impact of continuing professional development (cpd) of teachers in information and communication...
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MSc ThesisTRANSCRIPT
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TITLE PAGE
ATTITUDE OF SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS ON THE IMPACT OF
CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT (CPD) OF TEACHERS
IN INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY TO
LEARNING SCIENCE
BY
ABDULLAHI AMINAT
NOU 060241125
MINNA STUDY CENTER
BEING ORIGINAL PROJECT SUBMITTED TO SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
NATIONAL OPEN UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA, LAGOS, IN PARTIAL
FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF MASTER
OF EDUCATION IN SCIENCE EDUCATION
JUNE 2010
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CERTIFICATION
This thesis by Aminat Abdullahi has met the requirements for the
award of master of Education degree in science education of the National
Open University of Nigeria, and is approved for its contribution to knowledge.
…………………………. …………………………….. ……………….
DR. D.I WUSHISHI SIGNATURE DATE
(Supervisor)
…………………………. …………………………….. ……………….
DR. FRANCIS GANA SIGNATURE DATE
(Centre Manager)
…………………………. …………………………….. ……………….
(External Examiner) SIGNATURE DATE
…………………………. …………………………….. ……………….
(HOD Science Education) SIGNATURE DATE
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DEDICATION
This thesis is dedicated to Mrs. Habibat Onu Suleiman for her
financial, moral, continual and unrelenting support. My Kids Fadilah, Safiya
and Mustapha. The memory of my late mother Hauwa and Husband Bello
Abdullahi. May Allah grant their souls al-jannatul firdaus.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
All praise and appreciation goes to Allah (S.W.T) who bestowed his
protection, guidance and mercies on me, who also granted me patience,
wisdom and knowledge in completing the thesis and studies in spite of all
odds. This work has been successful through the immerse guidance,
experience and expert supervision of Dr. D.I Wushishi of the department of
Science education, Federal University of technology, for his assistance all
through the processes of questionnaire designing and data analysis. During
this processes, he had offered invaluable suggestions and criticisms,
invaluable role of proof reading the thesis and providing necessary guidance,
correction and very useful suggestions which saw the thesis through to
completion.
My profound gratitude goes to my ever supporting sister Hajaratu and
her Husband, Moh‟d Suleiman for their overwhelming moral support. I will
also say „thank You‟ to my dear Husband Mal Salihu Isah Lemu for his moral
support which has rekindled my life. I am also indebted to Aisha Suleiman for
her patience and assistance accorded to me during the process of data
analysis. My indebtedness also goes to Aisha Mohammed a Colleague, a
friend and confidant for her understanding throughout the period of my
studies. My sincere gratitude goes to all the principals, H.O.D science and
computer teachers and students of the schools visited for this study. „Thank
you‟ to Fatima L. Yakubu C.B.N Abuja for her financial and moral support
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accorded to me. I am most grateful to all my family members for the moral
support given to me throughout the period of my studies.
I am also grateful to all my colleagues and members of staff of
ETF/CERC. Most especially Sala Emmanuel Yisa head of computer unit ETF
for his patience, endurance and unrelenting assistance and guidance given
to me in the laboratory when sourcing for data and Abdulkadir K. Ibrahim for
being there for me anytime I needed his assistance. My appreciation also
goes to Mr. Suleiman Agboola Head of ICT ERC Minna for his necessary
correction and pain taken to see to the successful completion of the analysis.
I am also indebted and grateful to my typist Emmanuel Chinedu Okonkwo of
Federal University of Technology Minna. I will not fail to acknowledge my late
brother Dr. Suleiman Danjuma Suleiman for his inspiration and
encouragement to embark on this course may Allah grant him al-jannatul
firdaus.
My special gratitude goes to the entire members of staff of National
Open University of Nigeria minna study centre for their encouragement most
especially Mrs. S.A. Alao, the centre‟s manger Dr. Francis Gana and Ndagi.
Alhamdullilah.
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ABSTRACT
This research is on the attitude of secondary school students on the impact
of continuing professional development of teachers in information and
communication technology to learning science. Four schools were used for
this study namely El-Amin International College, New Horizon College,
Himma International College and Hill-Top Model School. Descriptive survey
method using a questionnaire tagged “QICPDTICTASSSS” was used for
data collection. It was validated by three experts and by pilot tested using
test retest method. The reliability was calculated using the pearson product
moment correlation coefficient and coefficient of relation (rxx) 0.89 was
obtained. The results were calculated using simple distribution table, Anova
and Scheffe‟s Test using statistical package for social sciences (SPSS)
software. The results obtained showed significant differences in the attitude
of students to the impact of continuing professional development of teachers
in information and communication technology to learning of science. It was
recommended that teacher training and professional development oriented
policies should be made by government to support ICT related teaching
models.
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CHAPTER ONE
1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
Technology has changed the way people live, work and learns.
The use of technology in education is one of the main challenges for
education policy makers (Zalzadeh, 2006). Traditional methods of
education are no longer able to meet the needs of today‟s learner.
New technologies provide opportunities, including the ability to tailor
learning to the individual (Aminpoor, 2007). In view of the above
statement, there is need for continuing education of teachers to meet
these global challenges of technology to make teaching and learning
more meaningful.
However, professional development have attracted increasing
attention in recent years (Anna Craft,2000) faced with rapid change,
demand for high standards calls for improving quality of teachers and
the need to update and improve their skills through professional
development. Recently, there are pressures at national and school
levels of professionalism in information and communication
technology. These arise from the demand for increased quality and the
need to implement the national curriculum. The interest in Information
and Communication Technology (ICT) is hardly surprising given the
worldwide impact ICT is having on many aspect of modern life
especially in the field of education. Harnessing the power of ICT to
support education is a major challenge, for not only is the technology
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itself changing very rapidly, but education systems are culturally
bound. Fullan (1991) highlighted the possibilities of bringing about
changes in education through a deliberate process. In many parts of
the world, several initiatives appear to have had little impact, despite
significant investment in the expectation that it will improve the quality
of teaching and learning thereby having positive effect on the student
attitude. It is now widely accepted that effective use of ICT cannot be
merely introducing teachers to the technology. Harland and Kinder
(1997) suggests the need for professional development initiative to
bring about planned change.
The rapid development of ICT and having easy access to
information through the e-mail and internet is one that is inextricably
linked with modern education. As ICT is a resource to learning,
science is primarily about methods of doing science and not ICT but
students should learn how to develop scientific skills and learn about
its role, function, application, preservation and processing using the
ICT. The science teacher is not an ICT specialist and is not expected
to teach ICT as his specialism. However, like every other teacher, they
are required to support student‟s use of ICT within their subject. The
more confident and competent the science teacher is with the ICT, the
more likely he will be able to incorporate the latest, most up-to-date
and accurate resource s of ICT into his teaching. Godfrey (2001)
states that to become confident, critical and creative user of ICT,
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Teachers must have access to professional development programs
that enables them to have multiple skills, both in the use of technology
and in task design (p.16). Therefore teachers need not only the ICT
skills but also the models of the best practice and knowledge to
support learning. They need to understand the rationale for integrating
ICT into learning environments and interpreting curriculum documents
to make decisions about designing, delivering, managing and
evaluating instruction.
Jegede (2004) p.66 says, continuing professional development must
be created to re-skill the potential teacher, re-motivate the interested
teacher, retain the dedicated teacher and retain the practicing
teacher. It is a known fact that computer which is the major tool used
in ICT especially in the classroom depends on the attitude towards
computers {Lawton and Gerschner, 1982). Several studies states that
teachers attitude, knowledge and skills in using computers are major
factors affecting their initial acceptance of computer technology and
their future behavior regarding computer usage (violato, mariniz and
Hunter, 1989; koohang, 1989). Office of technology assessment of
the united states congress (OTA) states that a number of teachers
with access to computers purposely avoid integrating technology into
their instruction because of their lack of training, while Bulkeley
commented that few teachers publicly criticize computer for fear of
appearing technologically backwards, but many ignore the machines
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after one or more frustrating experiences. These fast growing use of
new technologies in schools means that modes of professional
learning are opening for the teachers to equip themselves with all the
knowledge and technical no-how {application} needed to carry out
this operation. The use of these computers without providing teachers
with professional development time to learn equipment operations
and application will eventually make the teacher to be scape goat.
Several studies have been carried out on the assessment of attitude
of students towards computer and it was found that students who
received computer training were found to have a better understanding
in the computer assisted teaching than the students who have not
received any computer training. However, Johnson and Rising (1972)
reported that computer programming helps students to learn how to
solve problems systematically, carefully and in details, and helps to
transfer acquired skills to other similar situation. They further
explained that computer helps students to develop positive attitude,
desirable interest and appreciation.
Hoyle, (1983) said, the introduction of ICT into the educational
system has been hailed as a major catalyst of the long dreamed about
educational revolution, especially as ICT is designed to serve as a
major vehicle for improving the efficiency of the educational process (
Jones and Knezek, 1993). Offir-et-al. (1994) described the historical
development of ICT use in the educational process and indicated that
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since the introduction of ICT, the traditional open courseware
continuum succinctly and accurately depicts the progress made in the
use of ICT for learning and instruction. The traditional open continuum
provides an insight as to how ICT approaches evolved and developed
as educational media since the early 1960s. Offir et al (1993) reported
that in the early days of ICT use in the school classroom, traditional
computer assisted instruction (CAI) based on rigid and „closed‟ drill
and practice, was the dominant ICT approach. When poignant
questions were raised regarding the relative advantages and
effectiveness of drill and practice over more traditional and instruction
approaches, more flexible and open learning and instruction program
were developed and introduced into educational system. The use of
spreadsheet (Dreyfus et al, 1997) contributes to the enhancement of
learner independence and creativity, and provides students with
sophisticated graphical assistance that promotes the understanding of
complicated subject matter. According to (Appelberg, 1997) database
provides students with the opportunity of enriching their knowledge
and comprehension of subject matter by facilitating the ability to
conduct comprehensive searches for sources hitherto available only in
libraries and museums. However, the introduction of the use of
spreadsheets and databases in the educational process contributed to
the promotion of improved learning and instruction and increased
effectiveness in the educational process.
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Simulations which is sophisticated, progressive and improved
form of ICT are equally used as learning instruction. (Offir and katz,
1994),said, through simulations teachers are able to provide their
students with realistic models of subject matter as experienced in real
life situations thereby facilitating students understanding and mastery.
Thus, simulations enhances ICT mediated learning by providing an
added dimension that closes the gap between theoretical subject
matter and the application of knowledge to real life situations.
However, the steady evolution of ICT (radio, television, interactive
video, electronic mail, World Wide Web) has considerably influenced
the development of learning (Jones and Knezek, 1995). Passing and
Levin (2000) provided an in-depth analysis of multimedia packages
and stated that when using multimedia approaches in learning the
student does not only study the subject matter but also learn how to
deal with the synthetically programmed environment. The ease of use
and the uniformity of the multimedia interface have significant
implications for both teacher and student, since they provide a
platform for a higher level of motivation, concentration and
understanding of the content being studied. Multimedia of educational
packages attempt to provide a clear consistent and attractive ICT
platform, which contributes towards the ability of teachers and
students to reach excellence through user friendly instruction and
learning approaches.
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ICT use in education can be described as a major breakthrough
for teaching, learning and instruction. In a series of studies, a number
of researchers (Chandra et al, 1988; Karz and Offir, 1991; Offir and
Karz, 1990) as well as numerous others, testified to the existence of
psychological attitudes held by elementary and secondary school
teachers towards the use of ICT as an instructional approach.
Research studies have established that psychological attitudes such
as independence, creativity, tough-mindedness, sociability, risk taking,
stimulus and sensation seeking are key attitudes connected with
effective ICT use. Similar situations have been found with elementary
and secondary school (Dunn and Ridgway, 1991; Katz, 1993; Katz,
1995; Karz and Offir, 1990). Students who held attitudes such as
positive self-image, positive social-image, independence in learning
process, self-confidence in the learning, satisfaction with learning
internal locus of control, level of control of learning, creativity and
motivation for study were significantly more positive towards the use of
ICT than students who are not typified by the same traits.The use of
technology (ICT) to teach students in the classroom challenges the
students in learning to think, interact and solve problems, learn how to
learn with the aid of technology. Using ICT equally challenges the
students to use higher level thinking skills and become active seekers
rather than passive receivers of information.Using ICT enhances
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student‟s collaborative construction of meaning via different
perspective on shared experiences (Chan, Burtis and Bereiter, 1997).
ICT enables students to utilize modeling and visualization as powerful
means of bridging between experience and abstraction (Gordin and
Pea, 1995).
Dertouzes and Gates (1998) reported that in developed
countries, computers and telecommunications are on the verge of
reshaping the mission, objectives, content and processes of schooling.
This is the part of a larger change in those nations from loosely,
coupled, mature industrial economies to a profoundly interconnected,
knowledge based global market (Thurow, 1999). Since one of the
educational goal is to prepare students for work and citizenship the
introduction of ICT in schools (primary and secondary) are attempting
to change their policies, practices and curriculum to meet the
challenge of making student ready for a future quite different than the
immediate past.
Furthermore, culminating ICT as a teaching aid encourages
users to rely not only upon stored knowledge, but also on uniquely
human reasoning and problem solving skills. Anita Cox remarks that
this form of technology will become more widespread and visible in
response to education‟s increasing need to prepare students for work
in the information age. These challenges will in turn make the
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students to realize the importance of life long learning and become
motivated participants in the world and the workplace of the future.
Computer assisted Instruction (CAI) programs are being used in
schools as a supplement to traditional instruction. CAI is a spectrum
of computer technologies that assist the teaching and learning
process. Example of CAI applications include guided drills and
practice exercises, computer visualization of complex objects and
computer facilitated communication between students and teachers.
Several programs are used for courses (chemistry, physics,
geography, mathematics etc). These programs simulate the setting
of laboratory apparatus and also guides the students through the
steps required to complete the procedure (De la cuetara and Lamba,
1995). Some programs are equally used to increase the students
understanding of specific topics. Such as Animal pathfinders that
illustrates specific application of scientific method (Matray and Proulx,
1995).
Computer assisted instruction (CAI) enhances the learning rate
of students. The students learn faster with CAI than the conventional
instruction. Capper and Copple (1985) stated that CAI users
sometimes learn as much as 40% faster than those receiving the
teacher directed instruction. Using ICT in the teaching and learning
indicates that self esteem is enhanced and improves behavior. It
equally assists in exploring new opportunities for improving classroom
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practice. It makes lessons more stimulating, enjoyable, interactive and
gives room for appropriate selection of technologies. Students have a
positive attitude to learning as they retain their learning better
[Bialo and Sivin 1990;Maverech and Rich 1985; Robertson,et
al.1987,Rupe 1986]. Evarest .C. (2004) stated the following impact
that ICT has on the students
1. With online teaching /learning, students can work independently with
customized instruction and at his/her own place.
2. It increases the student‟s independence and motivation for self
directed study.
3. It increases the student‟s commitment to the learning risk.
4. It assists in exploring new opportunities for improving class room
practice.
Other potential benefits of ICT (using CAI) includes:
1. It also makes students to have more of internal locus of control or
sense of self efficiency.(Capper and Copper 1985,kinnaman 1990 and
Lovie1985).
2. Students have better attendance. Capper and copper, rupees 1986
and 1990 ISTE.
3. Students have higher rate of motivation or time on task (Bialo and
Sivin, 1990; Capper and Copper 1985).
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4. Students exhibit higher rate of cooperation or collaboration and
presocial behavior (Dickson, 1986,Maverech, Stern and Levita, 1987;
and Rupe, 1986).
