ABSTRACT
The main aim of this study was “An Evaluation of Computer
Utilization in Nigerian University system. A case study of university of
Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State.
The study examines some of the problems facing manual
method in record management in Nigerian University system. Some of these problems
are delay in getting any needed information, inability to search and retrieve
record quickly, insufficient storage facility, errors in computation of records
due to human feelings, inaccuracy, inconsistency and redundancy of data,
administrative bottle necks among others.
The study focuses on how to produce within a definite
time limit accurate report of students and staff, to reduce errors in
computation of records, to overcome redundancy, inconsistency and repetiveness
of data, to prevent an –authorized access to data and files of students and
staff, to store data efficiently, to search and retrieve any needed information
as and when due and to help the university authority in decision making.
The study made use of descriptive survey. The stratified
random sampling was used in the selection of 120 subjects comprising of 100
students and 20 staff from fire faculties from university of Ado-Ekiti in Ekiti
State. Two set of questionnaires were developed, validates and used. The
statistical techniques employed for the analysis of data for the study were
T-test and chi-square.
The result of the analysis of data from the study show
that:
1.
there was significance difference between
computer utilization in record management and manual method in record management.
2.
there was significance relationship between
computer utilization and accurate record in record management.
3.
there was significance relationship between
computer utilization and computer personnel in record management.
4.
there was relationship between computer
utilization and financial resources in record management.
In the light of these findings the study recommended
among others the following:
-
Nigerian university systems should develop
her own information technology.
-
establishment of departments in universities
where computing and information technology courses can be taught to staff and
students of the universities with cognate skills.
-
computerization and equipping of all developments and faculties in Nigerian universities.
-
tax free importation of all computer related
equipments.
-
the
environment for the development and management of the computer and its
related materials should be made available in all universities in Nigeria.
-
the problem of erratic power supply should be
addressed by the Federal and state governments
-
development of all information and
communication infrastructure in all universities in Nigerian.
- all
departments and faculties in universities in Nigeria should be computerized,
connected to the internet, have electronic database and websites and share
hardware and software resources.
TABLE OF CONTENT
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background to the Study
Statement of the Problem
Purpose of the Study
Research Questions
Research
hypotheses
Significance of
the Study
Scope and Limitation of the Study
Scope
of the study
Definition of Terms
CHAPTER
TWO
LITERATURE
REVIEW
Definition of Records
Managing Physical Records:
Managing Electronic Record
Purpose of Record
Importance of Record Keeping
Characteristics of Good Records.
Problems Associated with Record Keeping
CHAPTER THREE
3.0
INTRODUCTION
3.1 RESEARCH DESIGN
3.2 POPULATION OF
THE STUDY
3.3 SAMPLE AND
SAMPLING TECHNIQUES
3.4 RESEARCH
INSTRUMENT
3.5 VALIDITY OF
THE INTERMENT
3.6 ADMINISTRATION
OF RESEARCH INSTRUMENT
3.7 METHOD
OF DATA ANALYSIS
CHAPTER
FOUR
DATA
ANALYSIS AND PRESENTATION OF RESULT
INTERPRETATION AND ANALYSIS
OF RESULT
CHAPTER
FIVE
Discussion
of Finding, Summary, Conclusion and Recommendations
Introduction
Discussions of Findings
Implication for Educational Policy
Implication for Practice
Implication for Research
Conclusion
Recommendations
REFERENCES
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background to the Study
Staff and students in some universities in Nigeria are
sometimes discouraged, disturbed and disappointed as a result of delay in
getting needed information, inconsistency, redundancy and inaccuracy of data,
lack of sufficient storage facility to cater for proper record of both staff
and students, inability of the various universities to cope with huge amount of
data that are being produced annually.
Some of the reasons for the afore-mentioned problems
could be the method that is used to
collect, collate, process and maintain the data other factors could be
the protocol in getting the required information, economic, political, human
and among others. However, to address the above problems, the exam and record
units of all universities in Nigeria should be computerized.
Ebijuwa, A.S (2004) defines computer as the tools used
for collection, processing, storage transmission and dissemination of information.
Computer is an indispensable medium by which science
expresses, formulates and communicates itself. For any university community to
develop socially, politically, economically, have easy access to information as
and when due, overcome inaccuracy, inconsistency and redundancy of data,
insufficient storage infrastructure, to cater for adequate record of both staff
and students, cope with large amount of data being produced yearly, the exam
and record units should be automated.
Computerized
record keeping is oriented toward the use of computer systems and
sophisticated programmable machines for the handling of information associated
with a process and for the actual control and activation of mechanisms that facilitate or completely
accomplish that process with minimal human guidance.
