AN ASSESSMENT OF INFORMATION COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT) ROLE IN THE TEACHING AND LEARNING OF SOCIAL STUDIES IN LAGOS STATE SCHOOLS

ABSTRACT

The study assessed the role of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in the teaching and learning of social studies in junior secondary schools in Lagos state. The study adopted a descriptive survey design and the population for the study consisted of all social studies teachers in Lagos state. Two hundred (200) social studies teachers were randomly selected from one hundred (100) public junior secondary schools in the six educational districts.The instrument was a questionnaire titled “Assessment of Information Communication Technology (ICT) role in the Teaching and Learning of Social Studies Teachers’ Questionnaire”. The study was guided by three research questions and two hypotheses. The findings of the study indicated that, there is no significant difference between computers related tools usage in the classroom and self-perception of efficacy; there is no significant difference between teacher’s computers related tools usage in the classroom and level of expertise. The study concluded that the proper use of ICT can help to involve learners in active participation, working at their own pace, become self-regulated, self-motivated, and thus facilitate effective teaching and learning of Social Studies.

Key words: Information communication Technology (ICT), teaching and learning, social                       studies.

INTRODUCTION AND LITERATURE REVIEW

At every level of education, educational technology is perceived as a vehicle for curriculum enhancement. Studies including Hadley & Sheingold, 1992; McDaniel, Melnerney & Armstrong, 1993; Hannafin & Saverye, 1993) have indicated that educational technology has the potential for enhancing student learning. Educational technology in this context refers to technology that is employed in the classroom for the purpose of student instruction (Buck, 1994). It is all about computer-based technology including computer hardware, software, CD-Rom, videodisc player and the Internet. These forms of technology provide teachers and students with vast quantities of information in an easily accessible, non-sequential format that can be used as teaching tool. Chapin and Messick (1992) and Imogie (1998) noted that the role of technology in teaching and learning is rapidly becoming one of the most important and widely discussed issues in contemporary education policy. In Africa, concerted efforts have been made by many governments including Nigeria to initiate Internet connectivity and technology training programmes. Such programmes are expected to link schools and libraries around the world to improve education; enhance cultural understanding; develop vital skills of creativity, problem-solving and independent thinking which the youth need for survival in today’s global setting.

According to the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, “Information Technology is the study or use of electronic equipments, especially computers for storing, analyzing and sending out information”. According to UNESCO (2011), “ICT is a scientific, technological and engineering discipline and management technique used in handling information, its application and association with social, economic Information and Communication Technology (ICT) means involvement in the classroom.  More  specifically  ICT  can  be  defined  as  the  use  of  all  conceivable digital media in managing and processing information. Information is power. “No more swords to be feared than the learned pen”. The phrase is so old that its origin cannot be traced.  With knowledge come learning, skills, adaptability, understanding and activism-all factors that contribute to the growth of an equitable society.  ICT offers the means to acquire this power.  Since knowledge is vital, it follows that the acquisition of knowledge must be life-long. 

ICTs are making dynamic changes in society. They are influencing all aspects of life. The influences are felt more and more at schools. Because ICTs provide both, students and teachers with more opportunities in adapting learning and teaching to individual needs, society is forcing schools aptly respond to this technical innovation. Tinio (2002), states the potentials of ICTs in increasing access and improving relevance and quality of education in developing countries. Tinio further stated the potentials of ICT as follows:

Ø  ICTs greatly facilitate the acquisition and absorption of knowledge,

Ø  Offering developing countries unprecedented opportunities to enhance educational systems,

Ø  Improve policy formulation and execution, and

Ø  Widen the range of opportunities for business and the poor.

One of the greatest hardships endured by the poor, and by many others, who live in the poorest countries, in their sense of isolation, and ICTs can open access to knowledge in ways unimaginable not long ago.

In Watsons’s (2001) description, ICTs have transformed the way people work today and are now transforming education systems. As a result, if schools train children in yesterday’s skills and technologies they may not be effective and fit in tomorrow’s world. This is a sufficient reason for ICTs to win global recognition and attention. For instance, ICTs are dependable tools in facilitating the attainment of one of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which is achievement of universal primary education by the year 2015.

The uses of ICT is making major differences in the learning of students and teaching approaches. Schools in the Western World invested a lot for ICT infrastructures over the last 20years, and students use computers more often and for much larger range of applications (Volman, 2005).

