TABLE OF
CONTENTS
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
1.2 Statement of the
Problem
1.3 Aim and Objectives
of the Study
1.4 Relevant Research
Questions
1.5 Relevant Research
Hypotheses
1.6 Significance of the
Study
1.7 Scope of the study
1.8 Plan of the Study
1.9 Definition of
Terms
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF LITERATURES
2.0 Introduction
2.1 Literature Review
2.1.1 Impact
of ICT Course on Pre-Service Teachers Acquisition of ICT Literacy Skills and
Competence
2.2 Conceptual
Framework
2.2.1 Concept of
Mathematics and its Teaching
2.2.2 Concept of Attitude
2.2.3 Concept of Competency
2.2.4 Information and
Communication Technology in Education
2.2.5 Information and
Communication Technology in Mathematics
2.2.6 Information and
Communication Technology Attitude Standards for Teachers
2.2.7 Information and
Communication Technology Competency Standards for Teachers
2.3 Theoretical
Framework
2.3.1 Bandura’s Social
Cognitive Learning Theory
2.4 Empirical Related
Studies
2.4.1 Studies on ICT and
Teachers Education
2.4.2 Studies on the use
of ICT in Classroom
2.5 Summary of
Literature Review
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.0 Introduction
3.1 Research Design
3.2 Area of the study
3.3 Population of the
Study
3.4 Sample and Sampling
Techniques
3.5 Instrument for Data
Collection
3.6 Validity
of the Instrument
3.7 Reliability of the Instrument
3.8 Method of Data
Collection
3.9 Method of Data
Analysis
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
4.1 Introduction
4.1 Analysis of the Socio-Economic
Characteristics of respondents
4.2 Presentation
of Data
4.3 Hypotheses
Testing
4.3.1 Hypothesis
One Testing
4.3.2 Hypothesis
Two Testing
4.3.3 Hypothesis
Three Testing
4.4 Discussion of the Finding
CHAPTER
FIVE
SUMMARY,
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
5.1 Summary of the Study
5.2 Conclusions
5.3 Recommendations
5.4 Educational Implications
5.5 Limitations of the Study
5.6 Suggestions for Further Research
REFERENCES
APPENDIX: QUESTIONNAIRE
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
Today the world is largely connected by technology driven
communication with ever increasing outreach of Information and Communication
Technology (ICT). The important of ICT in people’s lives is unimaginable and
it’s important to understand that the technological literacy will become a functional
requirement to people’s work, social and even personal lives (Olakulehin, 2007).
For social and economic reasons, students will need computer and communication
technology skills to live successfully in a knowledge-based society. Today, a
great number of experiences with educational technology in higher education
exist worldwide, especially in the developed world. This has resulted in new
opportunities in the integration of pedagogical and technological resources,
which has enlarged flexibility across the learning process. It has equally
improved the communication between lecturers and students and the interaction
between different educational resources (Sefyrin, 2005). Oliver (2002) asserts
that the use of ICT in higher education such as teacher training institutes
enhances student-centered learning. Within higher education, one of the major
teaching challenges has always been helping students to bridge the gap between
knowledge and real life practice. This is especially important in applied
academic disciplines such as education where professional knowledge is
constantly being renewed and recreated through real practice (Cheetham &
Chivers, 2001)
Regardless of the quantity and quality of technology
available in classrooms, the important matter is the teacher in using ICTs.
Therefore, pre service teachers must have the competence and the right attitude
towards technology (Kadel, 2005). Competence is defined as the ability to
combine and apply relevant attributes to particular tasks in particular
contexts. These attributes include high levels of knowledge, values, skill,
personal dispositions, sensitivities and capabilities, and the ability to put
those combinations into practice in an appropriate way (Commonwealth Department
of Education, Science and Training, 2002). An ICT competency describes what a
teacher should know to be able to use technology in his/her professional
practice. Kirschner and Woperies (2003) highlighted some major ICT competencies
teachers require. These include competency in: making personal use of ICT;
mastery of a range of educational paradigms that make use of ICT; making use of
ICT as minds tools; using ICT as tool for teaching, mastering a range of
assessment paradigms which involves use of ICT; and understanding the policy
dimensions of the use of ICT for teaching and learning. Similarly, Marija and
Palmira (2007) classified ICT competencies into two: basic and educational ICT
competence.
Mathematics
education is one of the most important things in our life. It cuts across all
spheres of our lives due to its usage and importance. Its importance goes a
long way as it is one of the core compulsory subjects of the junior and senior
secondary school curricula (Federal Republic of Nigeria (FRN), 2004). The
importance of mathematics in the curricula reflects accurately the recognition
of the vital role it plays in contemporary society.