Having seen the relevance of ICT in education, there is need for
continuing development of teachers to meet this enormous task of
technology. However, it has argued for creating a collaborative
professional learning environment for successful school improvement
and the first order of business for those seeking to enhance the
effectiveness of teaching and learning (Eastwood and Louis,
1992:215).The department for education and employment (DfEE,
2001) in their professional strategy suggests that effective
professional learning should be focused on classroom practice,
collaborative learning together, learning from the best and learning
from what works. By so doing, an ultimate change in practice will be
achieved. Education of teachers both at pre-service and in-service
through professional learning is recognized as being the major catalyst
for change (Finger, Russell, Jamieson-Procter and Russell, 2006).
Teacher on continuous training of ICT will build more confidence,
competence and develop appropriate skills in handling curriculum.
The Research on teacher‟s education has consistently stressed
the need to regularly provide opportunities for teachers to improve
their knowledge of the subject matter they teach and the teaching
skills they learned in the pre-service courses they attended. Recent
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research conducted by Tee Kay educational consultancy services
done on behalf of Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC),
NCCE, National Teachers Institute (NTI), Teachers Registration
Council (TRC) and world Bank revealed that their exist wide or major
gaps in the present NCE and degree curricular in the following areas;
computer education, small scale research technique, health and
environmental studies, resource management, skills for teaching
multigrade classes, National curriculum modules and sexuality
education. These gaps have urgent implication for pre-service training.
For those already trained needs to be followed up with in-service
continuing professional development programme to correct the
deficiencies and broaden their horizon. Fitzallen and Brown (2006)
carried out a research on the factors that impact on successful teacher
implementation of professional learning while incorporating the
Schulman‟s essential teacher knowledge (1982 a,b) which Identifies
three interconnecting categories.
a. Teacher knowledge (including knowledge of; content and curriculum,
teacher characteristic, ICT content, application of ICT in context).
b. Teacher dispositions (confidence, previous success, engagement in
reflection.
c. External factors (background, professional learning, time and access).
until these interlinking contents are considered the full promise of
digital content may not be realized. Professional learning is insufficient
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in itself for the adoption of ICT into teaching and professional practice,
teacher belief, confidence and expertise (Jamieson- proctor and
Finger, 2006; Phelps, Graham and Kerr, 2004; Albion, 1999). Having
access to appropriate equipment and infrastructure have been
identified to be an added advantage (Norris and Soloway, 2000).
With the present pace of dispensational development, ICT is
said to be a vital tool which teachers, students and lecturers must
equip themselves with, if they must move with the trend of global
awareness to enhance their teaching skills and improve their learning
abilities. Just as computer has played vital roles in many aspect of life
such as transportation, communication, national defense, material
production and scientific research, it has also become the fastest
reliable way of communication between teachers and students in our
education today. Using computers as an aided instruction is the best
way and the fastest object of instruction in today‟s world. Computers
also serve as a medium of teaching and learning methods to students
thereby bringing the close understanding between the two. Madu
(2002) reported that there is an increasing awareness of the potentials
for the use of ICT in education and the information technologies are
tools used to produce, store, process, disseminate; and exchange
information.
The need for continuing professional development (CPD) has the
following advantages
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1. To improve the job performance skills of the whole staff or group of
staffs
2. To improve the job performance skills of an individual teacher.
3. To extend the experience of an individual teacher for career
development or promotion.
4. To develop the professional knowledge and understanding of an
individual teacher.
5. To enable teachers to anticipate and prepare for change (Anna Crafts,
2000).
6. CPD may enable practitioners to widen their understanding of society,
especially information and communication technology (Bland ford,
2000). A lot of these training have been offered to Nigerian teachers
through workshops, seminars and conferences in ICT appreciation
and programming. This raises the need to assess the impact of CPD
of teachers on ICT Minna metropolis.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Education is generally acknowledged as one of the crucial allies of the
development process. Therefore educational policy makers and social
planners, in recognition of it‟s potentials for leveraging existing social
stratifications have placed a huge premium on the development of the
education sector. This is reflected in the emphatic resonance in the
National Policy on education (NPE, 2004) that „no nation can rise
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above the quality of its education systems‟. Based on this evident
truth, the national policy formulators recommend, as a priority, the
training of those responsible for faciliting the education of Nigerians in
the development planning process. On this, the National policy on
education unequivocally focuses attention to all aspects of education
planning, because of its teachers. This view was crystallized by lassa
(2000) and the roles that they play in the educative process to (basic)
education, particularly in third world countries. However, the challenge
of teacher training appears to be the most daunting challenge facing
the education system in general. Researchers have observed that out
of all the educational problems that beset the African continent today,
none is as persistent or compelling as the one relating to the training
of competent teachers who directly and indirectly is bound to influence
the quality and quantity of services provided by other teachers and
professors, as poor teachers tend to produce their own kind (Fafunwa
1967; Afe, 1999) in Afe 2000).
As new technologies transform classroom and laboratories,
academics will have to learn, change or improve their teaching styles
and every body will need some necessary ICT skills regardless of their
interest or their employment. Tools that incorporate ICT will undertake
many specialist tasks, learning to perform these task and using the
tools will be part of education.
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In Nigeria, teachers have been trained in several for a in ICT
teaching and learning especially in programmes organized by
UNESCO and UNICEF and government also occasionally organizes
ICT training for teachers of primary and secondary schools. As a result
of these, this study attempts to investigate the impact of continuing
professional development of teachers on the attitude of secondary
school students to learning science. It will also investigate the
difference between senior secondary school (SSS)1, SSS 2 and SSS
3 students attitude on the impact of CPD of teachers in ICT to learning
science. It will also do the same on variables such as age groups and
male and female students.
1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The main purpose of the study is to find out the impact of continuing
professional development of teachers in information and
communication technology (computers) on secondary school student‟s
attitude to learning science. Specifically, this research is designed to
Investigate the difference between the impact of continuing
professional development of teachers on student‟s attitude to learning
science in relation to variables such as class level, age of students
and gender of students.
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1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
1. What is the attitude of secondary school students on the impact
of continuing professional development of teachers in
information and communication Technology to learning science?
2. What are the differences between SSS1, SSS2 and SSS3
student‟s attitude on the impact of continuing professional
development of teachers in information and communication
Technology to learning science?
3. Are there differences between student‟s age groups (13-15years
and 16-18years) attitude on the impact of continuing
professional development of teachers in information and
communication Technology to learning science?
4. What would be the difference between male and female
student‟s attitude on the impact of continuing professional
development of teachers in information and communication
Technology to learning science?
1.5 RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS
Ho.1 There is no significant difference between SSS1, SSS2
and SSS3 student‟s attitude on the impact of continuing
professional development of teachers in information and
communication Technology to learning science.
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Ho.2 There is no significant difference between students age
groups(13-15years and 16-18years) attitude on the
impact of continuing professional development of teachers
in information and communication Technology to learning
science
Ho.3 There is no significant difference between male and
female student‟s attitude on the impact of continuing
professional development of teachers in information and
communication Technology to learning science.
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
This study would benefit the Federal ministry of Education, National
Teachers institute (NTI), National Board for Technical Education
(NBTE), Nigeria University commission (NUC), proprietors of private
schools, principals, teachers, lecturers, students and users of
information and communication technology facilities to designed
appropriate curricular materials for teaching and learning of science by
the use of ICT. This study will be a guide to curriculum developers of
science to develop and integrate ICT in to learning and interpreting
curriculum documents to make decisions about designing, delivering,
managing and evaluating instruction. Through continuing professional
development, teachers will also benefit in getting new and better ways
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of improving their methods and techniques of teaching. Students will
not only learn how to use computers, but effectively use it through the
internet to learn outside the class and beyond the given syllabus. They
will be able to access the web ICT for course information, such as
course outline, objectives, information about assessment and note for
the subject. This study will serve as a yardstick for Federal
Government, National Teachers Institute (NTI), National Board for
Technical education (NBTE), and Universal Basic Education (UBE) to
evaluate the achievement of the set national educational objectives.
1.7 SCOPE AND DELIMITATION OF THE STUDY
This study will cover all the students in secondary schools in Minna
metropolis but specifically restricted to students from Himma, New
Horizon College, El-Amin International Schools and Hill-Top Model
Schools Minna. This is because the schools have computer
laboratories and have teachers that went on CPD in ICT.
1.8 LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
There are limited literature about CPD of teachers in Nigeria, so
it limits the scope of generalization of the findings of this study.
Samples are drawn mostly from among private secondary school
students in Minna Niger State, because most of the public schools
have no computers and their teachers have received limited or no
CPD on ICT. .
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CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.0 INTRODUCTION
The importance of continuing professional development (CPD) cannot
be over –emphasized, especially in field as vital as education. Only by
continually arming oneself with the latest research techniques and
knowledge in the profession can one hope to stay effective in one‟s
career.
Any training programme is thus concerned with improved ways of
doing things of carrying out various activities in a professional manner.
The contribution of the ICT can be very useful tool for the development
of skills on it provides effective training programme which can be
attributed to its capacity for stimulation, model-building and interactive
adaptation. This usage applies not only to subjects like sciences but
also to various aspects of professional courses like engineering and
teacher training. The concept of life long education is associated with
a learning society, in the contemporary society; the end of formal
education does not mean the end of one‟s learning.
The University of Wisconsin –Madison in 1907 was the first academic
institution in the united state to offer an identifiable continuing
education program (schugurensky, Daniel (1907). In 1969, Empire
state college, a unit of the state university of New York, was also the
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first institution in the united state to exclusively focus on providing
higher education to adult learners. While in 1976, the University of
Florida created its own division of continuing Education and most
courses were offered on evenings or weekends to accommodate the
schedule of working student‟s .Hopkins, Ainscow and west, 1994;
southworth 1994; Sammons, Hillman and mortimore, 1995; Green,
1999) reported that learning is a worth while process and not a static
or bounded process, however learning of education professionals
throughout ones career is essential. These researchers, commentators
and policy makers equally explained that teacher‟s development to
raising of pupils standards of achievement is a central policy.
Generally, continuing professional development is acknowledged to be
centrally important in maintaining and enhancing the quality of
teaching and learning in schools (craft 2000, Harland and Kinder 1997,
Harri 2002). The International research literature has consistently
shown that professional development is an essential component of
successful school level change and development (day, 1999b,
Hargreaves 1994).It has confirmed that where teachers are able to
access new ideas and to share experiences more readily, there are
greater potentials for schools and classroom improvement .Improving
schools, invest in the development of staff and create opportunities
for teachers to collaborate and to share best practice. Evidence also
suggests that attention to teacher learning can impact directly upon
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improvements in student learning and achievement. Teachers expand
and develop their own teaching repertoires and are clear in their
purposes, it is more likely that they will provide an increased range of
learning opportunities for students (Joyce et al,1999). The research
literature demonstrate that professional development can have a
positive impact on curriculum, pedagogy as well as teachers sense of
commitment and their relationship with students (Talbert and
McLaughlin 1994).
Several and resent research has reiterated that quality of professional
interaction, focus on staff development and the relentless pursuit of
improved teaching and learning are the characteristic of successful
school improvement ( Gray 2000; Harris 2000; Maden and Hillman J.
1996; OFSTED 2000). However, it also acknowledges the
importance‟s of teachers engaging in continuing career long
development that will meet their own personal and professional needs.
These needs will vary according to circumstances, personal and
professional histories and current dispositions. Matching appropriate
professional needs of the teacher and the selected activity is critically
important in ensuring that there is a positive impact at the school and
classroom level, where staff development improvement is paramount
(DfEE,P3) and offers a number of new initiatives to achieve particular
important goal. The richer mix of professional development
opportunities will allow teachers to focus upon their own learning,
29
career and promotion ambitions and to consider new responsibilities
within their own school content. This will lead to an improved and
enhanced sense of professionalism for teachers, plus an increased
motivation to stay within the profession.
2.1 DEFINITION OF CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT (CPD)
Debates around CPD have been numerous in recent years. Much of
the recent debate regarding CPD has been concerned with who and
what is being develop, by whom and most importantly, in whose
interest (Nofke, 1997, p.334). Wikipedia defines CPD as the skills and
knowledge attained for both personal development and career
advancement. It encompasses all types of facilitated learning
opportunities, ranging from college degrees to formal coursework,
conferences and informal learning opportunities in practice. Analytic
quality Glossary defines CPD as the study (that may accumulate to
whole programmes with awards) designed to upgrade knowledge and
skills of practitioners in the profession, while higher education funding
council for England (HEFCE, 2003), sees CPD as a range of short and
long training programmes, some of which have an option of
accreditation, which foster the development of employment related
knowledge, skills and understanding. Northeast Texas Network
consortium (NTNC, 2007), defines professional development as
courses offered to improve knowledge and skills in a specific
30
professional area, such as professional certification programs. Usually
not offered for academic credit.
David Hargreaves (1998), refined his definition about the nature of
CPD exploring the need for better professional knowledge which a
transition towards a knowledge society requires. He argues that
knowledge transmission in the past has failed partly because
University-based researchers were not very successful in either
knowledge creation or dissemination. He argues further that new
knowledge transmission models are required which involves a radical
reconceptualization of knowledge creation and its dissemination in
education, and the consequent restructuring that is necessary to
support it (p.1). To these new models, for Hargreaves is the
knowledge creating school. This would involve schools conducting a
knowledge audit, managing the processes of creating new
professional knowledge, validating the knowledge creating and
disseminating the created knowledge (p.2). The support and co-
ordination of schools and networks of school engaged in this new form
of knowledge creation and dissemination would require a rethinking of
the nature and role of CPD.
Welsh (2002) endorses that collaborative professional development
which could bridge research, policy and power at the same time
recognizing the potential for element of political conflict inherent in
restructuring teacher and school development. Similarly, Barber (1996)
31
argues that professional development should not be founded on
„narrowly conceived idea about in-service education for teachers but
the idea of the teacher as a life long learner who is a member of a
research- based profession. It has been suggested that continual
development is a relatively straight forward concept to accept. But, the
term „professional‟ is much more problematic (Bolam, p.280). Bolam
suggests that professional development is the process by which
teachers learn, enhance and use appropriate skills and knowledge and
the essence of such profession development for educators would
presumably be, therefore the learning of an independent, evidence-
informed and constructively critical approach to practice within a Public
framework of professional values and accountability, which are also
open to critical scrutiny. (Bolam, 2000, p.272).
In the current climate of professional issues in teacher‟s live, relating to
teacher workload, shortage and retention, it has been argued that the
focus of CPD should both be more structured and more teacher-led,
offering opportunities not just to minorities but to all irrespective of
factors such as geographical constraints and the size of the school.
Carol Adams, Chief Executive of the general Teachers council (GTC)
voiced her concerns, she said her biggest worry was about how to
ensure we have a proper, structured programme and avoid lots of little
pilots with only short term horizons and limited impact (quoted in
cordingley, 2001, p.82).
32
CPD is seen as part of the career development of all professionals
which is a shared responsibility with their employers because it serves
the interest of both. Day, (1999) says, professional development
consists of all natural learning experiences and those conscious and
planned activities which are intended to be of direct or indirect benefit
to the individual, group or school which constitute through these, to the
quality of education in the classroom. It is a process by which, alone
and with others, teachers review, renew and extend their commitment
as change agents to the moral purposes of teaching; and by which
they acquire and develop critically the knowledge, skills and emotional
intelligence essential to good professional thinking, planning and
practice with children young people and colleagues throughout each
phase of their teaching lives (Day, 1996. b.). In February 2000, the
government published its consultation document on professional
development (Green paper, DfEE, 2001). The document argues that
good professional development requires time to reflect and set
objectives, recognition and commitment, opportunity, particularly for
work based learning. The documents equally argued that professional
development reflect three perspectives; Individual teacher‟s needs and
aspirations, the need of the school and national strategic priorities.