According to Plante & Beatle (2004, p.28); outline benefits of ICT to Secondary School as follows:

Ø  ICT allows teachers to broaden and enrich the curriculum;

Ø  Overall, ICT enables the curriculum to be more challenging and enriching;

Ø  ICT enables students to go beyond the prescribed curriculum, thereby facilitating an increased knowledge base.

According to Beuke-Amiss and Chiware (2006), the use of ICTs in Nigeria and African countries generally is increasing and dramatically growing. However, while there is a great deal of knowledge about how ICTs are being used in developed countries, there is not much information on how ICTs are being introduced into schools in developing countries. Looking at the developing countries according to these authors, there is generally limited access time per month using ICTs by both the teachers and students, and even less time spent with reliable Internet access. It should be noted that availability of ICTs vis-à-vis access in term of ratio of teachers and students differs significantly.

Despite this, the new and emerging technologies challenges the traditional process of teaching and learning, and the way education is managed. While information communication technology is an important area of study in its own right, it is having a major impact across all curriculum areas. Easy worldwide communication provides instant access to vast array of data, challenging assimilation and assessment skills (Fowowe, 2006). Rapid communication plus increased access to ICTs in the home, at work, and in educational establishment, could mean that learning becomes a truly lifelong activity- an activity in which the pace of technological change forces constant evaluation of teaching process itself, several studies reveal that students using ICT facilities mostly show higher learning gains than those who do not use.

For instance, Kulik’s (1994) finding across 75 studies in the United State showed the following;

(1)   Students who used computer tutorials in mathematics, natural science, and social science score significantly higher on tests in these subjects. Students who used simulation software in science also score higher.

(2)   The findings also indicated that primary school students who used tutorial software in reading scored significantly higher in reading score. Very young students who used computers to write their own stories scored significantly higher on measures of reading skill.

(3)   Moreover, students who used word processors or otherwise used the computer for writing scored higher on measures of writing skill.

Hannafin and Savenye (1993) point out that the teachers’ role in the classroom can be viewed as a continuum. At the one end is the teacher as a traditional lecturer and importer of knowledge. This is in accordance with objectivist views of learning. At the other end is the teacher as a coach, observer, and facilitator. This fits into the constructivist view of learning. Teaching in pupil-centered learning environments requires a different attitude of the teacher than teaching in traditional instructional settings: ‘Teachers will need to move from providing face-to-face teaching and text-based learning to facilitating individualized, interactive, media-based learning, and learners will need to be empowered to accept far greater responsibility for their own learning.’ (Latchem et al,1993).

In a social interaction process among pupils and between the pupils and the teacher, pupils gather knowledge    in an active manner. The teacher must not be too supportive, because this forces the pupils into a passive, receptive role. As the pupils show they can perform the respective tack independently, the teacher’s support gradually vanishes (‘fading’). The gradual shift from teacher-centered learning to pupil-centered learning is time-consuming and requires skillful teachers (Robinson and Latchem,2003).

Iding, Crosby and Speitel (2002) describe several roles teachers fill when they are helping children to learn in computer-enriched classrooms. Initially, they serve as instructors to children in the use of computers. Later, as children gain more experience, the teacher’s role moves to that of a coach. By using computers themselves, teachers can also serve as models to children. Finally, teachers must be critics of computer software, learning to select the best software to enhance children’s development. Hannafin and Savenye (1993) point out that the teachers’ role does not change simply by using the computer in the classroom: ‘The change occurs only to the extent to which a shift of responsibility to the learners occurs. The more responsibility and freedom is given to the learners, the greater the shift in the teachers’ role’ (p.28).

Thus, computer-based teaching of Social Studies in Nigerian secondary schools will help to enhance the intellectual and creative potentials of the students. The active involvement of the students in the generation of their own knowledge in this process will certainly produce active rather than inert knowledge characteristic of the teacher-dominated pedagogy. Such students will be better equipped with vital skills of problem solving and productive living. ICT integration in schools is needed in order to accomplish many objectives and improve the quality of lessons in all subject areas , as well as , social studies. ICT increasingly pervades various aspects of our daily lives like work, business, teaching, learning, leisure and health. Since ICT leads all processes based on information, every individual in a society should become technology competent. Thus, all schools have to be equipped with the necessary ICT in order to provide the next generations with the needed tools and resources for access and use and to attain the expected skills.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

