them available.
All the adult literacy instructors should endeavour to utilize the available media resources for instructional purposes in adult literacy centres in Abia State for a meaningful effect. This would make instructional delivery in the adult literacy centres real and concrete towards the realization of the objectives of adult educationin Nigeria.
The relevant ministry of education dealing with adult literacy should embark on periodic inspection of adult literacy centres in Abia state to ensure that all the requisite media resources for instruction in the 21^stcentury are provided and utilized for effective instructional delivery. When this is done, the rate at which media resources are utilized for instructional purposes would be enhanced

Limitations of the Study

Adult literacy instructors’ response to items on utilization of media resources could be faked for want of protecting their jobs. Thus, most of the responses on the utilization of media resources for instructional purposes could be affected by adult literacy instructors’ fear of losing their jobs. However, the adult learners’ responses to items on extent of utilization of media resources moderated the situation towards having reliable data for analysis. However, the limitations did not invalidate the result of the study as it has contributed to knowledge in education.

Suggestion for Further Research

Based on the findings, recommendations and limitations of this study, the researcher suggested areas that would need further studies;

Studies should be carried out on utilization of media resources for instructions in adult literacy centres in South east Nigeria for
Studies should be conducted on influence of gender on utilization of media resources for instructional purposes in adult literacy centres in Abia
Studies should be conducted on influence of teaching experience on utilization of media resources for instructional purposes in adult literacy centres in Imo
A study should be carried out on influence of school location on utilization of media resources for instructional purposes in adult literacy centres in Anambra State.

Summary of the Study

This study examined utilization of media resources for instructions in adult literacy centres in Abia State, Nigeria. In carrying out the study, six specific purposes, six research questions and five null hypotheses guided the study. Literature was reviewed based on four sub-headings such as the conceptual framework, theoretical framework, and review of empirical studies. The gaps in the reviewed empirical studies showed that there was a need to carry out a study on utilization of media resources for instructions in adult literacy centres in Abia State, Nigeria.

REFERENCES

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