In a study conducted by National Foundation for educational Research
CPD. Teachers perspective (2000), stated that CPD is mostly needed
in the development of knowledge in the teachers own subject area; the
33
use of ICT and the internet in the curriculum; assessment; support for
pupils with special educational needs and leadership skills. Gatewood
and Conrad (1997) also explained at another workshop held at
implementing technology in the school curriculum that teachers‟
training is essential for computers to be effective teaching tool. They
reported that training opportunities enable teachers to build skills and
confidence and learn strategies to integrate computers into their
curriculum. Epstein (1993), identified four critical components of
training, practical experience, workshops, models and mentors and
supervisory follow-up.
2.2 IMPORTANCE OF CPD
CPD are undertaken by teachers beyond the point of initial training.
The following are the resource for undertaking professional
development.
1. To improve the job performance skills of the whole staff or group
of staff.
2. To improve the job performance skills of an individual teacher.
3. To extend the experience of an individual teacher for career
development or promotion.
4. To develop the professional knowledge and understanding of an
individual teacher.
5. To extend the personal or general education of an individual.
34
6. To make staff feel value.
7. To promote job satisfaction.
8. To develop an enhanced view of job.
9. To enable teachers to anticipate and prepare for change.
10. To clarify the whole or department policy ultimately all
teachers development will have as one of its aims the
improvement of pupils learning.
Blancd Ford (2000) emphasizes that professional development enable
practitioners to widen their understanding of society in particularly of
ICT.
2.3 THE CONCEPT OF CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT
The concept of CPD is often left ill-defined, being in many cases
conflated with related concepts of in-service training and on the Job
learning. Both are more limited to CPD, as CPD encompasses a wide
variety of approaches and teaching and learning styles in a variety of
setting (inside or outside of the workplace) it is distinguishable from the
broader concept of learning. It is primarily related to people‟s
professional identities and roles and the goals of the organization they
are working for (Galloway, 2000).
35
The concept of lifelong education is based on post formal education
and it assumes learners to adults or near adults who can mange their
learning on their own.
In a paper presented by Dr. Ahmed Modibbo Mohammed of NTI on
creating opportunities for CPD, he said teacher‟s professional
development has two main phases: Initial preparation and continuing
professional development. He said initial teachers training takes the
form of full time residential pre-service programmes in teachers
colleges or universities. The initial training may also be available to
serving unqualified teachers through distance education or out of
school programmes during vacations or on release from schools for
extended periods of time. The pedagogical or professional
components of initial teacher training programmes can be either
conservative or concurrent with academic subjects. However, initial
teacher training has been criticized for its inadequacy in preparing
students for teaching. Learning to teach is a process that requires
continuing support and resources. Continuing professional
development of teachers comes from various sources and in various
forms; orienting teachers to curriculum or examination changes,
upgrading qualification levels, donor- funded projects, professional
teachers association in developing subject teaching e.g. STAN;
sometimes teachers unions, school based improvement initiatives or
individual teachers working to improve their qualifications, career
36
prospects or teaching skills. In our national situation where both
qualified and unqualified teachers are employed in schools, pre-
service and in-service education may go on simultaneously. Therefore,
structured and unstructured approaches of professional development
of teachers should be employed.
2.4 RATIONALE FOR CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT OF TEACHERS
The pace at which new knowledge is being generated and old
knowledge is becoming outdated, demands that an individual should
continue to learn throughout one‟s life. ICT can be very effective for
facilitating lifelong education, both an tutor and as a tool.
The teacher is increasingly becoming an important factor in the
educative process. According to Sprinthall, Reiman and sprint
(1999:666), there is no such thing as a teacher-proof curriculum. They
pointed to the massive failure of national curriculum projects of the
1960‟s with the attendant “failed ideas, unused curriculum guide, and
tarnished hopes. By implication, teacher‟s characteristics, attitudes,
conception of self and intellectual and interpersonal dispositions in
large measure determine both the explicit and the hidden agenda of
the classroom. The formal curriculum is represented by the materials,
lesson plan and objectives, but the informal agenda is the atmosphere
37
or climate in the classroom as indicated by important teacher
characteristic.
The society expects great deal from their educational systems. New
goals are being continuously set such as life long learning, life skills
education, and competency in the use of ICT etc. As key agents in
these changes, teachers face high expectations, new roles which they
can get through CPD. One of the key elements of teacher quality, is
the provision of adequate opportunities for personal growth and
professional development.
Research on teacher‟s education has consistently stressed the need
to regularly provide opportunities for teachers to improve their
knowledge of the subject matter they teach and the teaching skills the
learned in the pre-service courses they attended. This is based on the
recognition of the fact that we live in a rapidly changing world such that
whatever knowledge and skills teachers acquired in their pre-service
training becomes stale very fast as new challenges and realities
emerge in the socio-economic and political environments.
2.5 MODEL OF CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Various model for teacher professional developments have emerged.
Most CPD models and practices emphasize formal CPD programmes
and activities. Spark, D and Loucks-Horsley, S (1989, fall) says there
are five models of staff development for teachers (Journal of staff
38
development, 10(4), 40-57). Sparks and Loucks-Horsley (1989) who
are influential researchers suggests five models that are useful for
accomplishing the goals of staff development. These models includes
a. Individually Guided Development
b. Observation and Assessment
c. Involvement in a Development or improvement process.
d. Training
e. Inquiry
In Nigeria, three commonly used models are workshop models,
school-based teacher professional support and in-service training of
teachers (INSET).
The workshop model is the commonest form of CPD in Nigeria. It
entails drawing participants out of their school to a venue where they
are exposed by experts to a core of information and skills. The
workshop may be short or long term. The nature of skills and
processes to be acquired also vary.
The school-based teacher professional support and mentoring is a
recent alternative for in-service training of teachers. Pupils, teachers,
supervisors and facilitators are involved collaboratively in carrying out
a series of classroom/school-based activities that will help the teacher
to improve. The teachers get professional support from facilitators and
supervisors who serve as mentors. Activities may include direct
39
classroom support by the facilitators and supervisors, staff meeting
within the school and involving head teachers and the participating
teachers, demonstration lessons by teacher educators (mentors); visit
to the school by mentors etc. Erant, (1994) suggest that any
framework for promoting and facilitating professional learning should
take into account the following;
1. An appropriate combination of learning settings (on the Job, near
the Job, home, library, course).
2. For study consultation and reflection.
3. Availability of suitable learning resources.
4. People who are prepared (i.e. both willing and able) to give
appropriate support.
5. The learners own capacity to learn and take advantage of the
opportunities available.
In-service training of teachers (INSET) has relied upon teachers
participating in courses delivered by external providers either at the
school or at dedicated training centers.
40
2.6 EFFECTIVE CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPPMENT
A key factor of ensuring effective CPD is matching appropriate
professional development provision to particular professional needs. This
„fit‟ between the developmental needs of the teacher and the selected
activity, is critically important in ensuring that there is a positive impact at
the school and classroom level (Hopkins and Harris, 2001). Where staff
development are poorly conceptualized, insensitive to the concern of
individual participants and make little effort to relate learning experiences
to workplace conditions, they make little impact upon teachers or
pupils(Day,1999). There have been claims that CPD needs to be linked
to both individual and organizational goals, if both individual and
organization change are to be achieved (Jones and Fear, 1994).
2.7 FORMS OF CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Continuing professional opportunities ranges from a single workshop to a
semester long academic course, to service offered by a medley of
different professional development providers and varying widely with
respect to philosophy, content and format of the learning experiences
(Goggle). Other forms of CPD includes on the Job, in- house activities,
work shadowing or secondment (Michael Fullan).
Some examples of approaches to professional development includes:-
41
1. CASE STUDY METHOD: - The case method is a teaching approach
that consists in presenting the students with a case, putting them in
the role of a decision maker facing a problem (Hammond, 1976).
2. CONSULTATION: - To assist an individual or group of individuals to
clarify and address immediate concerns by following a systematic
problem solving process.
3. COACHING: - To enhance a person‟s competencies in a specific skill
area by providing a process of observation, reflection and action.
Flaherty (1999) presents coaching as a way of working with people
that leaves more competent and more fulfilled, so that they are more
able to contribute to their organizations. He described the product of
coaching as
Long term excellent performance.
Self correction.
Self generation.
4. LESSON STUDY: - To solve practical dilemmas related to intervention
or instruction through participation with other professionals in
systematically examining practice.
5. MENTORING: - To promote an individual‟s awareness and refinement
of his or her own professional development by providing and
recommending structured opportunities for reflection and observation.
42
6. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE: - To assist individuals and their
organization to improve by offering resources and information,
supporting networking and change effort.
7. RELECTIVE SUPERVISION: - To support, develop and ultimately
evaluate the performance of employees through a process of inquiry
that encourages their understanding and articulation of their rationale
for their own practices.
In united State of America, many American State have professional
development requirement for school teachers. Arkansas teachers must
complete 60 hours of documented professional development activities
annually. Teachers in Idiana are required to earn 90 continuing
renewal units (CRUs) per year. In Massachusetts, teachers need 150
professional development points (PDPs) and in Georgia 10
professional learning units (PLUs) (Wikipedia). In Singapore, every
teacher is required to submit himself/herself to 100 hours of re-training
every year. In Scotland, every Thursday during term time, teachers
have an opportunity to take part in some live on line CPD in part of the
glowing Thursday programme.
2.8 CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA.
From time immemorial, the training of teachers has been an issue of
concern to researchers and lay members of society alike. Fafunwa
(1974) argued that teacher education continues to be the key to
43
educational development, In Nigeria and else where, for without
adequately trained teaching cadre, Nigeria cannot hope to expand her
educational facilities.
Till-date, the pre-service training and in-service professional
development of Nigerian teachers has not reflected the attention and
focus of these observers of our education system. Jegede (2002)
observed that the teacher training system in Nigeria has failed to
adhere to the provisions of the National policy on education that the
teacher education shall continue to take cognizance of changes in
methodology and in curriculum and that teachers shall be regularly
exposed to innovations in their professions. But, Okebukola (2002)
opined that in times past the teacher as well as his/her education did
enjoy some pride of place….. But teacher education in Nigeria and
indeed decades had been characterized by incessant instability, not
unconnected with attempts by practitioners in the field to better their
lot.
Afemikhe (2004) quoting taiwo (2002) added that teacher education
suffered some setbacks as greater emphasis was then laid on how to
teach rather than on what to teach.
However, it appears obvious that teachers need CPD and substantial
research seem to have confirmed this, not much importance seem to
be attached to continuing professional development of teachers in
Nigeria. For most teachers, training ends as soon as they graduated
44
and no opportunities exist for updating their knowledge and skills by
attending seminars, conferences, and workshops that will enhance
their knowledge and skills and ultimately classroom practice (Ahmed
Modibbo, 2006).
2.9 A MODEL OF ICT APPLICATION FOR TEACHERS’
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA
The pace at which new knowledge is being generated and old
knowledge is becoming outdated, demands that an individual should
continue to learn throughout one‟s life. Information and
communications technologies can be very effective for facilitating
lifelong education, both as a tutor and as a tool. The concept of
lifelong education is based on post formal education and it assumes
learns to be adults or near adults who can manage their learning on
their own.
However, teacher training process in Nigeria is regarded as the
foundation of quality and relevance of education at all levels of the
levels of the national educational system of the initial teacher training
process and the CPD of Nigerian teachers is currently besortted by
number of challenges.
However, ICT is having a major impact across all curriculum areas
most especially in science subjects, easy worldwide communication
provides instant access to vast array of data, challenging assimilation
and assessment skills (Fowowe, 2006). Rapid communication plus
45
increased access to ICTs in the home, at work and in educational
establishment, learning becomes a truly lifelong activity- an activity in
which the pace technological change forces constant evaluation of
teaching process itself.
2.10 INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY
If students of today are to be prepared for the workplace of tomorrow,
computers must become an integral part of the current curriculum of
the school system.
2.10.1 DEFINITION OF COMPUTER
A computer can be defined as an electronic device or contrivance that
works under the control of stored instruction known as programs to
speedily accept data, process the inputted data into meaningful
information and then present its output in a well organized format
predefined by the user.
2.10.2 CLASSIFICATION OF COMPUTERS
Computers are grouped into various classes depending on the
character they exhibit, the way they look or the way they are located.
Classification of computers by type: -
Analogue Computers: Computers which does not compute
directly with discrete values (digits), rather, it measures quantity
46
in continuous flow e.g. current, temperature, voltage. Examples
of such computers are diagnosis, thermometer, analog watch.
Digital Computers: These computers cannot measure quantity in
continuous flow. I.e. measures discrete values such as digit (0-
9), understands binary(0 or 1) letter of alphabets(a-z). Examples
are calculators, desktop, laptop, gaming computers.
Hybrid Computers: These computers have the features of the
analog and digital computers. It can measure quantity in
continuous flow as well as those in discrete values .e.g. the
system used in the electricity reading is hybrid.
2.10.3 CLASSIFICATION BY SIZE/CAPACITY
a. Mainframe Computers: these computers are bulky and stored in
control rooms with air-conditioning accommodation. They are
the largest form of computers. Examples IBM370, ICI 900.
Mainly used in research institute.
b. Mini Computers: These computers are smaller in size and can
perform arithmetic and logic operational functions, can process
task that do not require access to large masses of stored data.
Examples are Vax series, PDP-8 etc.
c. Micro Computes: these are the personal computers (Pc). They
are the smallest form of computers and uses micro processor as
47
its central processing unit (CPU). Examples are the Desktop,
Laptop, Notebook and palmtop.
d. Super Computers: These are faster than mainframe and are
designed for specialized application. E.g. monitoring and
controlling space flights and weather forecasting.
2.10.4 CLASSIFICATION BY NATURE OF LOCATION
Computers are also classified by the way they are located or located in
other devices. In this class, are the embedded computers.
Embedded Computers: Are computers that are located within other
machines to make them act like computers e.g. Speedometer.
2.10.5 CLASSIFICATION BY GENERATION
Computers passed through series and chains of development called
computer generations. The computer generations are:-
1. First generation Computers
2. Second generation Computers
3. Third generation Computers
4. Fourth generation Computers
5. Fifth generation Computers
6. Sixth generation Computers
48
2.10.6 CHARACTERISTICS OF COMPUTER
The characteristics is that, it is a general purpose device which take
input from output devices like mouse, keyboard, bar code reader etc.
Some of these characteristics include
1. Speed- Computer works at very high speed.
2. Accuracy- Can do billions of calculation in a second
without error.
3. Storage- Can store data permanently.
4. Versatility- Can do various type of job at a time without
error.
5. Automation- It can run itself without human interaction. It
is an automatic machine because once it start on a job
they carry until job is finished.
6. Diligence- Unlike human being, a computer is free from
monotony, tiredness and lack of communication.
7. Reliability
8. Convenience
9. Flexibility
10. Power of Remembering
11. Larger Storage
49
12. No Feeling
Wikipedia (2009).
2.10.7 COMPUTER SYSTEM
The computer consists of vital components which are very essential for
information processing. The component are divided into two main
categories namely
i. Hardware.
ii. Software.
HARDWARE includes all equipment or physical devices used in
processing data and delivering information. It encompasses everything
that is tangible. I.e. any part that can be seen, touched and felt.
