ABSTRACT
The study examined the utilization of web 2.0 technologies by Agricultural Lecturers in South -South tertiary institutions in Nigeria, precisely; UNICAL, UNIUYO and UNIPORT. The specific objectives were to; describes the personal characteristics of the respondents; ascertain respondents perceived benefit of the use of web 2.0 technologies in the study area; determine the effectiveness of web 2.0 technology for delivering web-based instruction in the study area; ascertain the level of web 2.0 technologies utilization by the respondents in the study area; and examine constraints affecting the utilization of web 2.0 technologies by the respondents. Purposive and proportionate sampling techniques were used to select 168 Agricultural lecturers who had undergone training on web 2.0 technology in the study area. Primary data were collected with a well-structured questionnaire. Primary data were analyzed using descriptive statistics such as frequency counts; means scores, percentages (%) and inferential statistics such as t-test of significance at 5% level. The studies revealed that, majority of the respondents were within the age bracket of 45 years old (37.5%) while the 2.4% of respondents were between 55 years. Majority (64.9%) of the respondents were males while 35.1% were females. Majority (84.5%) of the respondents were married while 11.3% were single. A good proportion (50.0%) of respondents earned N200,000 as their salary while few earned N400,000 (2.4%) per month. More than half of the sampled population of the (28.6%) respondents attained the rank of Assistant Lecturer while few (1.2%) attained the rank of professor. The finding of the result also found that, web 2.0 tools on the perceived benefits (indicators) help to improve skills in using web 2.0 Technology ( =3.1); helps me keep updated in my research field ( facilitates collaborative learning ( 2.9) Wikipedia ( =4.1), You Tube ( =4.0), Blog ( =3.7) etc were very effective web 2.0 tools for delivery of web-based instruction in the study area, while few respondents fairly utilized Dropbox ( =2.7), Skype ( =2.5) and Podcast ( =2.0) among others were fairly effectively use to argument academic activities rather as a social networking platform. More so, relatively high number of respondents utilize Wikipedia ( =4.1), Goggle Apps ( =3.9) and You Tube ( =3.9) among others regularly while Whatsapp ( =2.6), Flickr ( = 2.4) Facebook ( =2.3), were irregularly used in the study area. Majority of respondent strongly that agreed skill and knowledge to use of such technologies ( =4.4), high cost of computer ( =4.1), unstable power supply ( =3.7), poor internet bandwidth ( =3.6) influence the integration and utilization of web tools ineffectively. For hypothesis one, the study found no significant relationship between perceptions of web 2.0 technologies and the use of web 2.0 technologies at 5% level of significance. The t-cal (1.895) was higher than t-tab (1.96) on the perceived benefit; null hypothesis was accepted and alternative rejected. For hypothesis two, the study found significant relationship between effectiveness of web 2.o technologies and the utilization at 5% level of significance. The t-cal (166.244) was much higher than t-tab (1.96) on the effectiveness. The null hypothesis was rejected, and the alternative hypothesis accepted. The correlation coefficients of the hypotheses were further subjected to t-test of significance of relationship. The study concluded that there was low level of utilization of web 2.0 technologies by the respondents in the study area. The study recommended that each tertiary institution should provide adequate incentive for in-service training on Web 2.0 tools, reliable power supply and fast internet bandwidth to enable the lecturers to use the technologies fluently.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title
Page i
Declaration ii
Certification iii
Dedication iv
Acknowledgements vi
Table
of Contents vii
List
of Tables ix
List
of Figures x
Abstract xi
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
1.1
Background of the Study 1
1.2
Problem Statement
5
1.3
Research Questions 7
1.4
Objectives of the Study 8
1.5
Hypotheses of the study 9
1.6
Justification of the
Study 9
1.7
Definition of Terms
11