Some
of these characteristics (Graphing calculators, computer algebra system etc.)
have been achieved prior to the introduction of Information and Communication
Technology (ICT) in mathematics education. Information and Communication
Technology is usually called ICT and is often used as a synonym for Information
technology (IT) but it is a more general term that stresses the role of
telecommunication (telephone lines and wireless signals) in modern information
technology. ICT consists of all technical means used to handle information and
aid communication, including computer and network hardware as well as necessary
software. ICT covers any product that will store, retrieve, manipulate,
transmit or receive information electronically in a digital form (Herston,
2011). In other words, ICT consists of IT as well as telephony, broadcast
media, and all types of audio and video processing and transmission. Nworgu,
(2006) on the other hand sees Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
also as a broad based technology (including its methods, management and
application) that supports the creation, storage, manipulation and
communication of information. In this case, Information and Communication
Technology is seen in a wider sense to involve all aspects of technological
usage. Ali (2006) however, described ICT as the use of scientific tools and
techniques for developing, documenting and communicating information when
needed, especially as they concern solving problems or providing needed
services in the various areas of human endeavor. Information and Communication
Technology (ICT) therefore, are information and communication tools needed in
solving problems as well as enhancing effective teaching / learning.
The potentials of information and communication technology (ICT)
to facilitate students’ learning, improve teaching and enhance institutional
administration had been established in literature (Kazu & Yavulzalp, 2008;
Kirschner & Woperies, 2003). The use of information and communication
technology as a tool for enhancing students’ learning, teachers’ instruction,
and as catalyst for improving access to quality education in formal and
non-formal settings has become a necessity. Recognizing the impact of new
technologies on the workplace and everyday life, teacher education institutions
try to restructure their education programmes and classroom facilities, in
order to husband the potentials of ICT in improving the content of teacher
education. Information and communication technology as tools within the school
environment include use for school administration and management, teaching and
learning of ICT related skills for enhancing the presentation of classroom
work, teaching/learning repetitive tasks, teaching/learning intellectual,
thinking and problem solving skills, stimulating creativity and imagination;
for research by teachers and students, and as communication too by teachers and
students (Collis & Moonen, 2001; Derbyshire, 2003).
The
nature of mathematics teaching/learning has changed considerably because of the
availability of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) (Diri, 2014). This
has been achieved in the processes of modeling, estimating, validating and
finding information which is becoming increasingly important and complex. ICT
also stimulates whole-class activities and can influence a particular topic. Usually,
practical activities and work with pencil and paper will need to take place
alongside with ICT. The main ICT tools in the teaching of mathematics include
calculators, application programs such as number games, databases and
spreadsheets, graph plotting, geometry, the internet and programming. For these
tools to be effectively used by mathematics teachers in the classroom there is
need for technical know-how or competency of the mathematics teachers. This is
because these ICT tools cannot work effectively on their own unless proficient
hands are available to use them. Policy makers in education in Nigeria focused
their efforts mainly on equipping the schools with technological resources
without providing in-service training to teachers.
Competence
will be needed for successful integration of ICT in the teaching and learning
process. One thing is to possess the basic skills another is to successfully
achieve predetermined objectives which are the responsibility of competence.
Therefore, mathematics teachers require the needed ICT competences for the
successful achievement of the objectives of the ICT policy. The required
teachers’ ICT competencies to be developed include ICT literacy, content
development, and pedagogical teaching approaches using ICT (Diri, 2014).
Therefore, new technologies require new teacher roles, new
pedagogies, and new approaches to teacher training. The successful integration
of ICT into the classrooms will depend on the ability of teachers to structure
the learning environment, embrace new technology with new pedagogy, to develop
socially active classrooms, encouraging cooperative interaction, collaborative
learning, and group work. This requires a different set of classroom management
skills to be developed. The readiness of mathematics teachers to use of ICT in
the classroom need to be examined properly. That is, their ICT skills and
degrees of competencies for the use of ICT tools in the teaching/learning of
mathematics need to be examined properly. Therefore, this study cuts across pre-service mathematics teachers’ attitude
and competencies towards information
and communication technology (ICT) (Diri, 2014).
1.2 Statement of the
Problem
Teachers, who are vital link in the education field,
play important role in implementing ICT education through teaching and
learning. For this purpose, pre service teachers need to accquire ICT
competencies such as the knowledge of ICT, attitude and use of ICT. It is
important that they are exposed with enough knowledge and positive attitude
towards ICT so that they will use it in teaching and learning on graduation.
This will ensure the students gain better learning experiences.
Teacher training is clearly required to prepare
teachers with ICT skills to equip students with the kinds of critical skills
needed. As members of the society, it is their responsibility to contribute
meaningfully in the country’s future development. All pre service teachers need
to be familiar with ICT applications and competent in the use of ICT
applications before they start their career as a teacher. If teachers are
expected to integrate ICT into the school curriculum, preparations must be made
at the pre service teacher education level. Teacher preparation programmes
should focus on the need for student-teachers to have ICT skills for their own
use, in the preparation of materials for teaching and learning activities; the
need to facilitate the direct use of ICT in students’ learning activities
within the classroom situation; and the need for teachers to develop in their
students a critical awareness of ICT applications and the social implications
(Robbins, 1998).
Lack
of adequate knowledge and experience is one of the main factors why teachers do
not use technology in their teaching. This also results in teachers’ negative
attitude towards computer and technology. In addition, lack of confidence leads
to reluctance to use computers by teachers (Kumar & Kumar, 2003).