Hardware can belong to any unit such as the input unit (keyboard,
mouse, scanner), output unit (monitor or console, printer, speaker),
storage unit ( Hard disk, flash disk, Floppy disk, compact disk,
Diskette, memory card) processing unit (Ram, Rom) and other
peripheral parts such as power pack, plotter etc.
SOFTWARE: - These are the invisible or intangible portions of the
computer. A software is a set of instruction the computer programs
that are used to command the computer. Computer software are
divided into two categories
i. System Software.
50
ii. Application Software.
System Software is also referred to as operating system. This software
provides routines needed to allow application software‟s to interact
with the hardware. I.e. it interprets user‟s programme commands. This
operating system is a collection of programme modules that act as
interface between the computer hardware and the user.
Application Software:- These are programmes created specifically to
meet the user‟s need. The ones developed by the manufacturer are
called Generalized Application Software, while the one developed by
the user are called user program or user-define software. Examples of
Generalized Applications packages are word processing software‟s,
spreadsheet software, Graphics etc.
Pelgrum and law (2003) state that near the end of the 1980s, the term
computer was replaced by Information Technology (IT). Information
Technology according to Ayo,(2001) is the use of computer system
and telecommunication equipment in information handling. He
identifies three basic component of information technology. These
components include
a. Electronic processing using the computer.
b. Transmission of information using telecommunication
equipment.
51
c. Dissemination of information in multimedia. Oketunji, (1999)
quotes Marghalana M.A as being of the view that information
technology encompasses the notion of application of
technologies to information handling. This includes generation,
storage, processing, retrieval, dissemination etc.
However, Cole (1956) supplied a useful definition which was given by
the Department of Trade and Industry in Britain, which states that
information technology is the acquisition, processing, storage and
dissemination of vocal, pictorial, textual and numeric information by a
micro-electronic based combination of computing and
telecommunication. Some of the IT facilities are computers of various
types, scanners, printers, servers, word processors, photocopiers etc
and other devices for information acquisition and dissemination such
as teleconferencing/video conferencing, Networks, tele-text, facsimile,
internet, e-mail and voice mail etc. These signify a shift of focus from
computer technology to the capacity to store and retrieve information.
This was followed by the introduction of the term ICT (information and
communication technology) around 1992, when e-mail started to
become available to the general public (Pelgrum, w.J law N, 2003).
Literature search revealed quite a number of studies globally on the
impact of ICT on teaching, learning and other research activities.
However, Itegboye (2002) describes ICT as the application of
computers, telecommunication equipment to process, store, retrieve
52
and send information of all kinds. She added that information is power
and technology is the bedrock of development of any nation. Adeya,
(2002) describes ICT as electronic means of capturing, processing,
storing and disseminating information. According to another definition
by Adeya, 2002, ICTs are embedded in networks and services that
affect the local and global accumulation and flowing of public and
private knowledge. But according to united Nation report (1999) say
that ICT covers internet services provision, telecommunication
equipment and services, information technology equipment and
services, media and broadcasting, libraries and documentation
centres, commercial information providers, Network-based information
services and other related information and communication activities.
UNESCO (2002) studies on the stages of teaching and learning using
ICT facilities, the report draw out some broad stages in the way
student and teacher learn about and gain confidence in the use of ICT.
These stages are discovering, learning how, understanding how and
when, and specializing in the use of ICT tools. It described discovering
stage as a link to the emerging approach in the ICT development,
which the impact of teaching, learning and research using ICT has not
been quantified and the implication is that technology is still not fully
explored and hence no research in the classroom is been done.
Learning how to use ICT tools, in this stage where learners and
teachers begin to make use of ICT tools in different disciplines and this
53
is linked to the applying approach in the ICT development that in most
development. This study therefore discovered that in most developing
countries, tertiary institutions are generally at this stage, common
application of ICT includes editorial work and internet. Actual research
on how students learn and use ICT tools has just begun in most
institutions. The third stage, understanding how and when to use ICT
tools to achieve particular purposes. The ability to recognize situation
where ICT will be helpful choosing the most appropriate tool for a
particular task, and using these tools in combination to solve real
problems. In study, an example was cited using Excel by students to
plot graphs of statistical data generated from a classroom exercise.
This stage is linked with infusing and transforming approaches in the
ICT development. The last stage in the study is specializing in the use
of ICT tools, here students study ICT as a subject to become
professional as opposed to the general knowledge in the use of ICT
where courses are supposed to be handled together with basic ICT
tools associated with it. The above four stages are closely related and
do provide a framework or a model for an ICT curriculum. Teachers
expertise is finely tuned to the teaching and learning setting, what is
flexing and responding to the introduction of digital technologies. They
further lamented that integration of ICT with teaching and learning
activities support knowledge building and consolidation and application
to new contexts. Although ICT can be adapted to different needs, its
54
exploitation is limited by forceful constraints‟. These include
resourcing, technical and classroom management issues. They
concluded that success relies on exploiting dynamic visual
representations as a reference point in order to exchange ideas,
negotiate meanings, build knowledge, and restructure problems. A
supportive classroom culture is characterized by structured activities
and interactions which promote teachers insights into teachers
thinking and vice versa. These incorporate proactive and responsive
guidance that continually assesses and accommodates learners
various and shifting needs.
In concrete terms, ICT enhances teaching and learning through its
dynamic, interactive, flexible and engaging content. It provides real
opportunities for individualized instruction. Further more, the
application of ICT enhances and facilitates teachers pedagogical
activities. For instance, e-learning is one most common means of
using ICT to provide education to students both on and off campus by
means of on-line teaching offered via web based system (Yusuf, 2005;
Mutula, 2003). Abifarin, (2003) asserted that the Nigeria educational
system cannot afford to ignore the potentials of ICT for its continued
survival, because no other delivering model or medium can cope with
demand for up-to-date information and ideas across the world. The up-
to-date training facilities depend to a very large extent on the ability to
harness ICT as a source of knowledge and man power development.
55
However, according to Finger, Russell, Jamieson Proctor and Russell,
2006, p.17) says without adequate infrastructure and technical support
meaningful ICT learning experiences by students might not happen at
all. Similarly, training and professional development for teacher in ICT
use needs to be effective.
2.10.8 ELEMENTS OF ICT
Hess, Leal (2001), reported that four elements of ICT are
distinguished.
a. Equipment or hardware: physical devices, such as personal
computers and mobile phones.
b. Content/data/information/subject matter: Thing to be learned
and to be learned about.
c. Connectivity: communication infrastructures which enable
data/content to be passed between and shared by the users of
hardware devices.
d. Software which control and functions and operation of the
hardware and communications and allow data/content to be
manipulated by users of hardware devices. Software is
increasingly built into (embedded in) hardware but may also be
passed between devices (just as though it is data) and then
used by them to allow new or better functionality.
56
This is of course a much simplified picture: for other purposes it is
useful to distinguish many more separate categories. Educational
software is any combination of content and software used for
educational purposes. For each of the four categories, there is or
maybe both a general and an application (education) specific
subcategory, with overlaps between them of these categories, content
is the most important, the rest are means of improving its effectiveness
and delivering. ICT provides many different modes of and tools for
information processing, including calculation, text/word processing,
spreadsheets, Databases, graphics, animation, sound, communication
(e-mail), dissemination, information retrieval and virtual reality.
2.10.9 USES OF COMPUTERS
The use of computer and its application areas are
a) E-Marketing: This can simply be defined as achieving marketing
objectives through use of electronic communications technology.
It involves moving elements of marketing strategies and
activities to a computerized networked environment such as the
internet. It is the strategic process of creating, distributing,
promoting and pricing goods and services to a target market
over the internet or through digital tools.
b) E-Banking: Internet banking or online banking is a term used for
performing transactions, payments etc over the internet through
57
a bank‟s secure website. Example is the automated money
transfer (ATM).
c) Health Service: The automatic monitoring of patient records,
diagnosis and therapy administration has been made easy with
the use of computers. The auto Doctors, magnetic resonance
scanners and computerized axial tomography are inventions
brought about by the use of computers.
d) E-Business: Electronic business is conducting business on the
internet. It includes buying, selling, servicing customers and
collaborating with business partners via internet.
e) E-Entertainment/Re-creation: The internet offers host of
entertainment such as games, music, sports. The presence of
film industry on the internet along side with various
entertainment and News websites makes the internet an avenue
for catching fun.
f) Education: Computers can be used in education in the following
ways
i. On-line Education: This term encompasses any kind of
learning that is done exclusively online. At times the
learning is through free self study website e.g. WEBCT.
ii. Application Packages: Computer aided instruction (CAI)
and computer aided learning (CAL) has tremendously
58
reduced the work load of teachers and increased students
successes.
Internet resources that are used in education includes
i. E-Mails (Electronic mail): This is the exchange of electronic
messages and computer files between computers that are
connected to the internet or other computer network. E-mail can
be used by students to communicate with lecturers, teachers
and colleagues.
ii. Virtual Library: This is one of the best ways of getting library
information via the internet.
iii. World Wide Web (www): This is a hypermedia based system for
browsing internet sites. It is called the web because it is made
up of many sites linked together; students can travel from one
site to another by clicking on hyperlinks.
iv. Usenet: This is the discussion groups on the internet that talks
about specific topics. A newsgroup is a repository, usually within
the Usenet system where students can post educational topics
for discussion.
v. File Transfer: This is the transfer of files, software‟s etc between
a host and remote computers.
vi. Data Conferencing: This is a communication session in which
two or more participants are sharing computer based data in
real time. Any participants keyboard/mouse can control screens
59
of other participants. Voice mail or voice communication can be
out of band using a totally separate voice connected or in- band
using a simultaneous voice and data technology.
vii. Video Conferencing: It involves the using of a computer, video
camera and network such as internet to conduct a live
conference between two or more people (students and
lecturers/teacher). Video Conferencing is an extremely useful
method of communication because it saves people the time and
expense of travel and can often accomplish many of the things a
physical meeting can. A two person video conference is known
as point to point, while more than two people involved in a
session is a multipoint conference.
viii. Teleconferencing/Web cast: This is the use of electronic
channels to facilitate real time communication among groups of
people at two or more locations. Teleconferencing is a generic
term that refers to a variety of technologies and application
including audio-conferencing, audio graphic, video-conferencing,
data conferencing, business, television and distance learning or
distance education.
ix. Gopher: Gopher is a distributed document search and retrieval
system. It takes a request for information and then scans the
internet for it.
60
2.11 ICT IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN UK
The use of ICT in secondary school has a recent but relatively fast
moving history in the school curriculum in the UK. In the early to
middle 1960s, computers were rarely seen in the schools and few
teachers had any formal training. With the increased availability of
computers at the end of the 1970s, computer studies examinations
courses became popular and were taught in specialist computer rooms
(DES, 1990s). Boyd Barrett (1991) argued that the interest was
restricted to male teachers of science and mathematics departments.
It was with the introduction of microcomputers in the 1980s, that it
became possible to introduce computers into individual classrooms to
support the curriculum. However, it was the introduction of national
curriculum in 1990 that established a need for computers in the school
curriculum. Pupils/students were required to use computers for their
lessons to communicate and handle information, design, develops,
explore and explore models of real or imaginary situations and
measure and control physical variables and movement (DES, 1990b).
The latest National curriculum document for design and technology (D
& T) highlights the compulsory nature of computer- aided design and
manufacture (CAD/CAM) in secondary schools as an integral part of
designing and making (DFEE, QCA, 1999). Similarly, the postgraduate
certificate of education (PGCE) students to gain qualified teachers
status (QTS) must demonstrate by the end of their courses that they
61
have achieved all the „Standard‟ required on courses of initial teacher
training (DFEE,1998). These include knowledge and understanding of,
and competence with ICT in the subject to enable them to decide
when the use of ICT is appropriate and effective to achieve their
teaching objectives.
2.12 ICT AND SECONDARY EDUCATION
Secondary education is concerned with acquiring additional
knowledge, behavioral and other skills. Possession of basic
knowledge, skills and attitudes will be assumed. Presentation of the
intellectual content will be ICT-based and largely under the control of
the pupil/student. It will involve studying subjects and skills in greater
depth. The aim will be to enable each learner to maximize their
individual potential in individual subjects. It will be concerned with
building on those, so that learners acquire further knowledge and skills
according to their aptitudes, needs and preferences. Posen and
Michelle (1995).
Education and training are fundamental to achieving priorities for the
Nigerian economy in the twenty-first century. All Nigerians need to be
“enterprising, innovative, adaptable and socially responsible
participants in the information economy‟‟ and Nigeria will be at a
serious disadvantage in the global knowledge economy if it fails to
produce workers, professionals and managers. With the skills to work
62
in the online environment (National Office of the Information Economy,
1999, p.11). These national views also are reflected in the Nigerian
Curriculum framework.
To meet this challenge, the Nigeria government has invested on
information technology in schools. However, increased spending on
ICT in schools does not necessarily quarantee improved teaching and
learning environments and improved student‟s outcomes. [Centre for
Research on information technology and organization, 1999, EDNA,
1999a; While, 1999]. Education has a poor history of successfully
meeting the challengers of shifts in information technology (Trinidad,
1998). There has been far too little research into the implementation
and educational benefits of technology rich school learning
environments. Therefore, this research as part of the larger study is
investigating on the impact of continuing professional development of
teachers in ICT on the secondary school students, as well as the
attitudes of students to using ICT in learning food science. Preston
(1998) describes some of the information technology (IT) products that
would be used in the classroom of the future to include electronic
whiteboards, which teachers can use to write on the board in the
conventional method while integrating with the computer at the same
time; delivery of lesson notes in the form of interactive presentations,
which will be projected onto the whiteboard incorporating video
animation and sound; and liquid crystal display LCD projectors, which
63
will be used in a similar way to project video images and live television
programmes. The white board helps students to develop cognitive
skills, enables ICT use to be more integrated into classroom, allow text
and images to be moved around the board and/ or changed, and
finally allows work to be saved or to be printed out (Gage, 2006).
Similarly, detachable LCD displays from laptop computers will be used
to give presentations using an overhead projector. To achieve the
effective use of these tools, scholars must learn or improve on the use
of the new set of skills associated them, such as strategies to search
for relevant materials skills in evaluating the quality of documents
found, knowledge of such web design skill in using discussion forum
and chat rooms and a basic understanding of how to send e-mail
attachment(Lacey, 1999 quoted in Ojedokun and Owolabi 2003).The
classroom of the future should have a mobile furniture i.e. tables with
mounted wheels and rolling chairs. This mobility of furniture allows the
students to see the fixed interactive white board and also makes
possible to change direction of teaching and gives students more
surface to work in groups. This classroom of the future promotes not
only a sense of well being and produces a home-like atmosphere and
its interior is technically well equipped and designed for effective
teaching. Jervis and Steeg (2000) discussed the use of internet in
secondary schools in British schools to support teaching and learning.
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2.13 TEACHING AND LEARNING STYLES AND ICT
People have preferred styles of learning. For example, some people
prefer to read or listen while others like a highly visual approach.
Research [Carbo, 1986; campell and Campbell, 1999] continues to
show what when learners are able to use their own particular styles of
learning and processing information on their motivation, initiative and
result improve.
People have preferred ways of absorbing, processing, and retaining
information (schunk, 2000) Not synonymous with academic ability, this
preference is called learning or cognitive styles. The term learning
styles or cognitive style are often used interchangeable (James and
Garduer, 1995). Gregore (1982a) defines learning styles as the way
that people perceive, sort, absorb, process and retain information.
Within and Good enough (1981) elaborated that cognitive styles are
individual differences in how people process information. Similarly,
James and Garduer (1995) defined learning style as “the ways
individual learners react to overall learning environment” (p.19). While
Dunn and Dunn (1993) added that both biological and environment
characteristics contribute to a student‟s learning style.