Rowley (1986) gives four reasons for computerization such
as:-
i.
increased workload – computerization can be
helpful with a constant decreasing staff.
ii.
need for greater efficiency- computerization
may be seen as a means of saving time and money.
iii.
need
services –computer may offer the opportunity to offer new services in addition
to existing services at little extra cost.
iv.
Co-operation and Centralization
The application of computer in record keeping in Nigerian
university will make it possible for personnel and students to access the vast
record over the internet, cable television and some other type of remote
electronic connection. It will make it possible to store and retrieve large amount of
records of both staff and students of the university.
The application of computer in the collection, collation,
processing, storage, retrieval, use, transmission, dissemination and
maintenance of records occupies a pride of place in every facet of life and
work experience in Nigerian universities because it is being used to compute
the grade point average of students, for on-line registration, examination, and
admission processing, keep accurate record of both staff and students,
accounting (financial management,
purchasing and inventory) physical plant (room assignment, hostel
accommodation, allocation of courses to lecturers, planning and maintenance),
process the academic transcripts of students, results, certificates, and NYSC
call up letters. In addition, the application of computer in record keeping in
Nigerian universities will prevent un-authorized personnel to have access to
records of both staff and student, enable data to be updated quickly and simply
without redesigning and rewriting systems and programs, overcome redundancy, repetitiveness
and inconsistency of data; lead to
grater efficiency and effectiveness of records keeping, provision of extra
services, provide lecturers, students, administrators staff of the university,
and the general public with information effectively and efficiency and manage record effectively.
These applications of computer were made possible because of its high speed of
operation, accuracy, diligence, versatility, high storage capacity, program
compatibility and consistence in its mode of operation.
The focus of this work however, is on an evaluation of
computer utilization in Record keeping at the university
of Ado- Ekiti, in Ekiti State.
This is determined by the shortcomings of the manual (traditional) method of
record keeping. However, as a result of the “Information Technology Age”, the
computer has improved the act of record keeping in Nigeria University System
because it is being used to compute the grade point average of students, for
on-line registration, and admission processing, keep records of both staff and students, process the academic
transcripts of students among others. The computer, an invaluable invention of
our time, can be used for many applications in all fields of human endeavour.
For example, in education sector, the computer is used to appraise and grade
the scores of students in examination, for administrative purpose, on-line
registration, e-examination, distance learning and keeping of records of
personnel and scholars. In addition, the computer is also used in the following
sectors : engineering, agriculture, medical, law, banking, transportation,
security, police, armed forces, communication among others to carry out various
tasks.
A well kept school record is a weapon to build the
history of the students and staff. The world is becoming more and more complex
such that we cannot but keep accurate records in our University system in Nigeria
in the interest of the state, the lecturers as well as of the students.
The university as a socio-technical organization
comprises of a technical task, human and the structural subsystem, each having
supra system which constitutes that environment. The survival of the university
system depends on its capacity to maintain constancy in its process and
relationships within and outside the system, and in order to maintain a state
of equilibrium in the system, there must be adequate feedback which the university
collects information about the quality of her output to the environment.
University education in Nigeria is the education given
after post-primary school. Its duration is between four years and seven years.
The main functions of university education are teaching, research and community service.
The need to overcome the age-long problems that are
peculiar to the collection of academic transcripts, NYSC call up letters, certificate, results,
and other vital data as and when due has been of interest to staff and students
of the University of Ado- Ekiti State, in Ekiti State. There is a peculiar
references to the measure being used to determine the factor which account for
the shortcomings of the manual method of record keeping at this university.
Some of the factors identified are: loss of information as a result of
transporting the files from one location to another; the mode of storage of
data, misfiling of forms, time wasted in searching of records because of large
files, poor security measure, rise in enrolment of students admission and
shortage of manpower. Other factors which might contribute to the shortcomings
of the manual method of record keeping, but they are more often than not
ignored. Some of these are attitudinal, administrative and organizational,
inadequate facilities of computer and its accessories at the University of
Ado-Ekiti.
University of Ado- Ekiti, in Ekiti State
on which this study was centred, has been known to have problems with regards
to manual record keeping of both staff and students. For example, Mr. Razaq
Ojikutu (an alumni of the University) while expressing his opinion over
problems associated with the manual record keeping was unhappy because his
attempts to get his academic transcripts on several occasions proved abortive.
