CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
According to DfES e-Learning Strategy Unit (2003),
e-Learning exploits interactive technologies and communication systems to
improve the learning experience. It has the potential to transform the way people
teach and learn across the board. It can raise standards, and widen
participation in lifelong learning. It cannot replace teachers and lecturers,
but alongside existing methods it can enhance the quality and reach of their
teaching, and reduce the time spent on administration. It can enable every
learner to achieve his or her potential, and help to build an educational
workforce empowered to change. It makes possible a truly ambitious education
system for a future learning society. It is on this note of positive advantages
of e-learning and the need for an effective communication system in teaching
and learning that necessitated this research.
Technology has revolutionized the way people work
and is now set to transform education. Children cannot be effective in
tomorrow's world if they are trained in yesterday's skills. Nor should teachers
be denied the tools that other professionals take for granted (Tony Blair, 1998).
According to Paige (2002), a click of a mouse
button provides any student anywhere with unprecedented opportunities to learn.
So if a child in Grand Junction wants to master Japanese, it's possible online.
If a budding artist in Five Points wants to study the masterpieces of the
Louvre, it's possible online. If a future Stephen Hawking in La Junta wants to
study Gravitational Entrophy with the man himself, it's possible online. If
military parents want continuity in their children's education throughout
frequent moves to serve our country, then it's possible online.'
Since the Internet was adopted and further
developed as a means of communication by educational institutions in the 1970s,
academics have been aware of its massive potential as a learning tool (Horton,
2005). In recent years, governments of both developed and under-developed
nations have become increasingly excited about the possibilities of e-learning
to deliver cost effective, easily accessible and ever-current education to all
ages and social backgrounds, regardless of time and geography.
E-learning has been a useful tool for an effective
communication system in teaching and learning (Jung, 2002). E-Learning is the
employment of technology to aid and enhance learning. It can be as simple as secondary
school students watching a video documentary in class or as complex as an
entire university course provided online. e-Learning began decades ago with the
introduction of televisions and over-head projectors in classrooms and has
advanced to include interactive computer programmes, 3D simulations, video and
telephone conferencing and real-time online discussion groups comprised of students
from all over the world. As technology advances, so does e-learning, making the
possibilities accruable from it endless (Olaniyi, 2006).
Education is regarded as one of the most important
factors for poverty reduction and economic growth in developing countries but
effective communication system is needed for teaching and learning to ensure
quality education. The use of effective Communication System for dissemination
of education is considered to have great potential for the government that is seeking
to satisfy a growing demand for education while facing a deficiency of teachers
(Rich, 2008). Today, the development of the communication system into a
worldwide, high-speed, multimedia communication platform (internet) has enabled
the development of e-Learning as an effective teaching and learning mechanism.
E-Learning started to have an important role in creating and promoting learning
communities due to the new and effective communication tools that provides more
accessibility and efficiency in the learning process, for both teachers and
learners.
E-Learning includes numerous types of media that
deliver text, audio, images, animation, and streaming video, and includes technology
applications and processes such as audio or video tape, satellite TV, CD-ROM, and
computer-based learning, as well as local intranet/extranet and web-based
learning (Suleiman, 2012). All these devices are tools that enhance effective
communication in schools. Effective communication systems, whether
free-standing or based on either local networks or the Internet in networked
learning, underlay many e-Learning processes. The researcher is thereby
examining the need for the devices to promote effective communication system in
teaching and learning in Emmanuel College, Owerri.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
For a very long time successive governments in
Nigeria have consistently formulated Policies which were directed towards
ensuring that there are equal and adequate educational opportunities at all levels.
In view of these, the government has also realized the need for an effective
communication system in teaching and learning in secondary schools. These can
be seen in their investment in communications gadgets for schools. But the
researcher is of the opinion that these communication gadgets are only
available in schools for few students. The researcher is therefore examining
the effect of an effective communication system (e-learning) on teaching and
learning. Moreover, several studies has been carried out on the communications systems,
ICT, teaching and learning and even e-learning all over the world but no
research of such has been conducted in Emmanuel College, Owerri.
1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The following are the objectives of this study:
1.
To examine the need for the use of
effective communication system in teaching and learning in Emmanuel Secondary
school Owerri.
2.
To examine the impact of e-learning on
effective teaching and learning at Emmanuel College, Owerri.
3.
To determine the level of use of
e-learning and other effective communication tools in Emmanuel College, Owerri.
4.
To examine the factors limiting the
students access to e-learning tools in Emmanuel College, Owerri.
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
1.
Is there a need for the use of
effective communication system in teaching and learning in Emmanuel Secondary
school Owerri?
2.
What is the impact of e-learning on
effective teaching and learning at Emmanuel College, Owerri?
3.
What is the level of use of e-learning
and other effective communication tools in Emmanuel College, Owerri?
4.
What are the factors limiting the
students access to e-learning tools in Emmanuel College, Owerri?
1.5 HYPOTHESIS
HO: There is no significant
relationship between the use of e-learning tools and effective teaching and
learning at Emmanuel College, Owerri.
HA: There is significant relationship
between the use of e-learning tools and effective teaching and learning at Emmanuel
College, Owerri.
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The following are the significance of this study:
1.
The results from this study will be
useful to the government of Nigeria and policy makers in education on the need for
an effective communication system for teaching and learning in secondary schools
in the country especially the rural areas. It will also educate the need for
massive investments in provision of e-learning tools like computers, TV,
internet access, etc for secondary school students to aid effective teaching
and learning.
2.
This research will be a contribution
to the body of literature in the area of the need for an effective
communication system in teaching and learning and e-learning, thereby
constituting the empirical literature for future research in the subject area.
1.7 SCOPE/LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
This study is limited to Emmanuel College, Owerri.
It will cover the school’s needs in communication information system and the
consequences they suffer for not having such gadgets. It will also cover the
school’s level of application of e-learning
LIMITATION
OF STUDY
Financial constraint- Insufficient fund tends to
impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials,
literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet,
questionnaire and interview).
Time
constraint- The researcher will simultaneously engage in this study with other
academic work. This consequently will cut down on the time devoted for the
research work.