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Concept of Web 2.0 Technology
14
2.2 Overview of Utilization
of web 2.0 Technologies by the Lecturers
Tertiary
Institution 18
2.3. Concept of
Web 2.0 and Education 20
2.3.1 21st
century education
21
2.3.2 Characteristics
of the 21st century teacher and learner
22
2.4 Concept
of Teaching, Learning and Web 2.0 Technologies 23
2.4.1 Benefits of
web 2.0 in teaching and learning 24
2.4.2 Purposes for web 2.0
technologies in teaching and learning 26
2.4.3 Concept of commonly Web 2.0 tools used for teaching and learning 28
2.5 Overview of Empirical Studies
30
2.6 Factors that
Hinder the Use of Web-Based Tools in Nigerian Tertiary Institution 32
2.7 Overview
of Web 2.0 and Social Networking
35
2.8 Effective
Delivery of Web-based Instruction 36
2.9 Strategies of Implementing Web-based Tools 38
2.10 Concept of Constraints Affecting
Integration of Web 2.0 Technology 40
2.11 Review of Related Theories 42
2.12 Theoretical
frame work
42
2.13 Conceptual
Frame work
45
CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY
3.1
Study Area
48
3.2
Population of the Study
49
3.3
Data Collection 49
3.4
Sample and Sampling Procedure
49
3.5
Validity of Instrument 50
3.6
Test of Reliability of Instrument
50
3.7
Measurement of Variables
51
3.8
Data Analyses
53
3.9
Hypotheses Testing 54
CHAPTER 4: RESULTS AND
DISCUSSION
4.1
Socio-Economic Characteristics of the
Respondents 56
4.1.1
Age 56
4.1.2 Gender
57
4.1.3
Marital status
57
4.1.4
Academic attainments 58
4.1.5
Years of working experience
59
4.1.6
Monthly income
60
4.1.7
Rank of respondents 61
4.1.8
Department of affiliation 61
4.2
Perceived Benefits of the Use of Web
2.0 Technologies in the Study Area 65
4.3 Effectiveness
of Web 2.0 Technologies for Delivery of Web – Based Instructions
by
the Respondents 69
4.4 Extent
of Utilization of Web 2.0 Technologies for Academic Activities 73
4.5 Constraints
Affecting the Utilization of Web 2.0 Technologies by Agricultural
Lecturers
in the Study Area 77
4.6
Result of Hypotheses Testing 81
4.6.1
Hypothesis 1 81
4.6.2
Hypothesis 2 83
CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION AND
RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1
Summary 85
5.1
Conclusion
89
5.2
Recommendations 90
References
92
Appendices
104
LIST OF TABLES
3.1: Sample
distribution of respondents 50
4.1:
Distributions of respondents by
their personal characteristics 63
4.2 Distribution
of the mean- ratings of the responses of the respondent on the
perceived
benefits of utilization of web 2.0 technologies for academic activities. 68
4.3 Distribution of mean-ratings
of the respondents on the effectiveness of web
2.0 technologies for delivery of web–based instructions by the respondents 72
4.4 Distribution
of the mean- ratings of the responses of the respondent on the extent
of
utilization of web 2.0 technologies for academic activities. 76
4.5 Constraints
affecting the utilization of web 2.0 technologies by lecturers in the
study area. 80
4.6 Correlation analysis showing relationship between perception
of
web 2.0 technologies and the use of web 2.0 technologies by
Agricultural
lecturers in tertiary institutions in South-South, Nigeria. 82
4.7 Correlation analysis showing relationship between
effectiveness of web
2.0 and utilization of web 2.0 technologies by Agricultural
lecturers
in tertiary institutions in South-South, Nigeria
84
LIST
OF FIGURES
1.
Conceptual Framework on the utilization of web 2.0
technologies by Agricultural
Lecturers
in South-South Tertiary Institution in Nigeria 46
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
1.1
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
In the 21st century, countries across the globe are
increasingly relying on Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) to
address a wide range of issues (Athanassios
et al., 2013). Video
conferencing, e-banking, e-government, e-learning, e-agriculture and mobile
technologies are some of the ICT types and promises that have triggered
processes of change in both, the public and private sectors. The progressive
increase in the use of ICT in education has drastically changed the
teaching/learning process (Echeng et al.,
2014). A great deal of research has proven its benefits in educational quality
(Shuaibu et al., 2014).