Teacher centered learning approaches often our passive reception of
knowledge, whereas learner centered approaches encourage a
process of active inquiry. Learners are best motivated to learn when
65
they can take responsibility for their own learning as it is an active
process.
Interactive technologies encourage active learning and with the
increased popularity of computers, today‟s students are learning with
technology, as opposed to learning about technology. Schweizer,
1999; Nelson, 2001) show, teachers can provide powerful learning
opportunities through ICT when students are responsible for their own
learning and are active learners defining their learning needs; finding
information on their own knowledge base and communicating their
discoveries. These ICT (computers) need to be carefully designed,
giving thought to the different learning styles of students and the way
in which students learning. In the information age, the implication of a
move from teacher- centered to learner centered education are that it
is important for students to be able to analyze and synthesize
enormous amount of information, thus determining what should be
learned, how it will be learned and when it will be learned.
The specific ICT competencies refer to the special skills a teacher
trainee acquires in other to enhance the quality of the teaching and
learning that takes place in the school. The special skills cannot be
acquired without the general abilities, and the general abilities are not
of much benefit if the teacher does not possess specific skills for
applying ICTs in his teaching activities. Studies in ICT development in
both developed and developing countries identify at least four broad
66
approaches through which ICTs could be adopted for teacher training
and professional development.
EMERGING
APPLYING
INFUSING
TRANSFORMING
Model depicting a continuum of approaches to ICT application for
teacher training and development
The continuum model above indicates that the skills of teacher trainee
flow from the emerging to the applying into the infusing and then
culminates in the transforming processes of the educative activities
which takes place in schools. The Emerging approach is the first stage
of ICTs skills development in teachers, here the focus is on
appreciation of technical functions, components and general uses of
ICTs, especially for education and training. This approach tends to be
theoretical and the practical components involves the personal use of
ICT such as the use of word processing to prepare worksheets,
locating information on CD-ROMs or on the internet, or communicating
with friends and family via e-mail. The emphasis here is on training of
teachers in a range of tools and applications, and increasing teachers‟
awareness of the opportunities for applying ICT to their teaching in the
future.
67
The next level of the continuum model emphasizes the application of
ICTs to teachers‟ subject areas. In the applying approach, teachers
use ICT for professional purposes, focusing on improving their subject
teaching especially in science subject (Physics, Chemistry,
Mathematics, Biology, Geography etc) in order to enrich how they
teach with a range of ICT applications. This approach often involves
teachers in integrating ICT to teach specific subject skills and
knowledge; beginning to change their methodology in the classroom;
and support their training and professional development. The infusing
approach involves the inclusion of ICT in all aspects of teacher‟s
professional lives in such ways as to improve student learning and the
management of learning processes. The approach supports active and
creative teachers who are able to stimulate and manage the learning
of students, integrating a range of preferred learning styles and uses
of ICT in achieving their goals. The infusing approaches other subjects
into project based curricula.
Transforming teaching through ICTs involves teachers and other
support staff in the school system regarding ICT as a natural part of
everyday life of the system that they begin to look at the processes of
teaching and learning science in new ways. The emphasis changes
from a teacher-centric to a learner-centric system where the teachers
is seen as a „guide by the side, rather than sage on the stage‟, helping
students as the facilitator of their learning experiences to construct
68
new learning paradigms out of the various offerings that the school
makes available to them. This shift in emphasis in learners need also
calls for new training needs on the part of the teachers, where they
would be imbued with such components of knowledge that prepares
them to annex the potentials of ICTs in sourcing and disseminating
information to their students.
2.14 TEACHER TRAINING IN NIGERIA
The initial teacher training process and the continuing professional
development of Nigerian teachers is currently besotted by a number of
changes. These are directly connected with the incessant modification
of the planning policies several times before such policies have been
appropriately implemented in its original form. These problems have
been further accentuated by the parlous state of economic
development, which has made „teaching‟ a less desirable profession
for many youth.
The NPE (1977, revised 1998, 2005) provided the objectives of
teacher education in Nigeria as follows:
To provide highly motivated, conscience and efficient classroom
teachers;
To encourage further the spirit of enquiry and creativity in teachers;
To help teachers commitment to the teaching profession.
69
However, many researchers have noted that these „lofty‟ objectives
have scarcely been met (Okebukola, 2002; Isyaku, 2002; Ukeje, 2002
& Afemikhe, 2004). For instance, the same policy document provided
that the Nigerian Certificate of Education (NCE) shall be the minimum
qualification of teachers in any level of education system (NPE, 1997,
revised 1998, 2005; p.33), but the reality is completely at variance with
this provision. According to the Situations and policy Analysis jointly
published by the UNICEF and the Federal Government of Nigeria
(1993) the Teachers Grade II certificate is still found among the
qualification of teachers in Nigerian primary schools, in many states in
Nigeria. Also, with the launching of the Universal Basic Education
(UBE) scheme in 1999, when it was found that there exists an
inadequacy in the number of available teachers for the compulsory
basic education scheme for Nigerian school children.
The National Teachers Institute (NTI) was required to introduce the
Pivotal Teachers Training Programme (PTTP) to train a cadre of
teachers for qualification much lower than the NCE and the teachers
Grade II Certificate to cater for the shortage in supply of primary
school teacher needed to met the demands of the demands of the
UBE scheme (NTI, 2004; Tahir, 2001). Amidst this obvious inadequacy
of teacher in sufficient number and quality, Ukeje (2002) echoed the
fact that teachers are the foundation of quality in the school; it is upon
their number, their quality, their effectiveness, their efficiency, and their
70
education, that depend the quality of the educative process and the
education system.
Whatever is needed in the society is always made a central part of
the school curriculum, so that learners can jointly and severally proffer
potent and innovative solutions to social challenges. But this can only
be meaningful and successful if we have the right caliber of teachers.
All existing teacher education programmes in Nigeria, Diploma in
Education, Bachelor of Education, postgraduate Diploma in Technical
education and the Nigeria Certificate in Education, all have three major
components (Afemikhe, 2004).
These are, to wit, the Foundations of education (Historical,
Psychological, Sociological, Philosophical and Religious Foundations);
Pedagogy courses (classroom Management, Curriculum Design &
Development, Counseling, Design & Construction of Methodology,
Measurement & Evaluation, Counseling, Design & Construction of
Instructional Aids, etc.); and teaching Subjects under the broad
categorizations-science, arts, social sciences. In addition, there is
usually a teaching practice exercise whose duration varies across
institutions. This is what the teacher training model looks like in a
Nigerian Teaching education institution. This model is rather restrictive
in the sense that it fails to take into cognizance the burgeoning
possibilities of information and communication technologies in the
teacher production process. Compounding the issues related to
71
teacher training as discussed above is the changing social context of
the 12st century that has placed a huge demand on teachers to
become facilitators of knowledge acquisition in remote fields which do
not have direct link with their primary professional training. The
convergence of information and communication technologies (ICTs)
has turned the whole world into a global village, making it possible to
foster interaction with people in remote geographical locations of the
world at previously unimaginable speed.
The phenomenon has also shortened the turn around period of
knowledge such that „knowledge becomes obsolete almost as soon as
it is required or learnt‟. The result of this development is that teachers
are now challenged to be at the cutting-edge of knowledge production,
modification and application. A view which has been further
emphasized by the ubiquitous forces of globalization that has made it
necessary to interact with diverse socio-cultural practices, sometimes
at the expense of local cultural influences. More than ever before, the
knowledge and capability for information and communication
technologies have become a common denominator in all human
interactions. However, the school system in Nigeria, at all levels,
seems to have been left behind in this interactivity. The entire school
curriculum require urgent overhauling and / or enrichment, to equip
participants in the education system with the knowledge, skills and
attitude for understanding and appreciating the content and structure
72
of ICTs. This responsibility for this social reorientation lies heavily on
the shoulders of the members of the teaching cadre. UNESCO (2002)
also indicated that keeping pace with technological development and
the changing competencies required of both students and their
teachers requires a state-of-the-art curriculum and appropriate teacher
development. Consequently, the teaching force in Nigeria would need
to be imbued with the rudimentary skills for applying ICTs and
products of technology in their teaching assignments to foster greater
intellectual understanding.
2.15 THE CHALLENGE OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION
TECHNOLOGIES
Across Africa and most developing countries of the world, Nigeria
inclusive there are a deluge of challenges confronting the application
of ICTs in teacher training and in the educative process in general.
These challenges include ICT in teacher infrastructures (in terms of
facilities and competent staff); lack of information and information
illiteracy in teachers and teacher trainers-technophobia; poor or
nonexistent internet connectivity; inadequate learning resources
including related educational tools, course curriculum and other
learning materials; attitude of teacher-trainees and teacher trainers
which indicates a gross lacking in independent learning skills and
reluctance to take responsibility for their own learning; software license
and highly prohibitive costs associated with the; maintenance and
73
technical support as well as poor power supply in most parts the
developing regions of the world, a problem that is peculiar to Nigeria in
particular. Countries must be able to benefit from technological
developments. To be able to do so, a cadre of professionals has to be
educated with sound ICT backgrounds, independent of specific
computer platforms or software environments. From the foregoing it is
distressing to observe that Nigeria and many other countries in Sub-
Saharan Africa fall below expectations regarding the use of ICTs in
general and particularly in instructional/learning activities. The disparity
in access to information and communications technology in Africa is
occasioned by many diverse problems, including, low bandwidth for
internet access, lack of funds to embark on full scale computerization,
irregular supply of power, inadequate functional telephone lines and
other infrastructural facilities needed to support the efficient and
effective introduction and development of the technology. Nigeria is
also short of manpower for effective utilization of software and for
maintenance. Qualified programmers, engineers and technicians are
equally difficult to find and when they are found, the (public) education
sector cannot afford to retain them, as competition from the private
sector is fierce. This lack of manpower breeds a compendium of other
problems. Teachers can only pass on skills and ideas to the learners,
if they are masters of their trade, and they are at the cutting-edge of
knowledge and developments in their disciplines. This is,
74
unfortunately not the case here in Nigeria, most teachers at all sectors
of the education system have minimal or no ICT skills and hardly use
existing opportunities to develop them. But this generation cannot
survive the challenges posited by the contemporary social realities
with this level of ignorance, technophobia and information paranoia of
the teaching force. This development, therefore calls for a rethinking of
the strategies that are adopted for teacher production in order to
enhance the drive towards sustainable development.
2.16 FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO USING ICT IN THE
CLASSROOM
According to Cox, Preston and Cox (1999), there are number of
factors which have been identified which might influence and support
teachers in using ICT in the classroom. In order to investigate these
factors further in relation to teachers‟ ICT use, the study make use of
technology acceptance model TAM developed by Davis, Bagozzi and
Warshaw (1989) which was an adaptation of theory of reason action
by Ajzen and Fisbein (1980) to investigate the reason why teachers
use ICTs. Their model, shown in Figure 1, links the perceived
usefulness and case of use with attitude towards using ICT and actual
use (system use). They tested this model with 107 adult users, who
had been using a managerial system for 14 weeks. They found that
people‟s computer use was predicted by their intentions to use it and
that perceived usefulness was also strongly linked to these intentions.
75
Figure 1 – Technology acceptance model (TAM) (Davis, Bagozzi and
Washaw, 1989)
External variables
In TAM, the external variables represent the many influences on
teachers which come from outside their sphere of control. These will
include:
The requirement of a national curriculum or national guidelines; the
changes in society with the rapid growth in the uses of the Internet and
ICT in general; school policies on using on using ICT; opinions of
colleagues; responsibilities of the teacher; pressure from parents and
students; the influence of the local education authority. Although these
have been identified as very important by a number of research
Perceived
usefulness
External
Variables
Perceived
ease of use
Attitude
Towards
use
Behavioural
Intention to
use
Actual
System use
76
studies, in leading teachers to understand the need for change and to
question their professional practice, discussed earlier, only a few could
be investigated within the scope of the project. The main focus of this
research is how teachers perceive ICTs contribution to teaching and
learning. These factors come within Davis et al‟s perceived usefulness
and perceived ease of use components.
2.17 PERCEIVED EASE OF USE
From pervious studies there are a number of factors which have been
identified which relate to the perceived ease of use of ICT, which in
our case is for experienced practicing ICT/IT users. The Impact project
(Watson, 1993) and other studies identified a wide range of skills and
competencies which teachers felt they needed in order to find ICT
easy to use. Some of these are given in Table 1 below.
Table 1- Positive and negative factors influencing perceived ease of
use
Positive Factors Negative Factors
Regular use and experience
of ICT outside the classroom
Difficult more technical support
Ownership of a computer Need more technical support
Confidence in using ICT Not enough time to use ICT
Easy to control the classroom Is too expensive to use regularly
77
Easy to think of new lesson
ideas
Insufficient access to the resources
Can get help and advice from
colleagues
Restricts the content of the lessons
Source: Cox, Preston & Cox, (1999).
2.18 PERCEIVED USEFULNESS
If teachers see no need to question or change their professional
practice according to TAM then they are unlikely to adopt the use of
ICT. However, if they ICT to be useful to them, their teaching and their
students‟ learning, then according to the empirical evidence of
pervious studies (Cox, Preston and Cox, 1999) they are more likely to
have a positive attitude to use of ICT in the classroom. In the review of
literature a number of factors which will contribute of teachers‟
perceived usefulness of ICT were identified. Some of these factors are
given in Table in 2 below.
Table 2- Positive and negative factors influencing perceived
usefulness
Positive Factors Negative Factors
Make my lessons more
interesting
Makes my lessons more difficult
Make my lessons more Make my lessons less fun
78
diverse
Has improved the
presentation of materials for
my lessons.
Reduces pupils‟ motivation
Gives me more prestige Impairs pupils‟ learning
Makes my administration
more efficient
Restricts the content of the lessons
Gives me more confidence Is not enjoyable
Makes the lessons more fun Takes up too much time
2.19 ADVANTAGES OF ICT TO SCIENCE
Science is a foundation which the bulk of present technological
development is built. Through its application, man ensures the
longetivity of his existence through various discoveries, innovations
and inventions that have improved the quality of lives of mankind. The
prestige, political power and economic survival of any nation resides in
its level of scientific activities. Developed nation of the world are so
called based on their advancement and growth in science and
technology. For Nigeria to be at par with the developed nations of the
world, there is need to make science more ensure its effective
teaching and learning in our schools.
79
Modem science curricular stresses students‟ involvement in science
activities and teachers use of pedagogy that moves always from
teacher dominated to student centered. Also, this age is witnessing the
use of ICT in teaching/learning process. Computers are important to
ICT. For a developing countries like Nigeria, computers have become
deeply involved in many areas of human life than any other dominant
technology literacy in our educational system has been considered
imperative (Abimbade, 1997; Akudolu,2002; Oludipe,2004).
Abimbade, (1997) was of the view that the use of computer as
instructional tools permit self-pacing by learners provide remedial
instruction for those who need it, and support learner‟s exploration of
all aspects of knowledge that is of interest. Badmos, (2004) benefits
that ICT enable learners to absorb more information with a short time
limit. Infact, there is a widespread belief that ICT can empower
teachers and learners, transforming teaching and learning process
from being highly teacher dominated to students centered and this
information will result in increased learning gains for students, creating
and allowing for opportunities for learners to develop their creativity,
problem-solving abilities, informational reasoning skills, communication
skills and other high thinking skills. (Trucano, 2005).
