CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1BACKGROUND OF STUDY

ICT stands for Information and Communication Technology. They are a wide range of technical instruments and resources utilized for communication as well as the creation, dissemination, storage, and management of information. Computers, the internet, broadcasting technologies (radio and television), and telephones are examples of these technology (Volman,2005). There has been a surge of interest in recent years in how computers and the internet may be best used to improve the efficiency and efficacy of education at all levels and in both official and non-formal settings (www.en.m.wikibooks.org). However, ICTs are more than these technologies; earlier technologies like as television, radio, and telephone, which are today receiving less attention, have a longer and deeper history as educational aids. Computers and the internet are still in their infancy in underdeveloped nations, owing to insufficient infrastructure and the associated high cost of access. ICTs are causing rapid social transformation. They have an impact on many elements of life. The effects are becoming increasingly noticeable in classrooms. ICTs give both students and instructors additional opportunity to tailor teaching and learning to individual requirements, and society is pressuring schools to respond appropriately to this technological innovation. According to Tinio (2002), ICTs have the ability to increase access while also enhancing the relevance and quality of education in poor nations. He went on to say that ICTs considerably ease knowledge acquisition and absorption, providing developing nations with unparalleled opportunity to improve educational institutions, better policy formation and implementation, and broaden the variety of options for business and the disadvantaged. One of the most difficult challenges faced by the poor and many others living in the poorest nations is a sense of isolation, and ICTs may offer access to information in previously imagined ways.

`According to Watson (2001), ICTs have transformed the way people work today and are now revolutionizing educational systems. As a result, if schools teach children yesterday's abilities and technology, they may be ineffective and unfit for the world of tomorrow. This is cause enough for ICTs to gain worldwide awareness and attention. For example, ICTs are reliable tools for assisting the fulfillment of one of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG), which is to achieve Universal Basic Education by 2015. Former UN Secretary General Kofi Anan points out that in order to achieve the goal of Universal Primary Education by 2015, we must ensure that information and communication technologies open the door to education systems. This demonstrates the increased demand for ICTs in education and their expanding importance. Because ICTs allow students and instructors to tailor learning and instruction to individual requirements, society is pressuring schools to respond appropriately to technological progress.

The usage of ICT is making a significant effect in student learning and teaching methodologies. Over the last 20 years, schools in the Western world have spent heavily in ICT infrastructure, and pupils now use computers more often and for a broader range of purposes (Volman, 2005). Several studies have found that pupils who utilize ICT facilities learn more than those who do not.

ICT provides a number of technological instruments that enhance the academic experience, allowing for greater variety, diversity, and organization in education. Business Education, like all other areas of study, provides a creative field in which the potential provided by ICT may be exploited. It goes without saying that businesses cannot prosper in the current era without an informed and communication edge, nor can business education graduates be internationally competitive without ICT skills. This researcher studies the frequency and efficacy of ICT use among business education students against this backdrop.

1.2STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

Stakeholders in business education are now fully aware of the incalculable value that information and communications technology (ICT) tools, which include things like computers, audio-visual equipment, internet access, and so on, bring to the curriculum. However, they are unsure as to whether or not this technology possibility is being explored and used in the most efficient and effective manner possible. Information Communication Tools are an essential component of both businesses and business education, and the widespread application of these tools has been increasingly commonplace, particularly in the past few years, in the context of undergraduate education. In addition, several educational programs offered by colleges and libraries in Nigeria are quickly incorporating information and communications technology (ICT) resources like computers and the internet into their offerings for the benefit of student users. The purpose of this study is, thus, to analyze the efficiency of ICT use among business school student and to determine the frequency with which it is used.

1.3    OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The broad objective of this study is to examine the impact of  regularity and utilization of ICT among business education students.This research is aimed at achieving the following objectives :

i.          To reveal the degree of possession of ICT tools by undergraduate students in the institutions covered by this study thereby predicting the spread and literacy of ICT among those students.

ii.        To determine the extent to which business education students in those schools take advantage of ICT facilities provided by the school.

iii.      To determine the extent to which business education students are using ICT facilities to support their studies

iv.      To find out how students can derive more usefulness from ICT facilities that they are exposed to.

1.4     RESEARCH QUESTIONS

i.          Are business education students sufficiently equipped with ICT       tools required to experience genuine academic growth and to be globally competitive?

ii.        Are business education students sufficiently utilizing the ICT facilities provided by the school?

iii.      Are business education students sufficiently using ICT facilities to support their studies?

iv.      How can business education students derive greater utility from ICT facilities that they have access to?

1.5      SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This research will reveal the deficiencies inherent in business education students’ use of ICT technologies. This research will help open the eyes of business education students to the unexplored variety of opportunities that exist in ICT use.This research will also help business education students realize how to increase the influence of ICT on their studies. Findings of the study will contribute to the general body of knowledge and serve as a reference material to both student and scholars who wishes to conduct further studies in related field.

1.6 SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS

The scope of  this study  borders on  the impact of  regularity and utilization of ICT among business education students. The study is however delimited to  business education student in federal university of Uyo, Uyo, Akwaibom State.

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