ABSTRACT
This study investigated the application of Information and Communication Technology on senior secondary school students’ academic achievement in English Language in Ebonyi State. The design of the study was a quasi-experimental design with pre-test post-test non-equivalent control group using three intact classes. The objectives were to find out the mean achievement scores of students taught English language using ICT facilities and those students taught with mere verbal description of the same English language lesson as well as effect of gender and school location on mean achievement scores of students in English language. Four null hypotheses were formulated and tested at 0.05 level of significant. The population of this study comprised of eight thousand three hundred and forty (8,340) Senior Secondary School II (SSS II) students selected from all 77 public secondary schools in Abakaliki Education Zone. Purposive sampling technique was used to select 3 public secondary schools. The instrument used for data collection was English Language Achievement Test (ELAT) consisting of 36-multiple choice test items. Data were analysed using mean and standard deviation to answer all research questions and Analysis of Co-variance (ANCOVA) was used to test the null hypotheses. The results of the analysis revealed that students who were taught English language using ICT-based instructional method performed better than those taught with lecture method. Urban and rural school students taught English language performed significantly different. Gender had no significant effect on the academic achievement of students taught English language using ICT-based instructional method and those students taught using mere verbal description of the same English language lesson and there was an interaction effect of gender and ICT-based instructional method. Based on these findings, the researcher recommended among others, that State and Federal ministry of education as policy makers in secondary schools should infuse ICTs as a core component of teaching methods in the curricula of senior secondary schools in order to reduce the poor academic performance of students in English language.
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
Title
Page i
Declaration ii
Dedication iii
Certification iv
Acknowledgments v
Table
of Contents vi
List
of Tables
x
Abstract xi
CHAPTER
1: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
1
1.2 Statement of the Problem
8
1.3 Purpose of the Study 9
1.4 Significance of the Study 10
1.5 Research Questions 11
1.6 Hypotheses 11
1.7 Scope of the Study 12
CHAPTER
2: REVIEW OF THE RELATED LITERATURE
2.1 Conceptual
Framework 13
2.1.1
Concept of information and
communication technology 13
2.1.2
ict facilities: an instructional media for improving
students’ academic
achievement in english language 22
2.1.3 benefits of integrating ict into teaching and learning of english language 28
2.1.4
the
challenges militating against full integration of ict into teaching and learning of english language 30
2.1.5 concept of academic achievement 34
2.1.6 gender and academic achievement 38
2.1.7 concept
of school location and academic achievement 41
2.2
Theoretical Framework 44
2.2.1
Social presence theory 44
2.2.2
Social learning theory 46
2.3
Empirical Review 49
2.4
Summary of Review Literature 62
CHAPTER
3: METHODOLOGY
3.1
Design of the Study 64
3.2
Area of the Study 65
3.3
Population of the Study 66
3.4
Sample and Sampling Techniques 66
3.5
Instrument for Data Collection 67
3.6
Validity of the Instrument 67
3.7
Reliability of the Research
Instrument 68
3.8
Method of Data Collection 68
3.9
Method of Data Analysis 71
CHAPTER 4: RESULT AND DISCUSSION
4.1
Results Presentation 72
4.1.1 Research
question 1 72
4.1.2 Hypothesis
1 73
4.1.3 Research
question 2 74
4.1.4 Hypothesis
2 75
4.1.5 Research
question 3 76
4.1.6 Hypothesis
3 77
4.1.7 Research
question 4 78
4.1.8 Hypothesis
4 79
4.1.9 Summary
of findings 79
4.2 Discussion
of Results 80
CHAPTER 5: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 Summary 84
5.2 Conclusions 87
5.3 Educational Implications of the
Findings 87
5.4 Limitations of the Study 88
5.5 Recommendations 89
5.6 Suggestions
for Further Studies 90
References 91
Appendices 102
LIST
OF TABLES
4.1: Mean
achievement and standard deviation scores of students in
English language achievement test 71
4.2:
Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) of
the mean achievement scores of students in English language using
ICT-based instruction and lecture method 72
4.3: Mean achievement and standard deviation scores
of students in
English language achievement test 73
4.4:
Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) of
the mean achievement scores of male and female students in English
language using ICT facilities and lecture method 74
4.5: Mean Achievement and Standard Deviation
Scores of Students in
English Language Achievement Test 75
4.6: Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) of the
mean achievement
scores of students in urban and
rural schools using ICT facilities 76
4.7:
Mean Achievement and Standard
Deviation Scores of Students in English Language Achievement Test 77
4.8:
Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) of
interaction effect of gender and method on mean
achievement scores of students using ICT facilities 78
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
1.1
BACKGROUND
OF THE STUDY
Federal
Republic of Nigeria in the National Policy on Education (FRN, 2014) regarded
English Language as the backbone of all other subjects taught in secondary
schools. It assigned English Language both the role of serving as medium of
instruction as well as a compulsory subject in secondary schools in Nigeria. It
is an important requirement for furthering education. It is because of this
emphasis placed on English language at secondary school level in the Nigerian
educational system that made it essential that the language is taught
effectively so that students can have a proper understanding and mastery of the
subject. It is also important that teachers of English language come up with
innovations and teaching methods that can improve English language teaching in order
for the subject to be more interesting and easier for the students to
understand thereby decreasing the problem of mass failure in secondary schools
(Olatunji & Kolawale, 2008).