The term ‘ICT’ is used almost interchangeably with the
Internet (Beebe, 2004). Thus, Internet is an interconnected network of networks
and it helps to connect millions of computers and users around the world or hyper
linking and book marking to the web pages (Tatnall et al., 2003). The Internet together
with its applications has proven to be remarkably convenient, cheap and thereby
enlarging the range of human capabilities, and up-to-date
current information. The
emergence of the Internet as a veritable instrument for educational development
has equally compelled the stakeholders in education to incorporate the Internet
as a major source of information. This has greatly assisted academics by
modernizing the process of teaching, learning and research (Kumar et al., 2005). According to Sadanand et al.(2008), the Internet has become a
valuable tool for teaching/ learning and a wide usage in almost every field of
human endeavor with meaningful effect on the whole aspects of our lives, which
includes tertiary institutions such as universities, polytechnics and colleges
of education.
Sadanand et al.,(2008),
stressed that the use of Internet, social networking or web technology is a
direct medium of enhancing academic activities in Nigerian’s tertiary
institutions as it plays a pivotal role in meeting information and
communication needs of institutions and individuals. It makes it possible to
access a wide range of information, such as journals, articles and papers from
anywhere in the world. For decades now, internet
has remained as an umbrella for networking and a key information platform where
students and lecturers acquire relevant educational contents as well as share
important information (Echeng
et al., 2014). More recently, a new wave of
internet technology called web 2.0 technologies which capture
a combination of innovations on the Web in recent years had emerged and
are widely perceived as having potentials to enhance further learning and
sharing of information among learners and teachers (Hartshome et al., 2009).The emergence of web 2.0
technologies coupled with their subsequent adoption by universities has
indisputably brought about appealing and efficient ways of carrying out
teaching and learning activities as well as enhancing students’ interaction
with their lecturers, course mates, lecturers in other schools and experts from
outside their academic environment (Sarrafzadeh, et al., 2011).
However,
the term Web 2.0 was first
coined in a conference between O’Reilly and Media Live International (O’Reilly
2005) in December 2003 with the title "Fast
Forward 2010, where technical
issues that border on principles and practices of the entire web and its
services were discussed (Rogers, 2009). More so,
the advent of Web 2.0
technologies by Kwanya, et al.,
(2012) has been a sort of breakthrough in the sharing and dissemination of
information among various individuals and groups while the impact is also felt
on intellectual interactions most especially among the end users. This
technology provides online users with interactive services and control over
their own data and information (Madden et
al., 2006; Maloney 2007).
Web 2.0 is an umbrella term which describes several
new web 2.0 social networking technologies and tools, also its foundation
encompasses a number of web based services and applications which ideally are
not technologies themselves but mostly used in educational forum (Salehe,
2008), of which its role in the teaching and learning process cannot be over
emphasized. Therefore, social networking is gradually integrating with every
other aspect of web 2.0 activities like job searching, blogging, activism etc.
while education and online learning are no exemption (Godil, 2013). Generally,
some refer toWeb 2.0 technologies as the ‘‘read/write
Web’’ since users could easily access and update information (Maloney,
2007). Godil et al.
(2013) stressed that it has transformed not only the people’s perception of the
use of the internet, but also the way information is organized on the web
(Leung et al., 2009).The social networking
made use of all aforementioned techniques in one single site based on its mode
of operation, for instance, it allow real time communication, sharing of visual
media and sharing of files, communication and sharing most especially in the
area of learning and teaching among students and Lecturers in Nigeria tertiary
institutions (e.g National Open University of Nigeria and other related
universities mostly in South-South regions) based on its methods and
application.
Furthermore,
the Web in the 90s helped to reduce the barriers regarding time, place and
cultural boundaries, and contributed in the effective user communication and
access to information (Constant
et al., 2015). This
technology is fundamentally reshaping and realigning many aspects of the
communication loop: the people with whom teachers, students, and parents
communicate; how they communicate; what they communicate about; and where and
when they communicate (Dearstyne, 2007). These
ongoing processes bring to the fore exciting opportunities and novel challenges
for educators (Centre for Children and Technology, 2010). Thus, facilitate a
change of paradigm in learning; from a top-down system focused in teachers and
established knowledge to a networked approach where faculties should change
their roles to become coaches and facilitators of the learning process. The
needs of our contemporary societies pay special attention to innovation and
entrepreneurship as basic abilities for the future of our graduates. Learning
by doing and applying methods for collaborative and active learning are
essential approaches and the Web 2.0 could be an instrumental and strategic
tool in their development (Freire, 2007).