2.20 STUDIES ON TEACHERS USES OF ICTS
Previous studies into teacher use of ICTs have identified staff
development as one of the contributing factors in using ICT effectively
80
in the classroom. McCartney (2004) gave a report on an investigation
into effective staff development in ICT for teachers. A sample of
Scottish primary school teachers have been surveyed to investigate
the impact of different models of staff development in ICT on the
teachers and to explore the knowledge and skills gained by teachers
from staff development: technical; academic /content-related;
pedagogy. The results indicate the need for a much greater emphasis
to be placed on the pedagogy of ICT. This should be of interest to all
involved in teacher education and the continuing professional
development of teachers. Mosley et al. (1999 in UNESCO 2004), in a
study of primary school teachers known to be achieving either average
or above average gains on measures of relative attainment by pupils,
that focused on pedagogy using ICT. Observation showed that the
successful teachers were those who used examples and counter
examples and involve students in explaining and modeling in the
class. Teachers who favored ICT were likely to have well –develop ICT
skills and to see ICT as an important tool for learning and instruction.
They were also likely to value collaborative working, enquiry and
decision making by students. Teacher‟s pedagogical approaches are
in turn affected by a number of key factors. First, they are affected by
knowledge of their own subject. There is a clear distinction between
teachers who choose ICT resources to fit within a particular topic who
choose resources merely to present pupil‟s work in a new way, without
81
any direct application to the topic. The evidence shows that when
teachers use their knowledge both the subject and also how the
student understand with their use of ICT have more direct effect on
students‟ attainments. Cox et al., (1999) report findings of small project
funded by the Teachers Training Agency and Oracle through the
MirandaNet project, set up to investigate the factors which have
contributed to the continuing use of ICT by experience ICT and ICT
teachers in their teaching. Evidence has been collected through a
literature search, teacher‟s questionnaires, teachers‟ reports and
interviews. The factors which have found to be most important to these
teachers in their teaching were; making the lesson more interesting,
easier and more fun to them and their pupils, more diverse, more
motivating for the pupil and more enjoyable. Additionally, more
personal factors were improving presentation of materials,
Allowing greater access to computers for personal use, giving more
power to the teachers in the school, giving the teacher more prestige,
making the teacher‟s administration more efficient and providing
professional support through the internet. Gray and Souter (2004) in a
study of secondary science teachers use of ICT conducted in America
focuses on the data from one aspect of the use of ICT in secondary
subject areas, and the perception of teachers in these areas. A
comparison of science teachers‟ perception is made with teacher from
other disciplines. Although the responses of biology teachers could be
82
analyzed the number s in the study were quite small overall so a
general view is taken across the three science disciplines of biology,
chemistry and physics. Examination of the data indicated that, relative
to other subject teachers, science teachers came out positively with
regards to use and confidence in ICT. However, in absolute terms and
although the availability of computing facilities were reportedly quite
high, actual level of use was quite low. In addition, where level of use
was higher, it was with regard to a rather narrow range of applications,
particularly word-processing. In addition, little was reported in the way
of pupil use of ICT in science, teachers‟ classes. Although there
appeared to be an ICT radically changing the way in which teaching
took place, nor changing the teacher-student relationship. Science
teachers were reasonably confident in their use of ICT but felt that
they needed much more in the way of support and professional
development to maximize their use of ICT in the classroom. The
Gordon University Aberdeen (2004) in a study conducted in Scotland
on teachers ICT skills and knowledge need reported that the use of
ICT is relatively low and is focused on a fairly narrow range of ICT.
Word processing is the predominant use made of ICT in the primary
and secondary schools. There is some use of externally produced
software in both sectors and secondary teachers tend to use a boarder
range of generic packages such as spreadsheets and DTP than do
primary teachers. There is very little use of internet and WWW or e-
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mail by either primary or secondary teachers, despite the fact that the
majority of secondary schools have access to the internet. Resources
such as video conferencing and network computer conferencing are
rarely used. The study further revealed that primary teachers use ICT
primarily to support classroom practice; secondary teachers use it as
much or more for professional development and use personal use in
the classroom. Teachers are using ICT throughout the curriculum but
and attitude varies in secondary schools between subject areas.
Mathematics and science teachers use ICT relatively little while,
amongst non-computing teachers, ICT is used most by teachers of
business and management subjects.
2.21 COMPUTER ASSISTED LEARNING AND EDUCATION
CAI is about breaking down of information and skills into small pieces.
It is one of the newest instructional innovations for the learning
environment from the points of view of taught, it is fast becoming a
valuable educational resources. CAI is a general term used to
describe virtually any learning activity that is promoted by a computer
or in which a computer is involved (Beach, 1983; Hudsan 1984; Barter
and Yeata 1985) Hardly and Bostrum, for example have investigated a
number of important factors relating to the use of CAI in secondary
schools. Johnson (1985) has described similar studies relating to the
teaching of language development. CAI is schools within the UK has
been positively influenced by the government microelectronics
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education programme (Gilbert, 1982). CAI satisfied many of the
theoretical requirement for a good learning environment advanced by
leading psychological theorists such as B. F Skinne (1968). It involves
the individual actively in the learning process, which supposedly
facilitates learning (Mckenzle, Elton and Lewis, 1978). The research
finding indicated support for CAI as an effective tool in improving
learning while reducing the amount of time required for learning to
occur. The use of CAI was found to favorably affect students attitudes
towards the use of the computer in general.
However, computer assisted learning is very similar to the experiential
mode of learning. In experiential learning, seldom takes place by role
because students immerse themselves in a situation in which they are
forced to perform. But with CAI, several experimentation are collected
on the course software package to understand the concepts and
techniques. (as in physics and chemistry). Before using the software,
students will be asked to do a simple problem by hand without the aid
of a software. Then use the software to see in what format the
software provides the solution. Larger and problematic topics which
are hard to be handled by hand can be solved by CAI. In using CAI, it
involves tell me and I will forget, show me and I might remember. But
involve me and I will understand.
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2.22 COMPUTER ASSISTED TEACHING AND EDUCATION
In recent years, computer assisted instruction and computer assisted
teaching techniques has proved to be quite successful, whether in the
classroom or for individual learning. Various computer programs help
students learn writing, maths, science, English and those in the form of
games help motivate students while keeping them interested in what
they are doing.
Teaching using computers at secondary school level has many virtues,
it is patient, positive, does not forget and can keep reach of each
student‟s progress. Information that help to teach or encourages
instruction can be presented on computers in the form of text or in a
multimedia formats, which includes photographs, videos, animation,
speech and music. The guided drill is a computer program that poses
questions to students, return feedback and select additional questions
based on the students responses. Recent guided drill system
incorporate the principles of education in addition to subject matter
knowledge into the program.
Using multimedia in education results in the increasing productivity
and retention rates because people remember 20% of what they see,
40% of what they see and hear and about 75% of what they see, hear
and do simultaneously.
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Computers also can help student visualize objects that are difficult or
impossible to view for example, computers can be used to display
human anatomy, molecular structures or complex geometrical objects.
Exploration and manipulation of simulated environments can be
accomplished computer assisted teaching technique ranging from
virtual laboratory experiments that may be too difficult, expensive or
dangerous to perform in a school environment to complex virtual
worlds likes those used in airplane flight simulators.
Computer assisted teaching technique tools, such as word processors,
spreadsheet, and databases, collect, organize, analyze and transmit
information. They also facilitate communication among students,
between students and instructors and beyond the classroom to distant
students, instructors and experts.
Computer assisted teaching techniques system can be categorized
based on who control the progression of the lesson. Early systems
were linear presentations of information and guided drill and control
was directed by the author of the software.
2.23 STUDENT ATTITUDE TOWARDS ICT
ATTITUDE FORMATION
Much psychological research have been undertaken in the area of
attitude and attitude formation. Common findings in the research
shows that attitude and beliefs are linked, attitude and behavior are
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linked and attitudes are essentially likes and dislikes. Ben (1970)
maintains that our affinities for and aversions to situations, objects,
persons, groups or any other identifiable aspect of our environment,
have roots in our emotions, behavior and social influences upon us.
However, attitude connotes a subjective or mental state of preparation
for action. Attitude finds their roots in our beliefs and they influence our
behavior. They represent the way in which we view the world and
organize our relationships. Attitudes are literally mental postures and
guide for conduct to which each new experiences is referred before a
response is made. Droba (1933) described attitude as a mental
disposition of the human individual to act for or against a definite
object. Krueger and Reckless (1931) defined attitude as a residuum of
experience which conditions and controls further activity. More
research indicates that attitude represents a summary of evaluation of
a psychological object and is described both internally and externally
is dimensions such as good-bad, likeable-dislikeable, harmful-
beneficial, pleasant-unpleasant (Ajzen and Fishbeins, 2000; Eagly
chaiken 1993).
If students who are approaching an interaction with elements of an
online learning program such as an animation may have already
based their attitude towards the experience on past interactions such
as formal learning situations which incorporate information and
communication technology (ICT) as well as the abundance of such
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technologies available on a daily basis through media in general. Their
attitude may also be influenced by their perceptions of the
relationships between conflicting dimensions of the visual
representation before them.
Krech, critchfield and livson (1958), describe attitudes as being
comprised of three main components: the cognitive, the affective and
the behavioral. The cognitive component categories the individual‟s
ideas and beliefs regarding an event or object. This cognitive category
must also become associated with pleasant or unpleasant event. This
results in the category becoming charged with meaning and a
behavioral pattern develops. Behavioral pattern may be developed in
the sample towards interaction with technology. The behavioral
component is comprised of beliefs regarding the correct behavior
towards member of a particular category. Over a period of time and
following a series of experiences students develop either favorable or
unfavorable feelings associated with certain interactions. These
feeling may form the basis of their attitudes towards their own self
conceptualization of the use of ICT as a means of enhancing learning.
According to Markman and Brendl (2000), Human being experience a
positive reaction or attitude towards objects that assist in the
attainment of their personal goals, and negative reactions and
attitudes towards objects that in some way hinder the attainment of
desirable outcomes.
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Student attitude towards ICT emerge through the interaction with
animation utilized for learning. The idea that attitude function to
evaluate psychological objects would appear to imply that individuals
hold only one attitude towards a given object at any one time. Recent
research indicates that this is simplistic and that when attitude change,
the new attitude may override but not completely replace the one
attitude. Wilson et al (2000) suggests that a model of dual attitudes is
a more realistic conceptualization in that people can hold two different
attitudes towards an object at any given time. Wilson et al (2000)
posits that while an individual is capable of interaction with two
different attitudes at once, one can be viewed as implicit while the
other operates more manifestly as explicit in expression. The implicit is
automatically activated when the individual is presented with an
attitude object while the explicit is more likely to require cognitive
effort. Wilson et al (2000) found that implicit attitudes exerted more
influence than explicit attitudes over involuntary non-verbal behavior
signaling discomfort such as excessive blinking, avoidance of eye
contact and spatial distance. During life, expression lead to formation
of many different beliefs about objects, action and events. Some
attitudes may be stable over time, other may exhibit frequent shift.
According to Fishbein and Ajzen (1975), a person‟s attitude towards
an object is primarily determined by no more than five to seen beliefs
that are salient at any given time. But, it appears to be impossible to
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obtain a precise measure of the beliefs that determine an individual‟s
attitudes, since the number of salient beliefs may vary from person to
person. Fishbein and Ajzen (1975) postulated that attitudes are
inextricably linked to and based upon beliefs and evaluate responses
associated with those beliefs. Ajzen and Fishbein (2000) went further
to infer that evaluative responses meaning arises spontaneously and
inevitably as we form beliefs about an object. Each belief associates
the object with a certain attribute which is embedded in context,
culture and memory. According to Havgtevedt (1997) and Miniard and
Barone (1997), beliefs are only one possible influence on attitudes.
Zajonc (1980) had already indicated in earlier research that attitudes
may also be controlled by affective processes. Verplanken et al.
(1998) supported zagonic‟s work who suggests that evaluative
response times were less for those participants being asked how they
attitude object. Verplanken‟s study indicated that the affective aspect
underlying attitudes are more easily accessible in memory and it may
be that these aspects play a larger role in the formation of attitudes
than previously thought.
2.24 STUDENT ATTITUDES AND MULTIMEDIA IN EDUACTION
The theory of planned behavior suggests that when students engage
and interact with a particular program or software element is
influenced by attitudes towards using ICT. However, in the present
stage of ICT-based educational developments, multimedia approaches
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have become an important component of the educational process.
Passing and Levin (2000) provided an in-depth analysis of multimedia
packaged and stated that when using multimedia approaches in
learning, the student does not only study the subject matter, but also
study or deal with the synthetically programmed environment. The
ease of use and the uniformity of the multimedia interface have
significant implications for both leaders and students, since they
provide a platform for higher level of motivation, concentration, and
understanding of the content being studied.
Multimedia is a judicious mix of various mass media such as print,
audio and video or it may mean the development of computer based
hardware and software packages produced on a mass scale and yet
allow individualized use of learning. Fenrich (1997) defined multimedia
as the existing combination of computer hardware and software that
allows you to integrate video, animation, audio, graphics and test
resources to develop effective presentations on an affordable desktop
computer. Philips (1997) say multimedia is characterized by the
presence of text, pictures, sound, animation and video; some or all of
which are organized into some coherent program.
The term multimedia describes a number of diverse technologies that
allow visual and audio media to be combined in new ways for the
purpose of communication, education, entertainment and advertising.
However Neo and Neo (2001) described multimedia as the
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combination of various digital media types (images, sound, video, text)
they complete an integrated multi-sensory interactive application to
present the information to an audience. According to Agnew,
Kellerman and Meyer (1996) multimedia means an individual or a
small group using a computer to interact with information that is
represented in several media, by repeatedly selecting what to see and
hear next. However, using multimedia in education results in the
increasing productivity and retention rates.
In an exclusive interview with some student at sevenoaks senior
college on the use of ICT for learning indicated that with ICT, the
students could access WebCT for course information, WebCT
provides the students with the means to access the course outlines,
objectives, information about assessment and notes for each subject
(IDS4:2001).
Students are able to access the lesson notes and contents ( in cases
where schools have personal site containing a tailored course profile
with direct links to the subjects that apply to them). Students indicated
their enthusiasm about the advantages that ICT (WebCT) provides.
For many subjects, students felt that ICT offered them flexibility,
allowing them to work at their own pace (albeit to a deadline). The
objectives were made clear and the content to be covered was explicit.
Student felt that, if they missed a class, they were in a position to catch
up more easily than a traditional classroom and there was also the
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option to move ahead if they wished to do so. Some students felt that
ICT reduced the amount of paperwork that needed to be carried from
lesson to lesson, and therefore the likelihood of loosing papers and
notes was also reduced. ICT can be used by a number of students to
communicate with teachers and to email assignment.
Some online courses have been developed, some of which includes
English (related to the analysis of television drama), physics (related to
nuclear physics) using a constructivist frame work (Feynman, 1963;
Kuhn, 1962; Vygotsky, 1962) to support students construction of
knowledge rather than the transmission of knowledge. This tend to
build connections between prior knowledge to form more integrated
understanding, support inquiry activities and emphasise the
collaborative construction of knowledge.
Chemistry software prepared by ETH (Eidgenossiche Technische
Hochschule Zurich/Switzerland) are available through the internet.
This software includes experiments on the subject concepts, which
can be viewed on real player.
2.25 MANAGING STUDENT’S ATTITUDE TOWARDS SCIENCE
Many factors could contribute to student‟s attitude towards studying
science. Slee (1964) indicated that students‟ attitude and interest
could play substantial role among pupils studying science. Several
studies (including Simpson, 1978, Wilson, 1983, Soyibo, 1985) report
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that students‟ positive attitudes to science correlate highly with their
science achievement. Again, Balogun (1975) reported that, in general,
the attitudes of Nigerian students towards the basic sciences tend to
decrease in the order, Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Mathematics.