The teaching and learning of English Language does not
only refer to grammar but also Oral English. Iyiola, (2010) is of the opinion
that the emphasis placed on the phonic method of teaching English at the
primary school level, and the inclusion of an Oral English component in the
Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSCE) syllabus is an evidence
of a renewed interest in correct pronunciation. According to Omosowone and
Akindolire (2003), Oral English is an integral and important part of the
English language syllabus that also has a good mark in the SSCE. Oral English
is inclusive in the school curriculum, not only for the aim of passing
examination but also, to teach students how to speak English language correctly
and meaningfully for effective communication. Also, according to Ogunsanwo,
Duruaku, Ezechukwu and Nwachukwu (2003:241),
Since
speech is used more in every language than other forms, it is important that
learners of a language become quite familiar with the correct speech forms of
the language. Unlike the old system under which Oral English was an optional
paper and carried no credit in the Senior School Certificate Examination, the
present system has made appropriate provisions for Oral English as a necessary
part of the English language syllabus and one that earns credit in the Senior
School Certificate Examination. Accordingly, in the teaching of the English
language, proper attention to speech behaviour has become absolutely an
important thing.
That is why Iyiola (2010) is of the opinion that the
goal of the Oral English course should not be only to assist the students score
high marks in Oral English in the SSCE or JAMB but also to assist them become
good speakers of English language. Competence in speaking English language
should not be a choice but should rather be obligatory. To help all English language
teachers and of course, all other teachers to make concerted effort to improve
on their spoken English, so that they can be good models to their students, the
integration of Information Communication Technology (ICT) is therefore,
important for the overall improvement of teachers and students in this regard.
ICT is an acronym for Information and Communication
Technology. It is a diverse set of technological tools and resources used to
communicate and to create, disseminate, store and manage information. Ede
(2010), defined ICT as all those different types of technologies that are used
for processing, transmitting, communicating data and information, tools such as
computers, internet, interface boxes, e-mail and varieties of software, these
are all important aspect of ICT. It relates mainly to studying concepts,
skills, processes and electronic devices, ICT is simply a general term that
covers all media communication devices or application; it is made up of audio
recorder, video, data, television, cellular phones, computer and multimedia
such as satellite system, fibre optics, wireless such as radio, infra-red,
Bluetooth and Wi-Fi that enables people to access, analyse, create, exchange,
use data, information and knowledge. Molony (2006) described ICT as any
technology that enables communication and transmission of information.
According to Iloanusi and Osuagwu (2010), ICT is the processing and maintenance
of information; it is the use of all types of computer, communication network
and mobile phone technologies to carry out information. ICT is of two main
approaches in education, namely; ICT for education and ICT in education. ICT
for education simply means the development of information and communication
technology specifically for learning and teaching purpose while ICT in
education deals with the adoption of general components of information and
communication technology in practical use in teaching and learning processes
(Voogt & Pelgrum, 2005; Watson, 2006). The use of ICT in education enhances
the delivery of information, gives access to knowledge and improves the
curriculum; it promotes critical thinking and renders unlimited ways of
achieving educational goals. It facilitates richer learning outcomes than
education without the use of ICT.