With evolution of these tools, Web 2.0 is much more than just pasting a new
user interface onto an old application and not only do they function in
effective communication but also in the development of collaboration and
networking of the users which led to social networking to form a broader computing
platform (O‘Reilly, 2006).
Web 2.0 is known by various names which fundamentally
emerged as a result of its characteristics and some of them include
“participatory media” (Bull et al., 2008), “social digital technologies”
(Palfrey et al., 2008) and “second
wave of the World Wide Web” (Azab, et
al., 2013). Web 2.0 basically referred to the
transition of static Web 1.0 (examples: e-mails, goggles,) hypertext make-up
languages (HTML) web pages to a more dynamic web that
is more organized and is based on serving web application to users with the
main goal of facilitating the use of the web as a development platform,
flexibility in the learning processes and enhance easy sharing, creation, and
re-use of study contents that are managed by the instructors and students
(Anderson, 2007). Thus, these technologies enhance learners not to only
download pre-packaged content but also empowering them to become active
contributors, publishers and affordances such as the ability to network,
communicate, collaborate, co-create and aggregate knowledge offer significant
opportunities for learning and teaching in tertiary institutions (Narayan et al.,2010).
It has been observed that social networking
sites or Web 2.0 tools have been found to be very useful to professionals in
the developed world. Conversely, the use of these ICT tools is not prominent in
the developing world, including in Nigeria and Africa as a whole. For instance,
Lemley et al. (2008) in his study on
Web 2.0 tools discovered that in medical and nursing school curricula, the
extent to which social networking tools are being used in the curricula of
medical and nursing schools is quite proficient. As new Internet technology
tools are introduced, educators in health-related disciplines have the
opportunity to incorporate these new tools into the curriculum to enhance
instruction and the learning process.
In other words, Web 2.0 tools and other
related social networking tools could also be used both to augment the
educational method and to increase its efficacy. However, these could also be
significantly applicable to the college of agriculture curricula to enhance
proficient and flexible academic system (from the grassroots), communicational
linkages, activities, tools and environment in replacement of analog or19th
century educational methods or concept of teaching and learning as well change
the entire face of agricultural colleges or faculties to a digital age one
specially through incorporating effective use of web 2.0 technologies. Hence,
society is rapidly and constantly changing, so also are the available
communication methods (Nwachukwu, 2013). Due to this, there is a need to
incorporate Web 2.0 technologies into
Agricultural curricula also create an awareness and utilization of the new wave
technologies to enhance 21st century both teaching and learning
activities on the entire Nigeria’s educational system precisely in the selected
study area. Though the academic environment in Nigeria differs considerably and a
study of this nature is important.
1.2 PROBLEM STATEMENT
The capacity of admission offered in tertiary
institutions across the country as at 2003 was about 500,000 students (Afinsulu
et al., 2013). This shows that there
is indeed a need for other alternatives to the conventional mode of education,
that is, the traditional method of teaching.
Currently,
there is much discussion and excitement about Web 2.0 in education, but with very
little idea about how these tools actually work in the classroom or tertiary
institutions to enhance flexible learning (Centre for Children and Technology,
2010). Moreover, the
perception of these web 2.0 technologies and its utilization by lecturers to
enhance these alternative methods teaching greatly affect learning outcome,
time constraints for students who are working and on the other hand lecturers
who are building up their educational careers as well, where distance usually
stand as a barrier for achieving their goals also pose as a problem. This calls
for urgent attention by the government and the National University Commission
(NUC) to ensure that web 2.0 technologies are incorporated or implemented into
the university system to enhance access to distance education, proficiency of
e-learning and teaching academic environment.
