The Use of ICT to Enhance University Education in Nigeria. (Published)
Today, information and communication technology (ICT) is very important in the learning and teaching process at all levels of education. However, in Nigeria the use of ICT is still at its infancy. If the educational system in Nigeria is to match with global requirements, there is need to incorporate the use of ICT that facilitates knowledge acquisition within and beyond the classroom. This paper examines the gap and challenges facing the use of ICT in university education in Nigeria. The study is a descriptive survey that assessed five universities for the most urgent solution. The population of the study was 120 respondents and this is made up of university lecturers and the students. Findings revealed that there is a gap between the university teachers and students and ICT usage in classrooms and many university lecturers and students have to go to commercial cyber cafés in town before they have access to a computer that is internet connected, teachers are faced with some challenges and barriers of availability of facilities which prevent them to employ ICT in the classroom, the solutions proffered include funding, provision of facilities and technical expertise in Nigeria universities.
Keywords: Classroom, Education System, ICT, Nigeria, University Education, Use, gap
Assessing Provision of Effective Emergency educational Services for Refugee Children in Boko Haram Insurgency Refugee Camps of Yola South Local Government Area of Adamawa State, Nigeria. (Published)
Providing refugee children with access to effective educational services is critical during periods of displacement. The purpose of this study was to asses provision of access, teacher, curriculum and peace education for effective emergency educational services for refugee children in Boko Haram insurgency refugee camps of Yola South Local Government Area of Adamawa State. Data was collected using teachers assessment of effective provision of educational services for refugee children of boko haram insurgency questionnaire (TAEPEIDPQ) consisting of twenty (20) items. The findings of the study was that most of the refugee children of Boko Haram insurgency had no access to effective emergency educational services ,teachers were not provided for effective educational services, curriculum was not supported and peace education was not provided by federal, state and local governments, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs),international donor and aid agencies for refugee children in Boko Haram insurgency refugee camps of Yola South Local Government Area of Adamawa State. The study concluded that the four standards for provision of educational services to refugee children in Boko Haram insurgency refugee camps were not effective. Recommendations of the study include that Federal, State and local government, NGOS, donor and international aid agencies should provide access, teachers, curriculum and peace education for effective educational services to all refugee children in Boko Haram insurgency refugee camps of Yola South Local Government Area, Adamawa State.
Keywords: Boko Haram, Effective Provision, Emergency Educational Services, Insurgency Refugee Camps, Nigeria, Refugee Children
Challenges and Strategies to Enhance Staff Development for Effective Library Services in Special Libraries in Benue State – Nigeria (Published)
The study was designed to examine the challenges as well as to find the remedies to staff development for effective library services in special libraries in Benue state of Nigeria. The study was guided by three research questions in line with the objectives of the study. Descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. The population for this study was 25 library staff from the 2 special libraries in Benue state. Data were collected using questionnaire. Data collected were analyzed using percentage and mean scores. The findings revealed that, Lecture method, Job Rotation, Coaching Method, Mentorship, mention among others were accepted as methods used for staff development in special libraries The result also shows the problems associated with staff development in the special libraries to include lack of fund for developing library programmes, poor budgetary allocation to special libraries, lack of more sponsored programmes for staff development, discrimination against library staff by the management of parents’ organizations and lack of due process in staff selection for trainings. The study also recommended establishment of a well written staff development policy, placement of non-qualified personnel to head libraries should be checkmated by regulatory bodies, discrimination against library staff by parent organizations should be discouraged and provision of adequate training facilities. The study concluded that staff development may not be the magical approach for enhancing effective library services even though the attitudes of staff is significant but special libraries in Benue state need to improve their services to meet the growing demand for information in the modern era despite all odds.