There is need for all UNADITES (past and present) to re-visit the perennials
lapses of the traditional record keeping. The research work will review the
manual method of record keeping with a view to finding solutions to the
problems; the prospects of the computerized methods among which are :-
It will contribute to improved performance, overcome redundancy,
inconsistency and repetitiveness of data, strengthened educational leadership
and achievement, to overcome the loosely coupled conditions of the university
by providing vital and sufficient information to authorities in the University,
in ill –structured and complex decision phenomena.
It will enable students and academic staff to have
unlimited access to educational resources which will make them to carry out an
in-depth comparative studies and research in all fields of knowledge. The
computerized method will lead to the emergence of new approaches, techniques
and new styles of processing and disseminating records of both staff and
students of the university.
Inspite of the relevant role of computer utilization in
record keeping at the University of Ado- Ekiti, in Ekiti State, constraints
such as inaccessibility of the user to computer, inadequate knowledge and
skills-based for computer planning, erratic power supply, low level of computer
literacy on the part of the staff and students of the university concerned,
attitudinal, administrative and organizational problems, and prohibitive cost
of computer and its accessories, dearth of qualified personnel and
technicians will continue to inhibit the usefulness of the
computer for meaningful record keeping at the University Ado- Ekiti, in Ekiti
State.
Statement of the Problem
The problem that
characterized the manual method of record keeping have become a source of concern to both staff and students of the
University of Ado- Ekiti, in Ekiti State. For instance, students who go for
their academic transcripts, their results, NYSC call up letters and
certificates could not get all these as and when due. If all these
shortcomings are not identified and
addressed, the University might have failed in the discharge of her
responsibilities and services to her citizenry. This study, therefore, focuses
on the problems that be-deviled the straditional method of record keeping at
the University of Ado- Ekiti, in Ekiti State with a view to ascertain the
causes and proper solutions. In addition, this study will also identify the merits and demerits
of computer utilization in records keeping.
Purpose of the Study
This study investigates those bottle –necks that are
peculiar to the manual method of record keeping and critically evaluates
computers utilization in record keeping
at University of Ado- Ekiti,
in Ekiti State. Some of its objectives are to
produce within a definite time limit accurate report of students and staff
data, reduce errors due to human feeling, overcome redundancy, inconsistency
and repetitiveness of data, prevent
an-authorized access to data and files of students and staff, handle large
volume of data and store data efficiently, help the university authority in
decision making, and for effective and efficient management of staff and
students.
Research Questions
1.
Were
there any significant difference between computer utilization and manual method
in record management?
2.
Is there any relationship between automated
record and accurate record in record management?
3.
Are there any significant relationship
between computer utilization and computer personnel in record management?
4.
Are there any significant relationship
between computer? utilization and financial resources in record management?
Research
hypotheses
1.
There is no significant difference between
computer utilization and manual method in record management.
2.
There is no significant relationship between
automated record and accurate record in record management.
3.
There is no significant relationship between
computer utilization and computer personnel in record management.
4.
There is no significant relationship between
computer utilization and financial resources in record management.
Significance of the
Study
This study will
bring into lime light the problems that be –deviled the manual method of record
keeping. The findings from this study will enable both staff and students of
this University to appreciate the potentials of the computer in record keeping
and equally expose the students and staff of this University to the role of
computer in various aspects of life. It will also necessitate government active
involvement in logical locative mechanism
for all sub-sectors the education industry; improve the quality and
efficiency of record keeping in terms of academics transcripts, registration
courses, NYSC call up letters, results and certificates.
Worthy of mentioning in this study is the fact that some
general problems bedeviling the university set up will be examined and vital
and general recommendations will be suggested. These will provide useful guidelines to policy makers,
planners, administrators and school technocrats by providing the ways of
improving the university system in their future attempts. It will afford the students and staff of the
university much easier access to information than the manual method as there
may be no further need for guides or intermediaries. It affords the optimal use
of available personnel, and thereby same time and money. It will make information to be rendered readily within
and beyond the limits of the university through effective communication and
on-line system. It will enable data to be updated quickly and simply
without redesigning and rewriting
system and programs.
It will contribute to improved performance, overcome redundancy,
repetitiveness and inconsistency of data, and strengthened educational
leadership and attainment. There will be improvements in the searching and retrievals
of records of both staff and students. It will help in the development and
presentation of standardized records of both staff and students of the
university. For example, annually
statistical reports summarizing total numbers of students admitted, total
number of students and staff in the university total number of graduating
students and non-graduating students in each department and faculty, annual
results of budget, revenue and examination.
Scope and Limitation of the Study
Scope
of the study
This study aims at identifying the extent of the effect
of the manual method of record keeping at the University of Ado-Ekiti, in Ekiti
State. The study will be designed to
study
Staff and Students Record Module :
·
to maintain and keep the historical records of staff and students.