However, the emphasis on computer-based teaching and learning of Social Studies in Nigerian secondary schools becomes more urgent considering the prevailing teacher-dominated approach to schooling and teaching in the country. Learning is largely passive and products of the schools are rated low in creativity, critical thinking and problem-solving, apparently, because the schools have failed to develop such skills in them through the integration of digital technologies into the curriculum implementation process. Although the developing countries including Nigeria have become aware of the invaluable role of technology in effective teaching and learning, they have not been able to make significant progress in improving education through this medium. Based the potency of educational technology to improve education and ameliorate most of the ineffectiveness in the schooling process in Nigeria, it becomes necessary to assess the use of educational technology by social studies teachers in the primary and secondary schools. This study is therefore aimed at finding out the proportion of social studies teachers who use technology for teaching and the factors that are related to their use of educational technology. In order to achieve the objectives of the study, the following research questions and hypotheses were raised:

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1.       What is the adequacy level of the various aspects of ICT availability/access for social studies teachers’ in schools?

2.       What are the factors hindering social studies teachers’ readiness and confidence during technology usage in the teaching – learning process?

3.       What are the teachers’ perceptions about the perceived ease of using ICT for Social Studies?

RESEARCH HYPOTHESES

Based on the objectives of this study, the following null hypotheses were postulated and tested at 0.05 level of significance.

1.      There is no significant difference between teachers’ computer related tools usage in the classroom and self-perceptions of efficacy.

2.      There is no significant difference between teachers’ computer related tools usage in the classroom and level of expertise.

METHODOLOGY

The study adopted a descriptive survey design and the population for the study consisted of all social studies teachers in the six educational districts in Lagos state. Two hundred (200) social studies teachers that formed the study sample were randomly selected from one hundred (100) public junior secondary schools in the six educational districts. The instrument used for the study was a researcher designed and validated questionnaire, titled Assessment of Information Communication Technology (ICT) role in the Teaching and Learning of Social Studies Teachers’ Questionnaire (AICTTLSSTQ). The first section was designed to elicit relevant background information from respondents. The second section of the questionnaire contained statements pertaining to variables that influence the teachers’ educational technology use. Respondents indicated their assessment of the variables on a 4-point Likert scale.The validity of the instrument was determined by subjecting the items to the critical judgment of four independent experts in Tests and Measurement and Social Studies. The reliability of the instruments was established through a test-retest reliability method . It was administered twice within a two-week interval. The data obtained from the two occasions were subjected to Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation test. A reliability coefficient of 0.83 was obtained, which indicated that the research instrument was reliable. The statistical techniques for the data collected varied in accordance with the nature of research questions and hypotheses. Frequency counts and percentages scores were computed to answer the research questions, while T-test statistical tool was used for the test of hypotheses.

RESULTS

Research Question 1:      What is the adequacy level of the various aspects of ICT availability/access for social studies teachers’ in schools?

Table 1:       Availability of ICT Facilities in Schools

ITEMS	Agreed		Disagreed
	Frequency (N)	Percentages (%)	Frequency (N)	Percentages (%)
Computer	78	39	122	61
Interactive board	0	0	200	100
Internet	13	6.5	187	93.5
Projector	16	8	184	92
Multimedia	34	17	166	88
Visual library	0	0	200	100
Educational software	19	9.5	181	90.5
Scanner	17	8.5	183	91.5

The results in table 1 are on the availability of ICT facilities in secondary schools. Results showed that ICT facilities are not readily available, with items 15 to 22. 61% of the teachers stated that they do not have enough computers. The study showed that none of the school covered in this study have interactive boards and virtual library. 6.5% of the respondents said their computer systems are connected to the internet while 8% of the respondents said their school has projector connected to the computer systems. 17% of respondents said that they have multimedia while 9.5% said there schools has educational software for teaching and learning and 8.5% of respondents said that they have scanner connected to their computer system for copying images to the computer system in their schools. The implication of this result is that, even when teachers are trained and willing to use ICT in their teaching, they may be discouraged because of the availability level of the required ICTs.

Research Question 2:      What are the factors hindering social studies teachers’ readiness and confidence during technology usage in the teaching – learning process?