Defiana (1995) found that using integrated science environment
activities improved high school students‟ attitudes towards and
awareness about the environment. Abimbade (1983) reported that
students exposed to a programmed instruction recorded higher and
more favourable attitude toward mathematics. Aiyelaage (1998) also
reported a more positive attitude of students after exposing them to
self learning strategy. Similar results were obtained by Udousoro
(2000) after using computer and text assisted programmed instruction
and Popoola (2002) after exposing students to a self learning device.
Halladyna and Shanghnessy (1982) have concluded that a number of
factors have been identified as related to students‟ attitude to science.
Such factors includes; teaching method, teacher‟s attitude, influence of
parents, gender, age, cognitive styles of pupils, career interest,
societal view of science and achievement. Studies have revealed the
influence of methods of instruction on students‟ attitude towards
science. Kempa and Dube(1974) worked on the influence of science
instruction; the result was that attitude becomes more positive after
instruction. Long (1981) also concluded that diagnostic-prescriptive
treatment promotes positive attitude. From National Survey (Weiss,
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1987) student attitudes towards school seem to deline as the students
progress through school. Further studies have shown that students
maintain a poor attitude towards school, with that attitude declining
from junior to senior school (Harms, Bybee, and Cages, 1979; Hofstein
and Welch, 1984).
2.26 STUDENTS ATTITUDE TOWARDS MATHEMATICS
Without mathematics there cannot be any meaningful progress in
science and technology. Mathematics plays the backbone role in
science and technology. It is also the foundation upon which science
are built. The pivot around which all science subjects revolves.
However, students attitude towards mathematic can be obtained
through their statements, their performance and general behaviors
towards the subject. Hassan, (1982) discovered in his study that
factors of poor academics performance reside in students, teachers
and home. He said lack of student‟s commitment to and motivation for
the work as reflected by high truancy rate, lack of concentration during
lessons, inability to study well, neglect of assignment and pleasure
seeking attitudes contributes substantially to poor performance and
negative attitude to mathematics. Samson (1987) was of the opinion
that lack of teaching aids, shortage of qualified teachers and poor
teaching method have contributed to students negative attitude to
mathematics. James (1990) carried out a study on the attitude of
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students towards mathematics says students develop hatred due to
some scientific termindogy, which are in Latin words. He further said
ineffective method of teaching mathematics; unqualified mathematics
teachers in schools have influenced student‟s attitude.
2.27 STUDENTS ATTITUDES TOWARDS CHEMISTRY
Chemistry is one of the three main branches of pure science. It has
contributed immersely towards providing our basic need and improving
the quality of life. One of the objectives of teaching chemistry in our
secondary as identified by Baja, Taibo, onmu, and obikwere (1999) is
to provide student with basic knowledge in chemical concepts,
principles, and adequate foundation for a post secondary course.
A number of factors are responsible for poor performance of students
in chemistry. Some of which include
i. Inappropriate methology of science delivery.
ii. Lack of sufficient chemistry equipment and facilities (Jasper, 2006).
iii. Mathematics concepts involved in chemistry and abstract nature of the
subject (Nwokoro, 1992).
iv. Lack of dedication and resourcefulness on the part of science teachers
(Ogunsola, 1998). Lack of suitable learning environment, student‟s
attitude towards chemistry, allocation of limited time, the emphasis
during instruction on solving numerical problems, the confusing nature
of acid base terminologies, lack of agreement about what should be
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included in the chemistry curriculum, and emotional state of student
during test and examination (Olatatunde, 2000; Sheppard, 2006).
2.27 BENEFIT OF ICT TO TEACHERS
There is considerable evidence of the impact of ICT on teachers and
teaching. Ruthven, Hennessy and Deaney (2004) eliciting situated
expertise in ICT integrated science teaching identified, documented
and analyzed exemplary cases of a range of teaching practices which
integrate the use of ICT to support the earning of science. This
enabled them to understand how practitioners adapt their expertise
when new technologies are introduced into school settings.
With ICT, teachers can design lessons around carefully
controlled situations intended to focus attention on target issues,
structured according to their assessments of the capacities of
students to manipulate variables and interpret models or results
appropriately.
Teachers use ICT to increase the ease, speed and accuracy
with which routine tasks could be carried out, helping to focus
attention on the key ideas, and allowing varied examples and
possibilities to be considered.
Teachers ensured that students appreciated ICT mediated
processes and products, sometimes through probing them to
analogues „done by hand‟.
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Teachers exploit the immediate feedback, ready modification
and dynamic visual presentation afforded by ICT in order to
make concepts more salient and accessible to students.
An overwhelming majority of teachers in Europe (90%) use ICT
to prepare their lessons (Empirica, 2006).
Teachers use ICT to plan lessons more efficiently and more
effectively due to a more collaborative approach and the sharing
of curriculum plans with colleagues and mangers (Higgins,
2005; Harrison, 2002).
Effective exploitation of information management systems lead
to increased and formalized cooperative planning between
teachers and this has a positive impact on teaching practices
(Underwood, 2006). However, there is not a positive picture of
the use of learning management system or visual learning
environments. They are still under exploited and used
predominantly for administration purposes (Kessel, 2005;
Underwood, 2005; Ramboll management, 2006).
Issuing teachers with their own laptop computer increases
positive attitudes towards their work (Becta, 2003).
2.28 IMPACT ON LEARNERS
Case studies examined in a study, indicate that relatively few teachers
in the sample offered direct evidence of ICT‟s impact at attainment,
preferring instead to concentrate on it‟s positive effects on behavior,
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motivation, communication and education authorities on the impact of
the use of interactive white boards in literacy and primary science
lessons in primary schools found that teachers and pupils were
positive about this technology, with reports of increased motivation of
learners. The evaluation show that multimedia and interactive content
on interactive whiteboards is engaging and motivating and that
students pay more attention during lessons. Thanks to the stimulating
nature of the presentation.
Structured approaches to internet research develop students search
and research skills which are transferable across the curriculum
(Becta, 2006).
Interactive whiteboards make a difference to aspect of classroom
interaction (Higgins, 2005).
ICT enhances a more student centered learning approach. ICT allows
for greater differentiation with programmes tailored to individual
„students‟ needs. In other words, ICT provides teachers with the
opportunity to provide various learning tasks within the same
classroom for the benefit of the individual students. According to the e-
learning Nordic 2006 study, students work more in cohesion with their
own learning preferences, resulting in a favorable impact on both
academically strong and weak students. Students with special needs
or behavioral difficulties gain in different ways from the use of ICT; ICT
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supports their motivation and concentration and teachers become
more aware of students needs and problems.
The use of ICT and ICT competences had increases in many schools
together with student‟s motivation, joy of learning and reading skills.
Norwegian Pilot project reported that students assume greater
responsibility for their own learning when they use ICT, working more
independently and effectively.
With ICT, students receive more tasks and greater insights into
teacher‟s aims, and are able to work at their own tempo with tasks
appropriate for their level of study. Through the use of ICT, (Diverse
learning situations) equip students with range of skills and work
techniques which make them develop confidence in their own capacity
to learn, that eventually enables them to perform better in their
subjects.
2.29ATTITUDES TOWARDS BIOLOGY AND SCIENCES
This term attitude towards biology and learning other sciences is
used to refer to a general and enduring positive or negative feeling
about science (Koballa and Crawley, 1985). However studies report
that some students have negative stereotypes of science and scientist;
they view us as “nerds” or “mad scientists” (Gardner et al, 1989).
Others describe us as hard, old, frightening and colorless (Brush,
1979). This beliefs lead to a negative attitude towards science.
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Uno (1988) reported that students feel biology is not critical to
their lives and as such develop a negative attitude towards the subject.
Savadea (1976) said media sometimes presents scientific
achievements as foreboding, and the media is possibly to blame for
the negative attitudes of students towards science. The grades
students receive also affect their feelings about their feelings about
their ability to understand scientific content and their attitudes toward
science. Low grades decrease students self-esteem and promote
academic retrogress while high grades increase students esteem and
promote academic progress (Gottfried, et al. 1993).
Attitudes is a key ingredient in how students confront
educational challenges. However, thoughts on why students attitudes
towards biology and other sciences in general is negative is
dependent on a host of factors such as the students past experiences,
sense of competence need to acquire knowledge, motivation, goals,
home backgrounds, school and classroom environments, biases of
peer groups and student‟s perception of rewards associated with
learning. Science anxiety, the fear of science learning and
apprehension towards scientists and scientists and science related
activities. (Gottfried, et al. 1993).
Student‟s attitudes towards science decrease with age as
reviewed by (Ramsden, 1998, Osborne, Simon and Collins, 2003)
boys to how more positive attitudes towards science than girls
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(Simpson and Oliver, 1985, Schibeci and Riley; Obrien and porter,
1994; Francis and Greer, 1999) and more negatives attitudes
associated with the physical sciences rather than biological sciences
(Spall, Stanisstreet, Dickson and Boyes, 2004).
Attitude towards physic is more negative as age of student
increases (Spall et al, 2004). However, Gardner (1975) reported that
curriculum and teacher‟s also affects attitude of students.
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CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1 INTRODUCTION
In this chapter, the following topics are described. They include: The
research design, population of the study, sampling and sampling
technique, instrumentation, validity of the instrument, reliability of the
instrument; method of data collection, methods of data analysis.
3.2 RESEARCH DESIGN
The study employed descriptive survey method. The method was used
to allow for a vivid description of the impact, continuing professional
development of teachers in information and communication technology
is having on the attitude of secondary school science students to
learning science. However, this method was used to gather data from
a relatively large number of cases at a particular time. (Schreiner and
Sjeberg,S, 2004).
3.3 POPULATION OF THE STUDY
The population of the science students is seven hundred and seventy
two (772) which were drawn from four schools used for the study. New
Horizon college has one hundred and forty three(143) science
students while El-Amin International schools has one hundred and
sixty two (162) science students, Himma International college has a
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record of one hundred and ninety seven (197) science students, lastly
Hill Top model school has 270 science students. Out of this population
five hundred and sixty seven (567) were males and two hundred and
five were females.
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3.4 SAMPLING AND SAMPLING TECHNIQUE
The sample size of this study comprised two hundred and forty (240)
senior secondary school science students randomly drawn from four
selected co- educational schools in MInna metropolis, Niger State. 60
science students from each of the selected schools but 20 science
students from each arm. New Horizon College, Himma Int‟l College,
El-Amin Int‟l schools and Hill-Top Model schools were the selected
schools used for this research, where the sample was drawn. The
choice of 60 respondents for each school was purposive in order to
permit the choice of equal number of male and female subject which
are relevant for this study. The researcher in this situation deserves
the right to this application as reported by Schreinar and
(Sjeberg,2004).
3.5 INSTRUMENTATION
The modified questionnaire was designed by the researcher
titled “Impact of continuing professional development of teachers in
information and communication technology on the attitude of
secondary school science students (QICPDTICTASSSS) and was
used for data collection. The questionnaire (instrument) consists of two
sections. Section A request the respondent‟s demographic
information like the name of school, age, class sex. Section B consists
of forty (40) questions of likert type response format in which the
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respondents were to choose. For positive statements, response s were
assigned 5, 4, 3, 2, as the scores for choosing strongly agree with
(SA), agree(A), undecided(U), disagree(D) and strongly
disagree(S.D)respectively, while negative statements were scored in
the reverse order. 20 of the items favored a positive attitude while 20
others favored negative attitude.
In exploring attitudinal construct for the questionnaire, items
were drawn relating to concepts which are important components of
the attitudinal measures considered in this research. They include
attitude towards;
1. Utilization of computers.
2. Likes and dislikes of science subjects.
3. Attitude towards teaching and learning of science subjects.
4. Application of method.
5. Curricular development.
6. Attitude towards handling equipments for practical.
7. Achievement.
8. Interest of students.
9. Career in science.
10. Motivation for studying
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PILOT STUDY
The instrument was pilot tested in the following schools
1. Ahmadu Bahago Senior Secondary School A.
2. Ahmadu Bahago Senior Secondary School B.
These schools where not part of the four schools selected for this studies.
20 students from each of the schools were randomly selected for the pilot
test. The pilot test was carried out in order to establish the reliability of the
instrument. After the test, items that were not responded to or were
seemingly redundant were discarded.
VALIDITY OF THE QUESTIONNAIRE
For the purpose of the pilot test, forty-six items were submitted for
validation. Three experts constitutes the supervisory committee. One
supervisor from department of science education, FUT minna, the second
person is my project supervisor and lastly an expert from ICT department
of Federal University of Technology Minna, Niger State. After serious
scrutiny, suggestions and modification. Six items were discarded. Forty
items were certified to have content validity.
RELIABILITY OF THE QUESTIONNAIRE
The reliability of the questionnaire was obtained after a pilot study.
Forty items were administered to 20 students (10 from each school) of
SSS Classes of Ahmadu Bahago Senior Secondary School (ABSSS) A
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and B selected for the pilot study. The instrument was administered to the
students at a sitting. 40 questions were collected and scored. After two
weeks, forty items were re-administered to same 20 students (10
students from each section) at ABSSS A and B. This is known as test and
re-test method. The result obtained was calculated using the Pearson
product moment correlation coefficient. The Pearson product moment
correlation coefficient is 0.89 at 0.05 level of significance. This indicated
that the instrument is reliable.
3.6 PROCEDURE FOR DATA COLLECTION
The questionnaire was administered to 240 science students (two
hundred and forty students) in four different schools in Minna, Niger state.
Namely; New Horizon College (NHC), El-Amin international school (EL-
AIS), Himma international college (HIC) and Hill-Top Model School
(HTMS) minna. Copies of the questionnaires were administered by
researcher, the Heads of Department, sciences and the computer teacher
of these schools visited and assisted in the distribution of the
questionnaire. The questionnaires were administered to the respondents
through a face to face contact. The purpose of the exercise was
explained to the respondents in each school and maximum co-operation
was sought in completing the questionnaires. After completion, they were
collected immediately from the respondents. 10 questionnaires were not
returned by the respondent (questionnaire mortality).
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3.7 DATA ANALYSIS TECHNIQUE.
After the data were collected, the responses were scored to enable the
researcher reduce the information into statistical form. The data was
analyzed using frequency distribution, simple percentage method which
analysis of variance (Anova), Statistic and Scheffe Test, using the Statistical
Package for Social Science (SPSS) software. The following formula was
used to calculate the percentages of both the total agree and total disagree
respectively in respect of research question one which is a qualitative
research question.
% agree/disagree= Total agree/disagree X 100
Grand Total 1
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CHAPTER FOUR
DATA ANALYSIS AND RESULTS
4.1 INTRODUCTION
In this chapter, the analysis of the data and the results obtained were
presented. The data was obtained from the scores of the questionnaire
completed by the students (respondents) who constituted the sample for the
study.
4.1 Answering research question one:
The research question states that: What is the attitude of secondary school
students on the impact of continuing professional development of teachers in
information and communication technology to learning science.
111
112
Table 4.1 Shows that 43.38% of 230 students had positive attitude on the
impact of continuing professional development of teachers in information and
communication technology to learning science while 39.06% had negative
attitude. This represents a total of 3,926 responses of the total students who
agreed on the professional development of teachers‟ impact on ICT to their
attitude and 3,535 who disagreed on its impact on their attitude respectively.
4.2 HYPOTHESIS ONE (HO1)
Hypothesis 1 (HOOne) states that: There is no significant difference between
SSS1, SSS2 and SSS3 students attitude on the impact of continuing
professional development of teachers in information and communication
technology to learning science.