According to Akintunde (2004) ICT consists of all
technical facilities used in information handling and communication which
includes computer and network hardware as well as telephony, broadcast media
and all types of audio and video processing and transmission radio, television,
telephone, language laboratory, microphone and so forth have replaced the
traditional “chalk and talk” method of teaching. In this regard, the use of ICT
facilities challenges students to learn independently, it enhances the teaching
of Oral English if they are well used by teachers. It reduces the burden of the
teacher, with the ICT facilities, the teachers’ role in the classroom will be
shifted from being the sole provider of information to a facilitator of
learning and manager of instructional resources. For instance, in the teaching
and learning of Oral English, if a teacher plays a recorded tape twenty times,
it will produce the same sound but if the teacher pronounces a particular sound
twice, different sounds will be produced. The educational system is accepting
new technologies globally to apply ICT into the teaching and learning process,
in order to equip the students with the knowledge and skills they need to learn
English language. This new technological process introduced into the teaching
profession will move teaching from teacher-centred to student-centred learning
environment (Nwabuko, 2010).
Substantial research on the effectiveness of teaching
methods indicates that the quality of teaching is often reflected by the achievements
of learners. According to Ayeni (2011), teaching is a process that involves
bringing about desirable changes in learners so as to achieve specific
outcomes. In order for the method used for teaching to be effective, Adunola
(2011) maintains that teachers need to be conversant with numerous teaching
strategies that take recognition of the magnitude of complexity of the concepts
to be covered. Many teachers widely applied teacher-centred methods to impart
knowledge to learners with no learning activity for the learners making them
passive and therefore obtaining knowledge from the teacher without building
their engagement level with the subject matter, this approach is less
practical, more theoretical and memorizing
(Tebabal & Kahssay, 2011). Student-centred approaches are more
effective and more encouraging because they embrace the concept of discovery
learning. The effectiveness of teaching methods on students learning has
consistently raised a considerable interest on the thematic field of education
research (Hightower, 2011). Most of the teaching methods have embraced modern
technology and this has brought tremendous changes and improvement in the field
of learning.
ICTs have been proven to play an important
role in the teaching-learning process as it provides learners with the
understanding, skills and knowledge necessary for scientific research, thus
improving their standard of education (Munishi, 2004). They also enable
learners to acquire problem-solving and decision-making skills, which provide
ways of thinking and inquiry. ICT based teaching-learning applications are
considered as an effective alternative to traditional teaching methods because
it presents students with unlimited opportunities to demonstrate the mastery of
contents taught (Lei & Zhao, 2007). To facilitate the process of
transferring knowledge to the students, the teachers are required to use the
appropriate teaching methods and pedagogy that best suits the learners and also
suit the objectives and desired outcomes. Alignment of teaching methods with
students’ needs and preferred learning influence students’ academic
achievement.
Academic achievement is
the outcome of education, that is, the extent which a student, teacher or
institution has achieved their educational goals. Academic achievement is
commonly measured by examination or continuous assessment but there is no
general agreement on how it is best tested, but it intends to measure systematic
education and training towards a conventionally accepted pattern of skills or
knowledge. According to Adediwura and Tayo (2007), academic achievement is
designated by test and examination scores or marks assigned by the subject
teachers. It could also be said to be any expression used to represent
students’ scholastic standing. Several subjects may be combined into an
achievement series for measuring general academic proficiency either in point
score or achievement age. What this means is that academic achievement is
measured in relation to what is attained at the end of a term, since it is the
accomplishment of medium or long term objective of education. What is important
is that the test should be a standardised test to meet national norm. For a
test to be standardised, it must be valid for over a period of time.
Levin, Wasanga and Somerset (2011) reported
that the academic achievement of students at secondary school level is not only
a pointer of the effectiveness of schools but also a major determinant of the
well-being of youths in particular and the nation in general. Yusuf and Adigun
(2010) noted that the performance of students in any academic task has always
been of special interest to the government, educators, parents and society at
large. According to Nwadinigwe and Azuka-Obieke (2012), poor academic
achievement is an achievement that is judged by the examiners as falling below
an expected standard. It is when a student performance is below his actual
ability. This poor academic performance could be as a result of several factors
such as poor teaching, psychological factors, unpreparedness on the part of the
students, poor learning environment, location of schools and the evaluation
process. There are other factors such as attitude of students and teachers,
study habit, teachers’ qualification, teaching methods, government policy,
family types. The poor academic performance by majority of the students in
various subject areas is basically linked to the application of ineffective
teaching methods by teachers to impact knowledge to learners (Adunola, 2011).
