CHAPTER ONE
1.0
BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
Online learning
are web-based classrooms. According to Musbah and Mohammed (2013), e-learning
is rapidly evolving with the use of online learning.
They enable
educators and learners to have continous access to course materials, broadcast
announcement, submit and receive feedback on assignment and network. (Lonn
& Teasley, 2009).
Advance in
e-learning are opening new opportunities for distance learning. The use of
e-learning in delivery of education has a major implication for learners in
institutions. It is widely accepted that advances in e-learning and new
development in learning science, provide opportunities to create well-designed,
learners-centered, interactive affordable, efficient, flexible online learning
environment,higher education institutions in developing countries such as
Nigeria. The term e-learning embraces a variety of electronic delivery media,
for example: web-based multimedia, interactive television, virtual classrooms,
video conferencing etc.
However, the
degree of sophistication in education through the use of computer has become
more pronounced than ever before, all over the world. Since the world is now a
global village, Nigeria cannot afford to ignore the role which e-learning plays
in achieving the national goal in technology development.
In this project,
e-learning is defined as teaching and learning that are deliverd, supported and
enhanced through other use of digital technologies and media. We consider it
mostly off campus learning through synchronous or asynchronous method which may
encompass a few face-to-face meeting, but the default mode occured by distance.
e-learning in
Nigeria is still on its infancy stages and there are only a few on line
programs. During the last two decades, the use of internet has been a major
problem to the teaching and learning activities. Students have misuse the use
of internet for learning to a fun and distraction media. These made researchers
to disagree with the use of e-learning and desire to adopt the traditional
method of teaching and learning.
Nowadays,
E-learning has a competitive advantage over traditional method of teaching
mathematical concepts. Often students choose to use this method because they
can work at their own pace, they can take as many or as few classes as they
wish, they can study when they have the time, and because e-learning provides
24hours 7days accessibility to course materials, enables student centered
teaching approaches, instructors accessibility, and helps instructors save
time. Support is usually provided from
the teachers or professors that mark the student’s course work, and they can be
contacted in person, over the phone, or through e-mail. Online learning enables
each student to view another student’s answers and learn through the exposure
to different perspectives through tools like blackboard’s discussion Board and
Chat (Sharing of ideas).
The internet can
be used as a supplement to traditional instructional methods, to complement a
lecture; instructors may ask students to find specified web sites to gain more
in-depth knowledge about a particular topic. An instructor may also ask
students to search the internet for information on services offered in a
particular location. In preparation for a class topic, students may be asked to
search the internet to learn about different organization groups or populations
of a particular aspect.
The internet
facilities may also be used to replace the traditional calssroom lecture. A
number of courses are being developed in which portions of the course or the
entire courseware are offered via the internet. The instructor may place course
notes on web pages, may create a video recording of a live lecture for viewing
on the internet, or use combinations of these ideas. Foryth (2008) discussed
several methods of preparing courses for the internet including facilitating
the use of video clips on web pages as the use of forms and other graphics on
web pages.
1.1 STATEMENT
OF THE PROBLEM
A lot of
research work have been carried out in the area of e-learning. Some Authors
have been able to establish the fact that the use of e-learning approach
contrary to the traditional approach brings a lot of improvement to our
educational system, most especially at secondary school and post secondary
school level. However, enough efforts have not been made in the area of
studying the effects of e-learning on the teaching and learning of mathematical
concepts in our various universities.
Therefore, This research work is to find out the effects
of E-learning on teaching and learning of mathematical concepts at the
university level. Though, University of Ibadan is to be used as a case study,
The result obtained will still be applicable in some other tertiary
institutions.
1.2 AIMS AND
OBJECTIVES
1.
To identify the
adequacy and effectiveness of the e-learning facilities in the teaching and
learning of mathematical concept in University of Ibadan.
2.
To determine the effect
of e-learning on teaching and learning of mathematical concept.
3.
To analyse the factors
affecting e-learning in the teaching and learning of mathematical concept.