Table 4.2a Anova analysis on the differences between SSS1, SSS2 and
SSS3 on the impact of continuing professional development of
teachers in ICT on the attitude of students learning science.
Source of
Variance
Sum of
squares
df Mean
Square
Fcal Fcrit Sign.
level
Between groups
Within groups
Total
6473.517
87655.565
94129.083
2
227
229
3236.759
386.148
8.382* 3.07 0.0001
113
Table 4.2a shows the ANOVA analysis on the differences between SSS1,
SSS2 and SSS3 on the impact of continuing professional development of
teachers in ICT on the attitude of students to learning science. From the
table, there is significant difference in their responses (Fcal=8.382>Fcrit
3.07; df 2,227; p<0.05). Therefore HO1 is rejected. Hence there is significant
difference on the impact of CPD of teachers in ICT on the attitude of
students to learning science.
Since Anova shows that there is significant difference in the responses
in the three groups, hence there is need to carry out post hoc test to find out
where the differences lies. Hence the Scheffes Post hoc test will be used for
this purpose.
114
Table 4.2b shows the result of the Scheffes Post hoc test
(I) (J) Mean
Difference (I-J)
Sign Level Remark
SSS1 Vs
SSS2
-7.4605 0.068 Not significant
SSS1 Vs
SSS3
-12.9367* 0.000 Significant
SSS1 Vs
SSS3
-5.4762 0.224 Not significant
From the table, there is no significance difference in the mean response
between SSS1 and SSS2, similarly there is no significant difference in the
mean response between SSS2 and SSS3. However, there is significant
difference in the mean responses between SSS1 and SSS3, this indicate
that the differences in the responses lies between SSS1 and SSS3 on the
impact of CPD of teachers in ICT on the attitude of students learning
science.
4.3 HYPOTHESIS TWO (HO2)
There is no significant difference between students age groups (13-15
years and 16-18 years) attitude on the impact of continuing professional
development of teachers in information and communication technology to
learning science.
115
Table 4.3 Anova analysis on the difference between students age
groups (13-15 years and 16-18 years) attitude on the impact of CPD of
teachers in ICT to learning science.
Source of
Variance
Sum of
Squares
df Mean
square
Fcal Fcrit Sign.
level
Between groups
Within groups
Total
4687.337
88389.311
93076.648
1
228
229
4687.337
387.672
12.091* 3.92 0.001
*significant at 0.05
Table 4.3 shows the Anova analysis on the responses of age groups (13-
15years and 16-18 years) attitude on the impact of CPD of teachers in ICT to
learning science. From the table, there is significant difference in the mean
responses of the two age groups (13-15 years and 16-18 years). (Fcal
12.091>Fcrit 3.92; df 1, 228; p<0.05). therefore HO2 is rejected. Hence there
is significant difference between the age groups on the impact of CPD of
teachers in ICT on the attitude of students learning science.
4.4 HYPOTHESIS 3 (HO3)
Hypothesis 3 states that there is no significant difference between male and
female students attitude on the impact of continuing professional
116
development of teachers in information and communication technology to
learning science.
Table 4.4, Anova analysis on the responses of male and female
(gender) students attitude on the impact of CPD of teachers in ICT to
learning science.
Source of
Variance
Sum of
Squares
df Mean
square
Fcal Fcrit Sign.
level
Between
groups
Within
groups
Total
48.852
95700.035
95748.887
1
228
229
48.852
419.737
0.116* 3.92 0.733
*significant at 0.05
Table 4.4 shows the Anova analysis on the difference between male and
female students attitude on the impact of CPD of teachers in ICT to learning
science. From the table, there is no significant difference in the mean
responses of the gender. (Fcal 0.116<Fcrit; df 1,228; p<0.05). Therefore HO3
is not rejected. That is, there is no significant difference between the
responses of male and female students attitude on the impact of CPD of
teachers in ICT to learning science.
117
4.5 DISCUSSION OF RESULTS
The major aim of the study is to find out the impact of continuing professional
development of teachers in information and communication technology on
the attitude of students learning science. Three null hypothesis were
formulated and Anova and Scheffe post hoc test were used to analyse the
responses obtained from the respondents.
The discussion of the result is presented according to the research questions
and hypothesis below;
Research Question
What is the attitude of secondary school students on the impact of continuing
professional development of teachers in information and communication
technology to learning science.
The result in table 4.1 indicates that majority of the students agreed that
continuing professional development of teachers in information and
communication technology has impact on the learning achievement of
students in science. This schools that using computer to teach science
subjects had positive impact on the attitude of the students. This research
outcome is corroborated by Udousoro (2000), who reported a more positive
attitude of students after exposing them to computer and text assisted
programmed instruction, Popoola (2002) a positive attitude of students after
exposing the students to a self learning devices, Abimbade (1983) who
recorded higher and more favourable attitude towards mathematics and
118
Aiyelaagbe (1998) who also reported a more positive attitude of students
after exposing them to self learning strategy.
Table 4.2b show that there is significant difference in the impact of
continuing professional development of teachers in information and
communication of teachers. But a more clarification is given in table 4.2b to
show where the difference lies. From the Scheff‟s post hoc test carried out,
there is significant difference between SSS1, SSS2 and SSS3 students on
the impact of continuing professional development of teachers in information
and communication technology to learning science. However the hypothesis
of no differences was rejected, at 0.05 level of significance. This means that
the higher the student‟s class level the more positive attitude they possess.
Hypothesis 2 (HO2)
Table 4.3 shows that there is significant difference between the two groups
(13-15 and 16-18 years) on the impact of continuing professional
development of teachers in information and communication technology on
the learning attitude of science students. This study result is in support of the
findings of National Assesment of Educational Progress (NAEP), (1987) that
it is imperative that students develop, at an early age, favourable attitudes
towards science, and that this favourable orientation be maintained
(Anderman and Machr, 1994; AAAS, 1989) and Ramsden,1998; Osborne,
simon, & Collins, 2003 who reviewed that students attitude generally
decrease with age.
119
Table 4.4 shows that there is no significant difference in the responses of the
male and female students attitude on the impact of continuing professional
development teachers in information and communication technology on the
attitude of students learning science. This may be as a result of the computer
used for the teaching and learning of science. The use of simulation visual
modes aided the students.
This is supported by Barrination and Hendricks (1988) who found no gender
differences in their recent study on attitudes toward science with gifted and
average students. This study result is against the previous reports by
scientists that males demonstrated significantly more positive attitudes
towards science than females (Simpson and Oliver, 1985)
4.6 SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
1. Secondary school students in minna metropolis, Niger State have
positive attitude to the impact of CPD of Teachers in ICT to learning
science.
2. There is significant difference between SSS1, SSS2, and SSS3
student‟s attitude on the impact of CPD of Teachers in ICT to
learning science. This means that the higher the students class level,
the more positive attitude the possess.
3. There is significant differences between the age groups of students
on the impact of CPD of teachers in ICT on the attitude of students to
120
learning science. This means the higher the students advanced in
age the more positive attitude they possess.
4. There is no significant difference between male and female students
attitude on the impact of CPD of teachers in ICT to learning science.
This means gender does not influence the positive attitude students
possess on the impact of CPD of teachers in ICT to learning science.
121
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.0 INTRODUCTION
This chapter discusses the summary of findings of the study,
conclusion and recommendations in the light of the findings of the study.
5.1 SUMMARY
From the analysis, it is seen that the CPD of the teachers in the ICT had
positive impact on the attitude of student to learning science. This is as a
result of the use of simulation, animation, visual learning modes, charts,
pictures and clips of scientific concept and processes which might otherwise
not be possible. The use of these ICT infrastructures had broadened the
students‟ horizons thereby making science learning easier for the students.
However, from the results obtained in this study, gender disparity has been
eliminated as both the male and female science students showed positive
attitude to learning science.
The higher the students age (16 – 18 years) and the higher the students
class level, the more positive they are to learning science. It is thus
recommended that employers of teachers should embrace CPD practices
and lifelong learning that will enable science teachers to keep abreast with
ICT development for continual acquisition of new knowledge, new skills and
its application
122
5.2 IMPLICATION OF THE STUDY
The implication of the study is that there is positive impact of
continuing professional development of teacher in ICT on the attitude of
students learning science. Using ICT for teaching and learning science
makes science lesson more exciting, motivating, interactive and fun.
However, the drudgery of learning certain activities by hand example
drawing graphs, charts etc is eliminated thereby improving the students
problem-solving skills. It increases the teachers and students proficiency in
computer usage and this may in turn make the students to work privately and
take autonomy of their scientific investigation thereby making them to take
control of their learning. The use of simulation to show experiments that
would not otherwise be possible and visual modes of presentation of some
scientific concepts and processes enhances the students understanding of
science. As a result of this, students now see science as an authentic,
relevant and interesting subject to learn. This will increase the students
understanding thence improve the students performance achievement.
It the performance of the students have improved greatly, this will
encourage other students who are technophobia or have phobia in science
to embrace this subjects with every enthusiasm. Thereby meeting the goal of
National policy on Education (NPE) which states that the ratio of science to
art students in our tertiary institution should be 60:40 will be achieved.
123
Another implication of this study is the gender disparity is eliminated.
Previous research showed that male are more inclined to learning science
than the female counter-part. With this study, exposing the males and
females to some instruction have proved a more positive result. This will
make the Nation to have more female Engineers, Doctors and Miners in the
nearest future.
5.3 CONCLUSIONS
From the findings of this study the following conclusions were drawn.
1. Continuing professional development of teachers in information and
communication technology has positive effect on the attitude of
students learning science.
2. The male and female student‟s attitude towards science leaving is the
same as a result of the impact of the continuous training of teachers in
ICT.
3. Student of ages 16-18yrs develop more interest in science learning
than the order students, as a result of the impact of CPD of teachers in
ICT.
4. Irrespective of gender, students have positive attitude on the impact of
CPD of teachers in ICT.
124
5.4 RECOMMENDATIONS
1. Teacher training and professional development oriented policies
should support ICT related teaching models.
2. Employers of teachers and science teachers themselves should take
advantage of the several on-going in-service training on ICT by
participating with enthusiasm and partnering with organizers to expand
the tenure of such training or workshops, for the purpose of long term
benefits for teachers.
3. From this study, it is shown that most of the respondents were drawn
from private schools. This indicates that proprietors of these schools
are really putting up effort in providing ICT equipment in their schools.
It won‟t be out of place, if the ministries of education and local
government education authorities provide computers and other ICT
infrastructure in all the government owned schools so as to encourage
teachers and students to use them effectively in the teaching and
learning science.
4. Emphasis must be placed on pedagogy behind the use of ICTs for
teaching and learning science.
5. Science teachers should embrace the continuing professional
development practices and lifelong learning that enables teachers to
keep in touch with ICT development, new knowledge and research in
teaching and learning of science.
125
6. The sample used in the study was drawn from a state out of the 36
states of Nigeria. In light of this, future research should try and build on
the limitations of this study by expanding f its scope to cover more
states.
7. Effort should as well be made to compare ICT availability and use
among science teachers in private and government own secondary
schools in the country.
126
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130
131
APPENDIX ‘A’
QUESTIONNAIRE ON THE IMPACT OF CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT OF TEACHERS IN INFORMATION AND
COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY ON THE ATTITUDE SECONDARY
SCHOOL SCIENCE STUDENTS (QCPDICTTASSSS)
Dear respondents,
I am conducting a survey in to the impact of continuing
professional (CPD) of teachers in information and communication technology
(ICT) on the attitude of secondary school science students.
Your views or opinions are vital as they will enable the researcher to
analyze your likes and dislikes, interests and motivations on the impact of
CPD of teachers in ICT. All information given will be treated with all
confidentiality. Please try to answer all the questions as best as you can.
SECTION A: DEMOGRAPHIC DATA
1. Name of School
2. Class level
3. Age
4. Your sex: Male…………………….. Female………………………..
SECTION B
Please indicate your choice by ticking the appropriate column. For
example, if you strongly disagree with the statements, put a tick in the
column under SD. Similar, tick under SA for strongly agree, A for agree, D
for disagree and N for Neutral. You can only tick one column for any number.
132
S/N ITEMS SA A N D SD
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
Continuing professional development (CPD) of
teachers in ICT have raised standard of
science learning in secondary schools.
CPD of teachers in ICT have not raised the
standard of science learning in secondary
schools.
CPD of teachers in ICT makes science
teaching and learning more enjoyable.
CPD of teachers in ICT does not make
teaching and learning science enjoyable.
CPD of teachers in ICT makes science lesson
more attractive.
CPD of teachers in ICT does not make science
lesson more attractive.
CPD of teachers in ICT makes science lesson
more difficult.
CPD of teachers in ICT does not make science
lesson too difficult.
CPD of teachers in ICT have impaired
student‟s attitude towards learning science.
CPD of teachers in ICT have motivated the
students to learn science.
CPD of teachers in ICT have not motivated the
students to learn science.
CPD of teachers in ICT makes students to
work privately and take autonomy in their
scientific investigation.
CPD of teachers in ICT does not make
students to work privately and take autonomy
in their scientific investigation.
133
14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26
CPD of teachers in ICT makes science
students gain control of their learning.
CPD of teachers in ICT does not make science
students gain control of their learning.
CPD of teachers in ICT builds both the science
teachers and students proficiency in computer
usage.
CPD of teachers in ICT does not build both the
proficiency of the teachers and students in
computer usage.
CPD of teachers in ICT helps the science
students to eliminate the drudgery of doing
certain learning activities by hand e.g drawing
graphs etc.
CPD of teachers in ICT does not helps the
science students to eliminate the drudgery of
doing certain learning activities by hand.
CPD of teachers in ICT helps to improve
student‟s attitude towards learning science
subjects.
CPD of teachers in ICT does not help to
improve student‟s attitude towards learning
science subjects.
CPD of teachers in ICT helps to improve the
science student‟s problem-solving skills.
CPD of teachers in ICT have not improved the
student‟s problem-solving skills.
CPD of teachers in ICT enable science
teachers to use simulation to show
experiments that would not otherwise be
134
27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38
possible.
CPD of teachers in ICT makes it difficult to use
simulation to show experiments that would not
otherwise be possible.
CPD of teachers in ICT enables science
teachers to use visual modes of presentation to
aid student‟s understanding of scientific
concepts and processes.
CPD of teachers in ICT does not make
teachers to use visual modes of presentation to
aid student‟s understanding of scientific
concepts and processes.
CPD of teachers in ICT have made it easier for
students to choose science courses such as
medicine, engineering courses etc in the
universities.
CPD of teachers in ICT does not make it
possible for students to choose careers in
science subjects in the universities.
CPD of teachers in ICT have not impaired
student‟s attitude towards learning science.
CPD of teachers in ICT have encouraged and
improved student‟s performances in science
subjects.
CPD of teachers in ICT have not encouraged
and improved student‟s performance in science
subjects.
CPD of teachers in ICT have increased the
morale and achievements of students, studying
science subjects.
CPD of teachers in ICT have not increased the
135
39 40
morale and achievements of students studying
science subjects.
CPD of teachers in ICT makes it possible and
easier for the science teacher to control the
class during lessons and practical.
CPD of teachers in ICT does not make it
possible and easier for the science teacher to
control the class.
CPD of teachers in ICT makes science more
authentic, relevant and interesting for the
science students.
CPD of teachers in ICT fails to make science
more authentic, relevant and interesting for the
science students.
CPD of teachers in ICT enable the teachers to
be clear on how to use ICT to support science
lesson objectives.
CPD of teachers in ICT does not enable the
teachers to be clear on how to use ICT to
support science lesson objectives.