Keywords: Library, Library Programme, Library Service, Nigeria, Staff Development
Moderating Effect of Smuggling, Bad Character and Negative Self-Comportment on the Creative Ability of Youths in Shaki Boarder Town, Oyo State Nigeria (Published)
This study investigated the moderating effect of smuggling, bad character and negative self-comportment on the creative ability of youths in Shaki boarder town, Oyo State Nigeria. Using the descriptive survey research design, three research questions were asked and three hypotheses tested. Data were collected using four validated instruments, from two hundred (200) randomly selected youths residing in Shaki town in Oyo state Nigeria, a border town with Benin Republic. Analysis of data was done using the multiple regression analysis and Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) at 0.05 level of significance. The result of the study revealed that the three independent variables made a joint contribution of 53% on the creative ability of youths. The composite effect of the independent variables as jointly contributive on the creative ability of youths are revealed as thus, R= .703, RS= .565, Adj. RS= .531 and Std. error of estimate 7.112. The result of the multiple regression analysis produced an F-ratio (3/196) = 57.09 which is significant at p<0.05 alpha level. The study further revealed significant relative and contributive effect of each of the independent variables as thus (smuggling β.441; bad character β.496 and negative self-comportment β.394) on the dependent variable. The findings suggest the need for employers of labour to ensure that they are supportive of their employees and possibly provide government, school and significant others to support the development of the creative potentials of youths. This would enable them to adjust favourably to the challenges of the 21st century Nigeria.
Keywords: Bad character, Creativity, Negative self-comportment, Nigeria, Shaki, Smuggling, Youths
Keeping Of Teachers’ Records and Principals’administrative Effectiveness in Akwa Ibom State Secondary Schools, Nigeria. (Published)
The study examined the relationship between keeping of teachers’ records and administrative effectiveness of principals in public secondary schools in Uyo Local Education Committee of Akwa Ibom State. One research question was raised and a corresponding null hypothesis was formulated to guide the study. Expost facto research design was used, because the variables were not manipulated. The population consisted of 14 principals in the 14 public secondary schools in Uyo Local Education Committee. All the 14 principals were used as purposive sample for this research. A researcher developed instrument titled Keeping of Teachers’ Records and Administrative Effectiveness Questionnaire (KTRAEQ)’was used for data collection. The reliability of the questionnaire was determined using cronbach Alpha method and the reliability coefficient of 0.743 was obtained, implying that the instrument was adequate to measure what it was meant for. Simple linear regression statistic was used to answer the research question and to test the hypotheses at .05 level of significance. The findings revealed that there is a significant relationship between keeping of financial records, teachers’ records, students’ records and administrative effectiveness of principals of public secondary schools in Uyo Local Education Committee. It was concluded that principals should always ensure that teachers’ records are accurately and adequately kept and updated for immediate and future use. It was recommended based on the findings of the study among others that, the ministry, state secondary education board, as well as the Local Education Committees should inspect schools regularly to ensure that school principals keep teachers’ records up-to-date.
Keywords: Administration, Education, Nigeria, Secondary School, Teacher
Correlates of Internet Use among Secondary School Students in Nigeria (Published)
Internet is a new technology in Nigeria that is desirable to be used among secondary school students. Students are in love with internet because any kind of information on any topic is available on the internet. With fast and vast information exchange occasioned by globalization, efforts are being made towards providing caution on students’ use of Information Communication Technology (ICT) and internet in particular. This study aims at analyzing the use of internet among secondary school students in Nigeria. The paper discusses the following correlates – internet as a concept, characteristics of secondary school students, problems of adolescents, positive and negative effects of internet use among students and the strategies to reduce the negative effects of internet use.
Keywords: Education, Globalization, Internet, Nigeria, Students, Technology
Mathematics as a Tool for Achieving the Vision 20:2020 Goal of National Transformation (Published)
Mathematics education is crucial in the development of any nation and anchors as one of the implications for the attainment of vision 20:2020 by the Federal Government of Nigeria. This paper discusses the challenges of mathematics education programmes to the nation’s development as well as the importance of mathematics in facilitating the private and public sectors of the Nigerian economy towards the attainment of vision 20:2020. Finally, some recommendations were made on how to enhance the role of mathematics in the transformation of the nation.