·
to assign lectures to courses.
·
for student’ registration courses.
Financial Record Module :
·
to create and maintain a list of billable items (
tuition, accommodation fees)
·
to generate students’ bill, receipt for payment, individual
students’ account.
Staff Payroll Module :
to create and maintain list of salary items.
to process monthly salary for individual/ general staff.
to generate staff pay slip/payroll history, deduction
schedule
Exam Record Module:
·
to create and maintain list of all courses
offered both at undergraduate and post-graduate levels.
·
to attach a set of courses to a particular department,
faculty.
·
to create/maintain other measurable
skills/attitudes.
·
to take students’ semester continuous and
assessment and examination scores for processing students results.
·
to process and maintain a data bank of
students’ results.
·
to process and maintain a data bank of students’
transcripts results.
Hardware Requirements
The hardware requirement of the components such as:
Microprocessors, mother board, disc drives, RAM and hard disc, memory
capacities, keyboards, operating systems, the members of computers and
peripherals, the cost, installation, and maintenance of the computer and its
accessories will also be examined.
So, as to have an in-depth and general understanding of
computer utilization in record keeping, determine the prospects and problems of
record keeping at this University.
Limitation
of the Study
Every new idea is often associated with certain
accompanying problems. Computer utilization in record keeping at the university
of Ado-Ekiti, in Ekiti State is no
exception. It is a sort of mixed-grill reaction when an entirely new concept is
being super-imposed on an existing structure with a view to make the new supplant
the old. The consequences may be far-reaching in terms of human and material
conditions.
Some of these limitation are:-
1 Human Elements:-
a.
The personal problem is real and could be
highly intractable when it comes to
quality and the capacity to retain the few skilful ones that could be attracted
or trained on the job. The attitude of existing staff toward change or
re-orientation may also be discouraging
b.
Getting the clientele (staff and students)
attuned to the culture of information retiring through the on-line system could
be counter-productive.
c.
Where the system adopted is entirely new, the
pioneering spirit may create a sort of perpetual fear in the initiations to the
effect and the repercussions of serving as a “Guinea Pig’ and experiment prowl.
2. Environmental
Element
a. Telecommunication problems and the erratic power supply
b. Absence of well-developed and sophisticated computer
market which results in the market of
obsolete hardware and unsuitable software usually at exorbitant prices.
c. The supportive maintenance facilities are nothing to
write home about.
Political
Element:-
a. The
ability of the Director of the computer centre to convince the Vince-chancellor
or bureaucrat of the desirability to computerize.
b. The
fear of the failure of a previous attempt at computerization may continue to
haunt the initiators of the new project.
c. The
conversion of data into the computer system, a process that would require
skilful staff with positive commitment dedication and analytical mind.
4. Sourcing Computer Equipment:- This
describes the model of computer hardware
or software packages to opt for. The school authority may decide to buy, lease,
rely on the services being provided by an existing computer system or subscribe
to the service being rendered by a computer bureau.
5. Economic
Element: The funding determines the quality of the human material
resources, the choice of hardware and software, the choice of the type of computer
to use. The choice of each of the varieties also has varying degrees of
consequences as regards space, manageability, cost benefit analysis, output and
performances.
Definition of Terms
1. University: This is a citadel of learning, an institution
for a pursuit of knowledge, very often for its own sake, helping the initiated
individual student to develop his intellect to the highest possible extent, and
claiming the freedom to do research and teach, guided principally, if not
entirely by its own light and its own wisdom.
2. Computer:
is an electronic device that has the capability of automatically accepting
data, processing it and producing relevant and meaningful output.
3. Software:
This is a set of programs that is given to the computer to carry out specific
tasks which make the hardware to be useful.
4. Hardware:
This is the non-physical part of the computer such as keyboard, scanner, and
printer.
5. System:
This is a coordinated network of people, materials and events, organized for
optimal achievement of the nation’s educational goals and it takes into cognizance
the instructiveness and interdependence of all the components of the school and
the whole education industry.
6. Subsystems:
These are small units that exist within the large system. Systems are composed
of subsystems such as faculties departments.
7. Supra system: This refers to the large society which
the University finds itself.
8. UNADITES : This means Students
and Staff of the University of Ado-Ekiti
9. Data. These are
communication symbols that have been used to describe objects, convey
information, meaning or ideas.
10. Records. These are valuable
data or information recorded on a medium for the purpose of storage, conveyance
or transmission over time and space.
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