Concerns about academic
achievement with respect to males and females have generated a considerable
interest in the field of educational testing over the years. Differences in
academic achievement of the two genders are likely to contribute disparities in
the allocation of cognitive roles in the world of work. Gender is a specially
constructed phenomenon that society assigns different roles, duties,
behaviours, and mannerisms to the two sexes male and female (Mangvwat, 2006).
Gender according to Lahey (2003) is a psychological experience of being a male
or female, it deals with personality and central components of self-concept.
Singh (2010) opines that gender refers to a socio-cultural construct that
connotes the differentiated roles and responsibilities of men and women in a
particular society. According to Betiku (2002), gender refers to all the
characteristics of male and female, which a particular society has determined
and assigned each sex.
Also, Onyeukwu (2000) sees gender as the
dichotomy of roles culturally imposed on the
Sexes. These definitions imply that gender
determines the role, which one plays in relation to general political,
cultural, social and economic system of their society. Adigun, Onihunwa,
Irunkhai, Sada and Adesina (2015) are of the view that gender is the range of
physical, biological, mental and behavioural characteristics pertaining to
individual and differentiates between the female and male population. They argued that, the importance of examining
students’ performance in relation to gender is based primarily on these
socio-cultural differences between girls and boys. Gender is a strong predictor
of human conduct and many differences have been documented on attitude and
behaviour that affect academic performance in males and females (Block, 2006).
Okon and Archibong (2015) are of the opinion that the type of schools, (single
sex or mixed, private or public) has effect on the academic performance of
students.
Location refers to the
geographical setting in which a school is situated and such a setting could be
rural or urban. Ellah and Ita (2017) classified school environment into urban
and rural. Rural schools are located in the interior constituency of a state
while urban schools are located in the township area of a state. This
classification sometimes goes a long way to influence government distribution
of social amenities like electricity, water, hospital and educational
institution. It is a common knowledge that many of these social amenities are
concentrated in urban areas than rural areas (Amadi, 2018). Learning
environment has also been emphasized as an essential requirement for smooth
teaching and learning process to take place (National Teachers Institute, NTI
2008). This is because students study habits are to a large extent tied to it.
A good learning environment presents learning as a lifelong enterprise and
enables students to discover appropriate value system that can be their compass
for self-awareness and national consciousness.
There is a general
believe that the condition of school learning environment including
infrastructure has an important impact on teachers’ effectiveness and students’
academic performance. The facilities that are needed to facilitate effective
teaching and learning in an educational institution include the classrooms,
offices, laboratories, conveniences and other buildings as well as furniture
items and sporting equipment. Comfortable classroom temperature and smaller
classes enhance teachers’ effectiveness and provide opportunities for students
to receive more individual attention, ask more questions, participate more
fully in discussions, reduce discipline problems and perform better than
students in schools with substandard buildings by several percentage points
(Earthen, 2002). According to Mitchell (2008) the environment in which a
student studies can have a big effect on how efficient his/her study time is.
He identified noise, interruptions, lighting, temperature, neatness, comfort,
instructional materials and facilities such as buildings and ICT equipment to
have potential effect on study habits.
Based on these
assumptions, the researcher sets out to ascertain whether the integration of
ICT is an effective instructional strategy in the teaching and learning of
English language.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Students find it
difficult to use error-free English language as their medium of expression in
social gatherings and in their academic activities. According to Asuquo (2007)
most secondary school students have poor self-confidence and wrong oral
expression in pronunciation of English words. An average student in Ebonyi
State has a problem of his/her mother-tongue sounds interfering with spoken
English because of the variation in pitch of their native language which is a
tonal language and as a result of his mother tongue interference the student
battles with word pronunciation in English language (Kutigi, Gambari & Gana
2010). This problem is as a result of the use of lecture teaching methods by
teachers which lack imagination and innovations that could bring about
effective teaching and learning process and improve the academic achievements
of students.
For effective teaching
and learning to be achieved, instructional media such as radio, television,
recorded tapes and so on have been a triumphant entry, bringing benefits to
both teachers and students. The use of instructional media makes it possible
for every teacher and student to be familiar with the topic taught, through the
use of technologies the students can hear and see things for themselves and
also improve in the four language learning skills which are listening, reading,
writing and speaking.
