CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background
to the Study
Information
technology has influenced learning greatly. Before now academic contents both
within and outside the curriculum and course modules depended on the lecturers
in charge and buying the hard copy of materials. In the event that one needed a
book which both the lecturers and the book vendors did not have one either had
to order for them abroad and pay outrageous money in shipping fees or one
forgets having it and relied on reviews in academic journals on the book or the
topic.
However,
with the advent of information technology (IT), the information system of every
educational institution in the country and the world at large has been affected
deeply. Primary, secondary and tertiary schools have been forced to change
their information systems after all the information technologies and their
gadgets. The universities have been most affected and with time the same is
happening to the secondary schools with equal speed. In the country most
Universities both government owned and privately owned have installed the WiFi devices
all over the school to give the students free access to the internet. Most
universities too have made it mandatory for entry schools to have a laptop
computer and /or its equivalent.
In fact the
bigger information gadgets aren’t as fast in information dissemination as the
cell phones which are now relatively very easy to acquire and cheap in relation
to the level of information they can house and the various means through which these
pieces of information can be shared. And it is not only academic related
information but information on all kind both the ones that are advantageous to
learning and those that hamper a good learning attitude and environment.
1.2 Statement
of the Problem
The present
research work recognizes the trend in information sharing in the university
campuses across the country in present time. Compared to the 90’s before the
advancement of mobile phones and smartphones, one sees a drastic change in this
regard. And like every development of this sweeping velocity the volatility of
it always has remarkable influences on the users one which are usually not predictable.
Against the above background, the present research work has set before itself
the task of studying the influence of cell phone in information sharing among
students of the university with students of the National Open University of
Nigeria as a case study.
1.3 Research
Questions
1.3.1
what
are the different ways cell phone have particularly influenced information
sharing in the university campuses
1.3.2
What
are the correlation between the positive and negative influences
1.3.3
How
has it directly influenced the mode of learning and learning contents in National
Open University of Nigeria.
1.4 Objectives
of the Study
The first
objective of the present research work is to identify the various ways through
which cell phones influence information sharing among the university students
of National Open University of Nigeria, establish and describe the major
classes of information usually shared through this media. For instance, not
only academic information gets shared through this medium. Gossips within and
outside the university campuses make headways and have the different phone
enabled social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and also
instant messaging apps like WhatsApp and Messenger. The research also aims at
comparing the speed and influences of cell phones and other information gadgets
used by university students especially those of the National Open University of
Nigeria.
1.5 Significance
of the Study
The
research will be of importance to university authorities of all the NOUN
(National Open University of Nigerian) campuses and also every other university both public and
private. It will shed light on these influences and infer how authorities can
use this medium in combating exam malpractice and insecurity in the different
campuses.
The
positive influences would be promoted by government, university authorities,
parents and religious leaders and it will almost influence the above in that
they see the social importance of cell phones and learn its uses in order to
better protect the students from its harmful influences.
1.6 Research
Hypothesis
The present
research assumes that cell-phones especially smartphone influence greatly
information sharing in the National Open University of Nigeria campuses and
also other universities in the country.
HO: There is no statistically significant
correlation between positive and negative influences of cell phone on
information sharing in Nigerian university campuses.
1.7 Scope
of the Study
The study
will focus its research solely on the students of the National Open University
of Nigerian campuses with emphasis on the ones closest to the researcher with
references to other public and private universities generally. The influences
to be identified and discussed will be both the positive and the negative ones
with more emphasis on the negative ones. Especially as they have made some
private universities prohibit their students from using cell phones in the
campuses.
1.8 Limitations
of the Study
The major
limiting factor of this research is time and space to properly document every finding
related to this research.
1.9 Definition
of Terms
Influence:
The capacity to have
an effect on the character, development, or behaviour of someone or something,
or the effect itself.
Cell-phone:
A portable usually cordless telephone for use in a cellular system.
Information
sharing: The term information
sharing has a long history ininformation technology. Traditional information sharing referred to
one-to-one exchanges of data between a sender and receiver. These information exchanges are
implemented via dozens of open and proprietary protocols, message and file
formats.
University
students: A
college student who is teaching under the supervision of a certified teacher in
order to qualify for a degree in education.