According to Schlenkrich et al. (2012), fast internet links
should be used to access Web 2.0 tools and facilitate large volumes of
information transfer. Poor infrastructure including low Internet bandwidth,
lack of technical support and high cost of internet connectivity are the major
barriers to using Web 2.0 tools in learning and teaching arena (Lwoga, 2012).
Though, web 2.0 technologies being a relatively young technology apparently has
other number of issues that are yet to be resolved, which are awareness,
perception, acceptance and use for teaching and learning (Franklin et al.,
2007). Also, today’s students are digitally exposed and make increasing use of
Web 2.0 technologies in their lives but vast majority of educators (teachers)
still have little or no experience with these new tools, inadequate knowledge and skills required
for effective web 2.0 instructional delivery.
A lot of research works have been conducted (Atsumbe,
2012; Greenhow et al., 2009;
Ugwoke,2012; IIechukwu, 2013; Ofoegbor, 2013; Agbulu et al., 2010; Akinnagbe et al.,
2011; Shuaibuet al., 2014) in Akwa ibom,
Niger, Rivers, Enugu, Kwara, Ondo and Delta states respectively. Furthermore,
according to Orehovacki, et al.,(2009),
there are several factors that influence the
utilization of Web 2.0 tools in teaching and learning which include
perceptions on Web 2.0 technologies, organizational culture, individual
competencies including hardware and software incompatibility, inadequate
knowledge by the lecturers as well as technological experience (Yoo et al., 2011). However, there is
insufficient information on the use of web 2.0 technologies in teaching and
learning among agricultural lecturers in tertiary institutions in the study
area.
Due to this wide gap in literature, the problem this
study addressed was that, the extent current status of web 2.0 technologies
utilization by agricultural lecturers in the study area for educational
purposes was relatively unknown. Therefore, it is against this backdrop that the
study sought to examine the
extent to which agricultural lecturers in tertiary institutions utilized web
2.0 technologiesas the problem addressed by this
studyand the perceived
benefits of integrating web 2.0 technologies in other
to abridge information and knowledge sharing gap in teaching and
learning in the tertiary institutions.
1.3 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
It is against
this background that this study was conducted to address the following research
questions:
i. What are the
personal characteristics of agricultural
lecturers in selected tertiary institutions in the study area?
ii. What are the respondents’ perceived
benefits of the use of integrating Web 2.0 technologies in teaching and
learning in the study area?
iii. How effective is web 2.0 technology for delivery of
web-based instructions in the study area?
ivWhat is the level of
utilization of Web 2.0 technologies by the respondents in the study area?
v. What are the constraints affecting
utilization of web 2.0 technologies by respondents in the study area?
1.4
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The broad objective of the study was to
examine the utilization of Web 2.0 technologies by Agricultural Lecturers in
tertiary institutions in South-South, Nigeria.
The specific objectives of the study were
to:
i. describes the personal characteristics of the
Agricultural lecturers in the selected tertiary institutions
ii. ascertain
respondents perceived benefits of the use of web 2.0 technologies in the study area.
iii.determine
the effectiveness of Web 2.0 technology for delivering web-based instruction in
the study area.
iv. ascertain
the level of web 2.0 technologies utilization by the respondents in the study
area
v. examine
constraints affecting the utilization of web 2.0 technologies by the
respondents in the study area.
1.5 HYPOTHESES OF THE STUDY
The following hypothesis guided the study:
HO1: There is no significant
relationship between the perceived benefit and utilization of web 2.0
technologies by the Agricultural lecturers in the selected tertiary
institutions
HO2: There is no significant
relationship between the effectiveness and utilization of web 2.0 technologies
by the Agricultural lecturers in the selected tertiary institutions
1.6
JUSTIFICATION OF THE STUDY
The importance and role of modern
innovations in our life, is reflected by the boundless research studies in
these modern innovations. Since this study is to examine the utilization of the
Web 2.0 technologies by the agricultural lecturers in tertiary institution in South-South, Nigeria, it is considered to be significant
for several expedient reasons. Firstly,
in most predominantly urban areas, it is assumed that the level of awareness
and utilization of Web 2.0 technologies among the respondents in tertiary
institutions in South-South, Nigeria would be high compared to Northern States,
however research works to back-up this assumption is still very scanty in the
study area and therefore the challenge to fill this gap.
