Availability And Utilization Of Ict Facilities In The Teaching And Learning Of Intergrated / Basic Science

Significance of the Study

The following people will benefit from the study:

Basic science education teachers: will find the findings of this study quite beneficial, as they will be exposed to the need to regularly use ICT facilities to enhance their teaching. The findings will also serve as a parameter for self-evaluation for the teachers who will also see the need to develop ICT competences or requisite skills and how to use ICT facilities to access resource materials for teaching basic science subjects in secondary schools. They will also be encouraged to use ICT facilities effectively to improve the quality of their presentations in class, select the appropriate facility for particular lessons, motivate students to achieve positive attitudes to learning of basic science subjects and identify aspects of the subjects where students’ individual needs can be met more effectively through the appropriate use of ICT resources.

Educational administrators/policy formulators: at the various levels will benefit immensely from the findings of this research work because it will fashion their administrative approaches in terms of training and retraining of staff along the line of ICT competence, the type of facilities or equipment to acquire (in terms of quantity and quality), staff recruitment, provision of infrastructure, e.g. Classroom and lecture theatre.  Methods of instructional delivery will also be designed by the teacher in collaboration with educational administrator to accommodate the utilization of ICT facilities. Educational administrators will greatly benefit from the findings of this study as it relates to organizational approach to more flexible teaching/learning, research oriented education and flexible attitude to time and space.

Students: will equally benefit from the outcome of this research work because they will be exposed to the numerous benefits of ICT utilization during the teaching of basic science . These benefits include, arousing their curiosity whereby, they will be engaged in meaningful and relevant learning, and exposure to construction of knowledge which will reduce the risk of failure. ICT utilization will improve their creativity, become useful aids to problem- solving, lead to unrestricted access to learning materials and the use of ICT facilities for researches.

It will help the students to identify and appreciate other ICT facilities such as CD-ROM, slides, tapes, other than internet and computer. This will enable them exploit the information contained therein either for their assignment, class work or research work.

Scope of the Study

The study is delimited to finding out the available ICT facilities in teaching basic science in junior secondary schools, the extent to which the available facilities are being used, the factors that hinder the utilization of ICT facilities, and ways of improving on them in  junior secondary schools in Awgu local government area of Enugu state. The secondary schools chosen for this study are public and privately owned secondary schools. The subject of this study comprises of teachers, students, researchers, principals/school administrators etc.

Research Questions

The study was guided by the following research questions:

1. What Information and Communication tools available are for the teaching and learning of basic science ?

2. To what extent are ICT facilities utilized for the teaching and learning of basic science ?

3. What factors hinder the effective utilization of ICT facilities for the teaching and learning of basic science ?

4. What strategies can be employed for improving the effective use of ICT facilities in the teaching and learning of basic science ?