1.3
RESEARCH
QUESTIONS
1. How
adequate and effective are the e-learning facilities in the teaching and
learning of mathematical concept in University of Ibadan?
2. What
are the effects of e-learning on the teaching and learning of mathematical
concept in the university?
3. What
are the factors affecting the effectiveness of e-learning in the teaching and
learning of mathematical concept in the university?
1.4
PURPOSE
OF THE STUDY
The main purpose
of this study is to analyse the impact of E-learning on teaching and learning of mathematical concept
using University of Ibadan as a case study.
1.5 RESEARCH
HYPOTHESIS
HO:
There is no significant effect of e-learning on
teaching and learning of mathematical concept.
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE
OF THE STUDY
This research
work serves as an eye opener to all stakeholders with specific regard to the
usefulness of e-learning in the teaching and learning process most especially
in the handling of mathematical concepts.
This reserch
work would be of paramount impotance in the following area:
1.
It helps the curriculum
developer to know how best to incorporate th concepts of e-learning in to the
university curriculum.
2.
The result of this
study will also assist parents to decide whether there is a need to provide
computer facilities for their children or not.
3.
It may will serve as a
yastic to measure educational standards of our various universities especially
when compared with their contemporary in diaspora.
4.
It may serve as a
source of motivation to government to provide the basic ICT facilities in our
Universities and some other tertiary institutions.
5.
It may also charge the
University administrators to buckle up in the area of providing more ICT
facilities for their various institutions.
6.
The result of this
research may also motivate the students to learn more about the use and
applications of ICT especially about the E-learning tools.
7.
On the part of the lecturers,the
result obtained may motivate them to attend more conferences, workshop,
seminars to update their knowledge in the area of using e-learning tools in
teaching of mathematical concepts.
8.
Finally, the result
obtained may enable our student to compete favourably with their contemporary
in the external world.
1.7 LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
This study is designed to be
carried out in the university of Ibadan, in Ibadan, but due to short time
allotted for the completion of the study, the researcher find it difficult to
cover the entire population in the higher institution (university of Ibadan).
There are many obstacles millitating against a large scale research, the major
one among them is poor state of the nations economy. If not for the difficulty
in getting enough funds, the research will have been spread to other
Universities to carry out some findings.
Another
problem encountered during the conduct of this study is the inadequate
information supplied by the respondent. Some respondent feel reluctant to
supply correct information.
1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS
For
the purpose of this study, the following conceptual terms are used.
1.
COMPUTER:
It is an electronic device (machine) that accepts data (Inputs) and processes
data into a meaningful output called information.
A computer is a general purpose device
that can be programmed to carry out a set of arithemetic or logical operations
authomatically, since a sequence of operations can be readily changed, the
computer can solve more than one kind of problem.
2.
INTERNET:
The internet is a global network of computer that communicate using a common
language. It is simpler to the international telephone system with the single
exception that is one aims or control the whole thing.
Internet is a global network connecting millions of computers. Is a massive
network of networks, a networking infrastructure.
3.
ELECTRONIC
LEARNING (E-LEARNING): is a type type for all
types of Technology Enhancing Learning (TEL).
E-learning is an online education defined as the self-paced or real time
delivery of training and education over the internet to an end-user device.
(Lee & Lee, 2006)
E-learning is the delivery of a learning, a training or education program by
electronic means (Li, Lau, & Dharmeudran, 2009).
4.
TECHNOLOGY
ENHANCING LANGUAGE (TEL): This has the goal to
provide social tchnical innovations.
5.
TEACHING:
This is the activities of educating or instructing; activities that impart
knowlege or skills; the job or profession of teacher. It is something that is
taught; the ideas and beliefs that are taught by a person,religion etc.
6.
LEARNING:
is a process through which there is a change in behaviour in order to solve a
problem arising within the situation environment.
Learning is the act of acquiring new, or modifying and reinforcing, existing
knowledge, behaviors, skills, values, or preferences and may involve
synthesizing different types of information.
7.
MATHEMATICAL
CONCEPTS:This is a general idea behind an
equation problem or formula in math. A math concept explains why math works in
a certain way.