Secondly,
the study was considered useful to Agricultural lecturers, students, educational
Administrators/instructional designers, and the entire society at large. Whereby the lecturers will benefit by appreciating the
importance of web 2.0 technology and thereby be motivated to acquire training
for better application and production of knowledge for the real world. It will
also facilitate teaching and learning. The findings will also provide the
lecturers with a feedback on assessment of the performance of students as a
basis for improvement in their technological practice in order to enhance ICTs
performance of students. Also, lecturer - student contact can be maintained and
strengthened based on academic conversation, and this will improve educational
experience and performance of students in the agricultural faculty. It will
also decrease work load for the lecturers as they can upload their lecture
materials and ask students to access it themselves even before the lecture
time, this will enable them to accommodate more students and less stress.
Thirdly,
for educational administrators, the study will enable them to plan and
integrate web 2.0 Technologies instruction in the university curriculum. This
will also help them to assess the importance of web-based
instructional-techniques towards the performance of students, and the extent to
which courses are effectively taught in Nigerian Universities and indeed,
provide insight into the extent to which the objectives of teaching these
courses in the universities are being realized. It is important, especially in
instructional technology to create a bridge between the theoretical and the
practical approach to create web-based instruction that will add value in terms
of quality and effectiveness to teaching and learning. This will also enable
Educational Administrators to rise to their responsibilities through the supply
of resources in the universities thereby helping educational policy makers to
evaluate electronic media and overcome the obstacles for optimal utilization.
Finally, even
though a lot of information on ICT is available in the literature and internet,
yet there is still a glaring lack of awareness and utilization of Web 2.0
technologies in tertiary institutions as it relates the Agricultural
environment. The result of this study
will serve as a good basis for forthcoming researchers who which to replicate
similar or related studies in other parts of Nigeria, disciplines or elsewhere.
Also, the entire society will benefit from an increased rate of literacy and
opportunity for lifelong learning, communication and information exchange which
is essential to democratic living and the creation of a pool of globally
competitive human resources, improve access to tertiary institution and enhance
effective digital learning and teaching atmosphere for the future leaders and
also provide directions for the sectors of libraries and learning to support
and increase the rate of Web 2.0 adoption and use in both sectors.
1.6
DEFINITION OF TERMS
Web 2.0: According to Varinder et al., (2012), Web 2.0 known as social networking or interactive
media, refers to “all web- based applications which allow for creation/exchange
of user generated content and enable interaction between the users.
Blogs: According to Doctorow (2002) as cited in Salehe
(2008), “the term blog originally comes from the phrase ‘web-log’, which refers
to a simple webpage containing paragraphs of opinion, information, personal
diary entries, or links arranged in a chronological order with the most recent
entry first in the style of an online journal.”
Wiki:
means
essentially a full editable web site for example Wikipedia which allow several
users to contribute in the creation of content collaboratively (Venkat, 2010).
Therefore, a wiki refers to a site that anyone to add, modify, edit and update
its pages
Social
Networking Sites: SNS as proposed by Boyd et al.,
(2007), are ‘web-based services which allow individuals to create a public
profile within a bounded system, come up with a list of fellow users with whom
they share a connection, and survey their list of connections within the system.
Example are: whatsapp, facebook and twitter etc.
’Video
Sites: Video sites allow for the creation and sharing of videos. YouTube is
a well-known implementation of video sites. Such sites have opened new
opportunities for users to impart visual stories rather than textual ones
(Venkat, 2010).
World
Wide Web: The
World Wide Web which is also known as the Web, refers to computer-based network
of resources of information that combines text and multimedia. The information
on the web can be accessed via the Internet (Vassiliki et al., 2011).
Internet:
Refers
to a computer-based worldwide information system; the Internet is made up of
many interlinked computer networks. Each network links computers and enables
them to share information and processing power (Vassiliki et al., 2011).
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