Influence Of Adult Education Programmes In Promoting Digital Literacy Among Adult Learners

1.2. STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

The issue of how to teach ict skills in adult education programmes has not been explicitly addressed (Kambouri, Mellar & Logan, 2014). Tutors sometimes adopt a purely didactic form when teaching ICT skills and digital literacy skills. There is little research concerning best practices to teach basic ICT skills. This study aspires to contribute into filling this gap. Understanding more about adult learners’ difficulties with ICT as well as aspects of adults’ instruction on digital literacy, from the perspective of the educators, constitutes the fundamental purpose of the research reported. The research is justified given the importance placed on ICT both by the Commission and the Greek government, the central role of ICTs’ in the curriculum of the Adult education programme, and the fact that digital literacy in relation to adult learning is an under researched field in Greece (Jimoyiannis & Gravani, 2008). Harnessing a qualitative methodology this research aims at a deeper investigation of adult digital literacy in the context of investigating adult education programmes in Nigeria. Digital literacy is not a new strategy for adult learners to gain the information and knowledge needed. The capability to use the technology to allow us to right to use the materials is a key aspect of digital literacy. As a starting point, the obvious aspect of digital literacy is an internet. The internet is a no longer complementary tool but primary need in this era (Rahmah, 2015). In spite of the global recognition of the importance of literacy skills to both individual and the nation at large, a substantial number of people are still illiterate. While significant progress has been made towards achieving universal literacy over the past six decades, the poorest and most marginalized set of people have yet to be reached. Many people are inadequately literate because they lack the reading and writing skills that can enable them functional and improve their daily lives. Some lack literacy skills because they have not had the opportunity or the means to attend school and some others because their schooling was cut short or was of poor quality. All these set of people are almost all poor, most are older and a vast majority are from the developing countries mostly from a linguistic and minority groups (Dighe, 2008). However, with the rapid expansion and growth of ICTs, there is now an exceptional opportunities for achieving a wider educational access and reach with considerable improvement in the quality of education provided. As such, it becomes imperative to explore this new trend in the andragogical shift if reasonable progress in terms of ICT use is to be made in adult literacy programmes (Dighe, 2008; Adeyemo, Adedoja & Adelore 2010). This paper addresses adult learning in an attempt to outline a general framework of digital and ICT literacy in adult education programs from the educators’ perspective.

1.3. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The major purpose of this study is to examine the influence of adult education programmes in promoting digital literacy among adult learners. Other general objectives of the study are:

1. To examine the digital competency assessment and possibilities in adult literacy.

2. To examine the perceptions of adult learners regarding digital tools for learning.

3. To examine the influence of adult education programmes in promoting digital literacy among adult learners.

4. To examine the factors that will enhance effective utilization of digital tools for learning in the literacy class.

5. To examine the relationship between adult education programmes and promotion of digital literacy among adult learners.

6. To examine the challenges that adult educators faced in the course of exposing adult learners to the use of digital tools in adult literacy programmes.

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1. How is the digital competency assessment and possibilities in adult literacy?

2. What are the perceptions of adult learners regarding digital tools for learning?

3. What are the influences of adult education programmes in promoting digital literacy among adult learners?

4. What are the factors that will enhance effective utilization of digital tools for learning in the literacy class?

5. What is the relationship between adult education programmes and promotion of digital literacy among adult learners?

6. What are the challenges that adult educators faced in the course of exposing adult learners to the use of digital tools in adult literacy programmes?

1.5 RESEARCH HYPOTHESES

1. Ho: There is no significant influence of adult education programmes in promoting digital literacy among adult learners in Nigeria.

2. Ho: There is no significant relationship between adult education programmes and promotion of digital literacy among adult learners in Nigeria.