Abstract: This study examined Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and Students Academic Performance in Economics in Secondary Schools. Three research questions and three null hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. The population of the study consisted of all the senior secondary one to two (SS1-SS2) students which were about 1600. The sample size was one hundred and sixty (160) secondary one (SS1) students. A twenty (20) items Economics Achievement Test (EAT) was the main instrument used for data collection. A survey research design was employed in the study.
An independent t-test statistical method was adopted and used for data analysis. The findings of the study revealed that; students in school where there was adequate provision of ICT resources and allowed to use the available resources as well as being taught by the teachers who have adequate knowledge in the use of ICT resources performed academically better than their counterparts. Based on the finding it was recommended among others that adequate ICT resources should be provided in all secondary schools in the area for effective performance by students and teachers.
Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and Students Academic Performance in Economics in Secondary Schools
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
Computer and Communication combines to give information to technology (IT) by which the use of information become far more efficient. According to Aina (2015) and efficient use of information can affect society and education. He added that computer has made direct impact on education in the form of system that are actually involved with the teaching process. The author also pointed out some of the system to include computer assisted instruction, computer assisted learning, computer training and computer management instruction. However, educators across Nigeria recognized that students must have good education that enables them to participate successfully in and contribute positively to the realizing of national objectives.
Schools also are developing and implementing technology plans and investing in computers and other new technologies in particular, educators realize that computer networking offers flexible and powerful new ways to accomplish a range of goals in school. During the last two decades higher education institutions have invested heavily Information and Communication Technology (ICT).
ICT has had a major impact in the university context, in organization and in teaching and learning methods. Therefore, education has to be continuously preoccupied to create information, handling skills and abilities among the students and teachers so that they have improved methods of teaching and learning through the provision of the necessary facilities. The use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in secondary schools have offered a sample opportunities and advantages to education more people rapidly to improve efficiency and to improve their academic performance in Economics.
The use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in teaching and learning is becoming wider in scope today to our schools nation wide. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is not only restricted to its usage as instructional materials inform of teaching aid but it as become a tool to reshape knowledge delivery and hence both teachers and students activities in the classroom. However, studies have shown that majority of students in secondary schools lack basic Information and Communication Technology (ICT) skills. This is as a result of non-availability of these resources in secondary level of learning or inability of the schools to use these Information and Communication Technology (ICT) facilities. In addition, attempts have been made to establish relationship between Information Communication and Technology behaviour.
Ibe Bassey (2014) and Inyang-Abia (2004) noted that media mediate in a continuum between stimulus response learning and cognitive performance to concretize ideas, concepts and facilitate performance. This reveals that ICT is capable of storage, retrieval, conveyance and dissemination of information. Similarly, the ICT media to include radio, television, computer and internet facilities, computer game console, DVD Player and recorded digital camera, scanner and the rest of them.
To meet these challenges, learning institutions must embrace the new technologies and appropriate ICT tools for learning. The relationship between the use of ICT and student performance in higher education is not clear, and there are contradictory results in the literature. Earlier economic research has failed to provide a clear consensus concerning the effect on students’ achievement.
Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and Students Academic Performance in Economics in Secondary Schools
1.2 Statement of the Problem
In this era of scientific and technological development, the standards of academic achievement in schools have been a matter of great concern to everybody. This is so because a lot of criticisms have been put toward on the performance of students in our public government schools in Nigeria. The general slogan associated with the educational system is the fallen standard of education.
Most researchers like (Busari, 2015, Grfeit, Zunjil and Ezema, 2015, Nwosu, 2015, Duguryil, Katnyon, 2015) have shown that most teachers in Nigeria do not have ICT support from their employers and majority rarely apply ICT material in instructional delivery. This is not too comfortable because skills demand profile globally has shown that Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and internet network skills top the list of highly sought after skills followed by programming skill (Marilla, 2014).
The fact that the future of our educational development depends on modern technology cannot be overemphasized. This technology stems from the availability and accessibility of ICT resources. That is why the researcher wants to see whether most school in Uruan Local Government have both human and material resources in the area of ICT and how it enhances the performance of Economics and secondary school students.