Keywords: Economy, Mathematics, National Transformation, Nigeria, Vision 20:2020
Impact of Instructional Scaffolding on Students’ Achievement in Chemistry In Secondary Schools In Ebonyi State Of Nigeria (Published)
This study investigated effects of instructional scaffolding on achievement of senior secondary students in chemistry in Ebonyi State of Nigeria. It also studied the interactive effects of scaffolding and gender on achievement of senior secondary school students in chemistry. Three research questions and two hypotheses guided the study. The method of data collection was experimental, were simple random sampling technique was applied to select a total sample of ninety (90) students from the ten secondary schools used for the study. The instruments for data collection were chemistry scaffolding Achievement Test (CSAT) for the treatment group and Conventional Instructional Package (CIP) for the control group. Mean and standard deviation were used for the analysis of the data. The hypotheses were tested using ANCOVA at the level of significance of 0.05. The reliability of the instrument was calculated using Kuder-Richardson (K-R20) procedure, from which a reliability coefficient of 0.85 was obtained. Table 1 presented result on the effect of instructional scaffolding on senior secondary school students’ achievement in chemistry. The result obtained from Table 2 on effect of gender on students’ achievement using scaffolding method proved that the male students performed better than the female students. Table 3, which presented result on interactive effects of scaffolding and gender revealed that there is no significant interaction, as both performed well. The researcher made the following recommendations. Teachers should regularly apply instructional scaffolding method to enhance the effectiveness of their instructions; students should abide by scaffolding method of instruction when adopted by the teacher to enhance retention and long term learning; and the school authorities should on regular basis supervise classroom instructions to promote the application of instructional scaffolding by the teachers
Keywords: Apparatus, Chemistry, Instrumental Scaffolding, Nigeria, School, Student
Reviving Indigenous Languages through Teaching and Learning: The Case of Igala Language (Published)
The paper highlights the world’s language situation especially in Africa, where majority languages have better chances of survival than the minority ones in the face of dominant languages of the ex-colonial masters like English, French and Spanish. It analyses the state of indigenous languages in Nigeria in particular with the position of Igala language in the country and in the educational sector. The paper examines language planning ideology and the language policy in Nigeria. It discovers that there is lack of interest by government and school administrators to implement the national policy on education concerning language. Consequently, it feels that teaching and learning in indigenous languages and in Igala in particular need to be revived to save hundreds of Nigerian languages from going extinct as well as to turn around the poor state of education through early mother tongue instruction. It recommends that government at all levels should ensure the implementation of the mother tongue instruction in early education by providing funds, equipment, teaching aids and supervision.
Keywords: Extinction of Languages, Igala Language, Kogi State, Language Ideology, Language policy, Linguistic Rights, Majority Language, Minority Language, Mother tongue instruction, Multilingualism, Nigeria, Policy Implementation, Revalorization
Comparative Analysis of Factors Influencing Career Choices among Senior Secondary School Students in Rivers State, Nigeria. (Published)
The study investigated factors influencing career choices among Senior Secondary School Students in Rivers State, Nigeria. Simple random sampling techniques were adopted to select four hundred (400) Senior Secondary School Student from five Secondary Schools in Rivers State. The “Comprehensive Career Choice Survey” (CCCS) was administered to the respondents to collect necessary data. The t-test statistics was used to test three null hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that there were significant differences among male and female secondary school students in their career choices in terms of: Prestige of a profession, gender parity, and parental influence. Based on the findings some recommendations were made: (1) Professional career counsellors should be consulted to assist students in planning and choosing their careers. (2) Professional career counsellors should include the students in the selecting process, considering interest, ability, skills and personality of the students.
Keywords: Career Choices, Comparative Analysis, Nigeria, Rivers State, Senior Secondary School Students