ICT must be fully
integrated into the curriculum in order for students to gain the required
competence needed in speaking English language. The Nigerian Government is
aware of the importance of ICT in Education and therefore states that “To
achieve the policy objectives of education, government shall provide
appropriate Information and Communication Technology (ICT) facilities to ensure
that the benefits of effective teaching penetrate into all levels of education
in Nigeria” (FRN, 2013).
This research work
therefore investigated the effect of application of ICT through the use of
audio-visual materials, recorded tapes and other ICT facilities on the academic
achievement of senior secondary 2 students in English language in Abakaliki
Education Zone of Ebonyi State.
1.3 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The
purpose of this research work was to investigate the application of ICT on
Senior Secondary 2 Students academic achievement in English Language in Ebonyi
State. Specifically, the study sought to determine:
1. The mean achievement scores of students taught English language
using ICT facilities and those taught with mere verbal description of the same
English language lesson.
2. The mean achievement scores of male and female students taught
English language using ICT facilities and those taught with mere verbal
description of the same English language lesson.
3. The effect of school location on mean
achievement scores of students taught English
language taught using ICT facilities.
4. The interaction effect of gender and
method on mean achievement scores of students
taught English language using ICT
facilities.
1.4
SIGNIFICANCE
OF THE STUDY
This research study on
application of ICT on academic achievement of Senior Secondary school 2
students in English language in Ebonyi State is bound to be of immense help to students,
teachers, school authorities, state and federal ministry of education.
The study may benefit the
Students by enhancing their learning process as well as improving their overall
academic performance, because it will increase the motivation of the students
to learn, add clarity to the topics taught and make learning more interesting.
Findings from the study
may help to sensitize English language teachers on their important roles in
promoting the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in
teaching and learning. This is because it will provide a basis for them to
understand the need to support the use of ICT in teaching English language.
The findings may further
help to reveal and create awareness among the school authorities of the
importance of using audio instructional media and other ICTs in teaching and
learning. This is because the findings from this study may require taking a
decision by the secondary school authorities whether to infuse ICT materials in
learning curriculum or to modify, expunge or discontinue with the existing
teaching methods.
It
may also create awareness for state and federal ministry of education as policy
makers in secondary schools of the need to infuse the use of ICTs as a core
component of teaching method in the curricula of secondary schools and impress
upon them to provide explicit strategy for applying the use of ICT materials in
teaching and learning.
1.5
RESEARCH
QUESTIONS
1.
What is the mean achievement scores of
students taught English language using ICT facilities and those taught with
mere verbal description of the same English language lesson?
2.
What
is the mean achievement scores of male and female students taught English
language using ICT facilities and those taught with mere verbal description of
the same English language lesson?
3.
What
is the mean achievement scores of students in urban and rural secondary schools taught English
language using ICT facilities?
4 What is the interaction effect of gender
and method on mean achievement scores of students
taught English language using ICT facilities?
1.6
HYPOTHESES
The following null
hypotheses were formulated and tested at 0.05 level of significant:
Ho1:
There is no significant difference between the mean achievement scores of
students taught English Language using ICT facilities and those taught with
mere verbal description of the same English language lesson.
HO2:
There is no significant difference between the mean achievement scores of male
and female students taught English
language using ICT facilities and those taught with mere verbal description of
the same English language lesson.
HO3:
There is no significant difference between the mean achievement scores of
students in urban and rural schools taught English language using ICT facilities.
HO4:
There
is no significant interaction effect of gender and method on mean achievement
scores of students taught English language using ICT facilities.
1.7
SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The
study was carried out in Nigeria precisely in Ebonyi State. The study
concentrated on Senior Secondary Two (SS2) students in public secondary schools
in Abakaliki Education zone because these are the classes which are preparing
for their Use of English and Test of Oral in West African Examination Council
at the end of their three years in the senior secondary school. The study
concentrated on five unit topics in English Language namely: reading and
answering of a comprehension passage, list and examples of vowel sounds, list
and examples of consonant sounds, rhyme words and types of stress pattern. The
sample for this study were divided into three groups, they were two
experimental group and one control group. Group A and B constituted the
treatment group while group C was the control group; these three groups were
pre-tested on comprehension and Oral part of English language to ascertain
their entry behaviour. The experimental groups were exposed to rigorous
teaching using a laptop, audio-visual tape and wireless speaker to carry out
ICT-based instructional lesson while lecture method lesson plan were used to
teach the control group in order to determine if there is a significant
difference in their academic achievement. The study also examined the effect of
gender and school location on students’ academic achievement.
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