The
use of ICT as instructional materials for the teaching and learning of various
topics in mathematics, which largely depend on the level of ICT competencies
possessed by mathematics teachers and its actual use in classroom instruction,
teachers are at the center of these educational innovation implementation and
when they are not competent to carry on with the implementation, the innovation
becomes a failure. So for there to be an envisaged success of the ICT policy,
there is need to ascertain if teachers who are expected to implement the policy
are competent in doing so.
1.3 Aim and Objectives
of the Study
The
main purpose of this study is to survey
pre-service mathematics teachers’ in colleges of education attitude and
competence towards information and communication technology (ICT) in education.
Specifically, the present study seeks to determine the following:
i. Examine the attitude of pre-service mathematics teachers’ towards
information and communication technology (ICT).
ii. Determine the competence
of pre-service mathematics teachers’
towards information and communication technology (ICT).
iii. Examine the relationship
between pre-service mathematics
teachers’ attitude and competence towards information and communication technology (ICT).
1.4 Relevant Research Questions
The following research
questions guided the study:
1. What is the attitude of pre-service mathematics teachers’ towards
information and communication technology (ICT)?
2. What is the competence of pre-service mathematics teachers’ towards information
and communication technology (ICT)?
3. What is the relationship
between pre-service mathematics
teachers’ attitude and competence towards information and communication technology (ICT)?
1.5 Relevant Research
Hypotheses
The
following null hypotheses guided the study, and each will be tested at 0.05
level of significance.
H01: There is no
significant relationship between pre-service
mathematics teachers’ attitude towards information and communication technology
(ICT).
H02: There is no
significant relationship between pre-service
mathematics teachers’ competence towards
information and communication technology (ICT).
H03: There is no
significant relationship between pre-service
mathematics teachers’ attitude and competence towards information and communication technology (ICT).
1.6 Significance of the Study
The
findings of this study identified pre-service
mathematics teachers’ in college of education attitude and competence towards
information and communication technology (ICT). The study will informs
teachers’ readiness to use ICT and teachers’ experiences of using ICT shade
light on proper integration of ICT in teaching and learning, and, in turn,
these experiences help to determine teachers’ professional development needs
for proper ICT integration in the classrooms. This study will also informs
teacher preparation colleges and educational technology curriculum developers
on the actual use of ICT in context. It is from such contextual uses of ICT,
the concerned parties can improve their programmes.
The
findings of this study benefit to the mathematics teachers, the students, the
ministry of education and the society at large. This study will help teachers
to know the ICT- competency standard as stipulated by UNESCO. And enlighten
them more on the objectives and aim of the ICT policy in Nigeria. Also, make
them to know the usefulness of ICT in a mathematics class. And re-awaken the
need for the teachers who are not ICT competent to go for training and not to
be left out in a fast changing world and classroom.
This
study will let teachers that are ICT-competent enough the learners reap the
profit. The students stand to gain more from this research, if the level of
teachers ICT- competency is known and enforced, it may encourage the idea of
constructive approach to learning thereby making the learners to learn at their
own pace.
This
study may help the ministry of education know the ICT competencies of their
teachers which will help them determine how to improve the ICT skills of their
teachers, either by sending them for a refresher course or organizing
in-service training for them. The result of this study may also make the
ministry of Education to liaise with the pre-teachers training institution to
make sure that new teachers attain the required ICT- competency standard. As
well, they may liaise with the policy makers to make sure that the ICT policy
is well understood by the teachers and achievable within the context of the
classroom.
Finally,
gaining an appreciation of teachers’ competence in the use of ICT may provide
useful insight into the future of technology integration, acceptance and usage
in teaching and learning in Nigerian mathematics teachers and other developing
countries.
1.7 Scope of the study
The
study is focused on finding out pre-service
mathematics teachers’ in college of education attitude and competence towards
information and communication technology (ICT) in Federal College Education (Technical),
Akoka, Lagos State and Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education, Otto Ijanikin
Lagos state.
1.8 Plan of the Study
This study shall contain five chapters. The first chapter
shall contain the background to the study, the statement of the research
problem, objectives of the study etc. that would guide the study. Chapter two
summarizes the opinions of different authors on the subject matter. Chapter
three states the methodology adopted in the study. Chapter four focuses on the
presentation, analysis of data and interpretation of the results. The last
chapter, which is chapter five, presents the summary of the findings,
conclusion and appropriate recommendations.
1.9 Definition of
Terms
In the
study the following terms were used.
Information and Communication Technology
(ICT): This is refers to the range of technologies that are applied in the
process of collecting, storing, editing, retrieving and transfer of information
in various forms (Olakulehin, 2007).
Competence: This is defined as
the ability to combine and apply relevant attributes to particular tasks in
particular contexts. These attributes include high levels of knowledge, values,
skill, personal dispositions, sensitivities and capabilities, and the ability
to put those combinations into practice in an appropriate way (Commonwealth
Department of Education, Science and Training, 2002).
Information and Communication
Technology (ICT) Competency: This is describes what a teacher should know
to be able to use technology in his/her professional practice.
Attitudes: This is refer to
one’s positive or negative judgment about a concrete subject. Attitudes are
determined by the analysis of the information regarding the result of an action
and by the positive or negative evaluation of these results
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