A COMPARATIVE ASSESSMENT OF THE USE OF ICT IN TEACHING BIOLOGY (A CASE STUDY OF SELECTED SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN ILE-IFE)

CHAPTER ONE

1.1.     Background to the Study

Biology is a widely studied subject. The knowledge of it calls for a balanced secondary school education. Biology as a school subject may be a factor in improving the lives of students and their immediate environment.

In a developing country like Nigeria, the use of "ICT" in the teaching of Biology should be promoted in all secondary schools, since the national policy on education states that "the broad aims of secondary education within overall National objectives should be preparation or higher education". In specific terms, secondary education should equip students so that they can be able to live effectively in our modern age of science and technology.

Information Communication Technology (ICT) has positively transferred effectively and efficiently every aspect of human lives such as Education, Aviation, Agriculture, Manufacturing etc. In Nigeria, it appears that most students and schools lack facilities such as Information Communication Technology facilities, the influence of media devices such as projectors, perhaps may improve the teaching-learning process of the subject, Biology.

1.2. Statement of the Problem

There is a need for steady evaluation of the impact of ICT in the teaching of essential subjects such as Biology! This is with a view to ascertaining the level of success recorded in terms of students performance in Biology with the increased wave of computer based education system in Nigeria.  

1.3.      Aim and Objectives

The aim of the present study focuses on the impact of ICT in the teaching and learning of Biology in secondary schools.

The specific objectives are:

     i.        To determine students performance in Biology within a non-ICT equipped secondary school system;

   ii.        To determine students performance in biology within an ICT equipped secondary school system.

  iii.        To account for the disparity in students performance within the two contexts of secondary schools if there is any and (iv)Indicate the serious need for a comprehensive ICT-aided teaching of Biology in secondary schools in Nigeria.

1.4. Research Question

     i.        How relevant is the use of ICT in teaching Biology as a secondary school subject?

   ii.        Do students perform better when they are taught Biology by the means of information communication technology (ICT).

1.5.  Hypothesis

There are no significant differences in the performance of students who learn Biology by the means of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and those who do not.

1.6. Scope of the Study/Delimitation

Six schools in three local government areas in Ile-Ife were used for this study as time and cost did not permit examining all schools within the selected local government areas.