Table 2: Barriers Social Studies Teachers’ Faced During Technology Usage

ITEMS	Agreed		Disagreed
	Frequency (N)	Percentages (%)	Frequency (N)	Percentages (%)
Inefficient time to prepare materials based on technology	123	61.5	77	38.5
Inefficiency of teachers’ technical knowledge to prepare materials based on technology	198	99	2	1
Limited access to the internet	194	97	6	3
Inefficiency of institutions computer laboratory	183	91.5	17	8.5
Shortage of computers used by teachers	166	83	34	17
Poor technical and physical infrastructure of learning environments.	194	97	6	3
Inefficiency of guidance and support by administration	174	87	26	13
Insufficiency of financial resources for technology integration	196	98	4	2
Lack of interest of teachers in technology usage	143	71.5	57	28.5
Inadequacy of the courses of technology offered to teachers	196	98	4	2

The results in table 2 are on the Percentage of Assessed Barriers that Social Studies Teachers’ Faced during Technology Usage in Teaching-Learning Process in secondary schools. Of the 10 statements, results showed that 8 have been rated by more than 80% of the teachers as major barriers to adoption of technology into the teaching-learning process and 61.5% respondents said inefficient time to prepare materials based on technology  was the least of these 10 statements. The top three Barriers that Social Studies Teachers’ Faced During Technology Usage in Teaching-Learning Process in secondary schools are, inefficiency of teachers’ technical knowledge to prepare materials based on technology (99%); insufficiency of financial resources for technology integration (98%); and inadequacy of the courses of technology offered to teachers (98%).This result indicate that there are major barriers to the use of ICTs by teachers in schools.

Research Question 3:      What are the teachers’ perceptions about the perceived ease of using ICT for Social Studies?

Table 3: Teachers’ perceptions about the perceived ease of using ICT for Social Studies

ITEMS	Agreed		Disagreed
	Frequency (N)	Percentages (%)	Frequency (N)	Percentages (%)
I use the computer to teach my students social studies in the classroom	45	22.5	155	77.5
I use the computer to keep records of my students offering social studies	67	34.5	133	66.5
I browse the Internet to get materials for teaching Social Studies	13	6.5	187	93.5
I can use a search engine such as Google	71	35.5	129	64.5
I can use a scanner to copy images	23	11.5	177	88.5
I can set up a multimedia projector	18	9	182	91

The Table 3 show that 77.5% of the respondents do not use the computer to teach their students social studies. 34.5% of them use the computer to keep their students record. 6.5% use the internet to get materials for teaching social studies while 35.5% of the respondents used the google search engine not for material purpose of teaching the students in the classroom but for personal purposes. 11.5% can make use of the scanner for images, while 9% can set a multimedia.This result imply that the use of ICTs to encourage active students’ participation in learning has not been fully comprehended and appreciated by teachers.

TEST OF HYPOTHESES

1.    There is no significant difference between teacher’s computer related tools usage in the classroom and self perceptions of efficacy.

Table 4: Computer related tools usage in the classroom and self perceptions of efficacy

GROUP	Mean	N	df	t-cal	t-tab	Decision
Computer related tools usage	16.97	52	198	0.724	1.999	Not Significant
Self perception of efficacy	54.16	148

The table 4 revealed that the number of responses on computer related tools usage was 52 and number of responses on self perception of efficacy was 148. Moreover, the means values of teachers’ computer related tools usage in the classroom and self perceptions of efficacy were 16.97 and 54.16 respectively. However, the t-calculated is less than the t-critical at 198 degree of freedom i.e. 0.724<1.999 at 0.05 level of significance. Therefore, the null hypothesis was accepted. Thus, there is a non significant difference between computers related tools usage in the classroom and self perception of efficacy.

2.    There is no any relationship between teacher’s computer related tools usage in the classroom and level of expertise.

Table 5: Computer related tools usage in the classroom and level of expertise

GROUP	Mean	N	df	t-cal	t-tab	Decision
Computer related tools usage	17.13	105	198	0.867	1.998	Not Significant
Level of expertise	18.76	95

The table 5 revealed that the number of responses on computer related tools usage was 105 and number of responses on level of expertise was 95. Moreover, the means values of computer related tools usage in the classroom and level of expertise were 17.13 and 18.76 respectively. However, the t-calculated is less than the t-critical at 198 degree of freedom i.e. 0.867<1.998 at 0.05 level of significance. Therefore, the null hypothesis was accepted. Hence, there was a non significant difference between teacher’s computers related tools usage in the classroom and level of expertise.

DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS

The results revealed that the availability of computing facilities and the actual level of use of teachers in teaching and learning process was quite below average. However, good number of social studies teachers admitted that computer is mostly available in their schools for instructional aims than the projectors, multimedia, scanner, educational software while on the other hand, all the respondents’ claims that they do not have interactive board and visual library in their respective schools.

Some of the teachers who are versatile in the use of computers system reported that they find Microsoft word and Microsoft Excel relevant and resourceful, using ICT for analyzing and keeping records of their student while Microsoft power-point (making slide presentations) and Microsoft access (database management) are rarely used. This finding agrees with earlier position that; in recent years major steps were taken in many countries to supply schools with ICT infrastructure (Pelgrum & Anderson, 1999), in the hope that technology will support innovative pedagogies and improve the teaching and learning processes. However, one of the main difficulties concerning the diffusion of innovative ICT based practices in schools is finding ways to engage teachers and students in using the new technologies effectively (Dodgson & Bessant, 1996).

Moreover, findings from this study suggest that social studies teachers understand the benefits of ICT usage in education. Social studies teachers considered computers as a viable educational tool that has the potential to bring about different improvements to their schools, students, lesson note, and to enhance lesson delivery, more productive and effective as a teacher in the classrooms. The findings of the study indicated there is a non significant difference between computers related tools usage in the classroom and self perception of efficacy. In addition, the study revealed that there was a non significant difference between teacher’s computers related tools usage in the classroom and level of expertise.

The minority of teachers acknowledged the importance of using ICT in their own teaching. The majority of teachers also reported a lack of confidence in applying ICT in their teaching. Based on these results, it was observed that most teachers were not computer literate, and those that were are not deep inclined having the knowledge, skills required for adequate using of ICT to teach the student in the classroom. Training course desired needed for the teachers is highly implode to be put in place for the teachers in order to enhance skills in pedagogical and technical use of the ICT-based learning, program components and an increased motivation for using ICT.

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

In light of the findings of the study, it can therefore be concluded that by integrating information and communication technology into secondary school curriculum, a fundamental shift in the way teacher teach, and students learn will be evolved. The challenges of carrying out classroom instruction and research become less stressful with the advent of information and communication technology (ICT). Social studies education is a multi-disciplinary and problem-solving subject which demands that varieties of methods, materials, and learning experiences are required in its teaching and learning. ICT provides several kinds of materials, methods, skills, learning experiences that are used to solve political, cultural, economic and environmental problems that surround man. Utilization of ICT in teaching and learning of Social studies can assist the teacher and learners to discover new concepts, learn from other people’s view points, and experiences and understand that there are several solutions to a particular problem. The use of ICT can help to involve the learners in active participation, working at their own pace, become self-regulated, self-motivated and thus facilitate teaching and learning of the subject.

The following were however recommended based on the findings of the study:

1.       Government should ensure that adequate resources and enabling infrastructure should be made available in schools to facilitate the use of ICTs in the entire schools’ instructional programmes. Education Tax Fund should be involved in procuring computer for secondary schools.

2.       Government should revisit the curriculum at secondary schools level with a view to incorporating the use of computer and ICT assisted instruction in the teaching and learning process.

3.       Teachers at secondary school levels should be trained on the use of ICT facilities through regular seminars, conferences and computer literacy workshops to keep them abreast of computer and ICT based instruction with innovations in teaching social studies differently than before.

4.       All stakeholders in the school system should be adequately equipped to utilize ICT for teaching and managing activities in the system.

5.       Regular in-service training programmes should be available to teachers and school managers on how to integrate ICTs in schools.

6.       Ministries of Education are urged to increase, improve and diversify teacher education and support head teachers as leaders of change; to build ICT into general educational policies, emphasizing the pedagogical dimension; and to ensure access to high quality equipment and digital learning resources.

7.       Primary schools should capitalize on learners’ ICT competence, strengthen the pedagogical use of ICT, develop an open knowledge-sharing culture with external stakeholders, and exploit the potential of ICT as a catalyst for change and tool through which to fulfill educational goals.

8.       Research should exploit innovative methods to assess ICT impact and shift the research focus towards the learner and the school. It is recommended to establish a long term and continuous monitoring system at European level on the impact of ICT in schools, by developing a toolkit for indicator use by schools, researchers and policy-makers, to achieve greater consistency across countries.

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