TABLE OF CONTENTS
Approval page i
Certification page ii
Dedication iii
Acknowledgment iv
List of tables vi
Table of contents vii
Abstract x
CHAPTER ONE: Introduction 1
Background Of The Study 1
Statement of the problem 9
Purpose of the Study 12
Significance of the Study 12
Research Question 15
Hypotheses 16
Scope of the study 16
CHAPTER TWO: Review Of Related Literature 18
The Concept of ICT 18
Utilization of ICT in Skill Acquisition 22
Development of Vocational and Technical Education in Nigeria 24
The Role of Technical Colleges in Skill Acquisition 25
Technical Colleges initiatives on skill acquisition 27
The use of ICT in personalized instruction learning 28
The use of ICT in situation instruction 31
The use of ICT in Action learning 33
Programmed knowledge 35
Questioning insight 36
The use of ICT in co-operative learning 38
Theoretical Framework 42
Review of Related Empirical Studies 44
Summary of Related Literature 46
CHAPTER THREE: Methodology 48
Design Of The Study 48
Areas Of The Study 48
Population For The Study 49
Sample And Sampling Techniques 49
Instrument For Data Collection 49
Validation Of Instrument 50
Method Of Data Collection 51
Method Of Data Analysis 51
CHAPTER FOUR: Presentation And Analysis Data 53
Research Question I 53
Research Question 2 55
Research Question 3: 56
Research Question 4 58
Testing of Hypotheses 61
Hypothesis I 61
Hypothesis 2 63
Hypothesis 3: 65
Findings of the Study 67
Findings on Hypotheses 72
Discussions of the Findings 73
CHAPTER FIVE: Summary, Conclusion And Recommendations 77
Restatement of the Problem 77
Summary of Procedures Used 78
Summary of Principal Findings 79
Implications of the Study 81
Conclusion 82
Recommendation 83
Suggestions for Further Studies 84
REFERENCES
APPENDICES
ABSTRACT
This study identified strategies that can improve the acquisition of vocational and technical skills through the utilization of ICT in Technical Colleges of Enugu State. To elicit the pertinent information for the purpose of the study, four research questions and three null hypotheses were also formulated. The research design was a descriptive type using the survey method. The instrument for collection of data was a structured questionnaire. The questionnaire was face validated by three experts. The population for the study was 202 respondents made up of academic and non academic staff in technical colleges of education in Enugu State. The data collected were analysed using mean to answer the research questions. The three null hypotheses were tested with t-test and ANOVA statistics at 0.05 level of significance. The findings from this research reveal that ICT can be utilized as a strategy for the improvement of vocational and technical skill acquisition in Technical Colleges in Enugu state of Nigeria. ICT should be used in teaching and learning with personalized instruction by tailoring learning program for each student according to the needs and interests of each individual student. ICT should be used in Situative learning by allowing an individual (students/learner) to learn by socialization, visualization, and imitation. This improves students’ effectiveness in skill acquisition, re-conceptualizes the school by providing time for teachers to work and learn the same time. ICT and action learning can improve students vocational and technical skill acquisition in universities by taking action and reflecting upon the results. Cooperative learning with ICT ensures network design skills that must be taught in order for successful co-operative learning to occur. The study recommends that the National Commission of Colleges of Education should as a matter of urgency ensure ICT is used as a strategy for improving the acquisition of vocational and technical skills acquisition in technical colleges in Enugu State. The study also concludes that there is need to develop and enhance skills acquisition in vocational and technical colleges in Enugu state using appropriate ICT strategies, in technical colleges of education in Enugu State.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background Of The Study
Information can be described as facts and figures about something. In the view of Hornby (2006), it is a fact about something. Information is a fact said or known by people to aid their language, action or sign (Ezeji 2006). With reference to this study, information is a collection of related data used by people for the purpose of helping them have a better knowledge about something. Information can be communicated to people through different means like internet, mass media and telecommunication.
Communication can be described as the process of disseminating information. According to Hornby (2006) it is the activity or process of expressing ideas and feelings of people.
In the opinion of Osuala (1997) communication is a mutual exchange of fact, thought, opinion, emotions or knowledge that requires representation and reception resulting in understanding between parties. In the context of this study, communication is the transfer of ideas from teachers to students. This transfer can be carried out by the effective use of the computer or other technological devices which enhances the acquisition of Vocational .and Tech. Skills.
UNESCO (1984) defined vocational and technical education as an educational Process which involves, in addition to general education the study of technologies and related sciences and acquisition of practical skills and knowledge relating to occupations in various sectors of the economy and social life effectively and adequately enhanced by use of modern technology..
Technology is the utilization of energy in any process designed to satisfy a need, it also involves usage of scientific knowledge in practical ways to meet human needs (Ogbuanya, 2005). With references to this study, technology is a branch of knowledge that deals with industrial art and sciences and the utilization of that knowledge in the production of materials. Information can be communicated through the use of technology and is referred to as Information Communication Technology (ICT).
According to Ibezim (2010) ICT is the combination of network, hardware and software as well as the means of communication, collaboration and engagement that enables the processing, management and exchange of data, information and knowledge. ICT according to Obetta (2008) means Information and Communication Technology and comprises a diverse set of technological tools and resources used to communication, create, disseminate, store and manage information. Bakpo (2006), explained that ICT is the application of digital equipments to all aspects of teaching and learning. ICT promotes collaborative learning which includes role playing, group work, problem solving activities, personalized learning and articulated projects (Moifino et al, 2000). ICT can be defined in this study as a collection of individual technology components, the human resources that are needed to develop, install and operate the hardware and software as well as the services associated with their uses in acquiring skills.
Skills refer to the ability individual posses that enable him/her to perform a job well. According to Osinem (2005) skill means the expertness and proficiency displayed in the performance of a task. Skill involves the acquisition of performance capability through repetitive performance of an operation and can be developed through work experience, education in the school workshop and laboratories. According to Ogwo (2006) skills exhibited by an individual shows the extent the individual acquired it. Using educational technology for drill and practice of basic skills can be highly effective according to a large body of learners (Kulik, 1994). Students usually learn of ICT in course that has computer assisted instructions (CAI). Therefore new developments in skills acquisition need to be improved in the area of vocational and technical education by applying or employing certain strategies.
According to Baker (2001) strategy is the skill of planning in advance or well planned series of action for achieving an aim. Strategy means an intelligent trick which an individual has, specifically known to him or her alone for the achievement of certain objectives.
Osuala (2002) has provided some teaching strategies such as personalized instructional learning, situative instructional learning, action learning and cooperative learning. These strategies can be employed in teaching vocational and technical courses. The vocational and technical courses offered in the technical colleges in Enugu State includes; welding and fabrication, electronics, building and construction, wood work, auto mechanics, home management and computer science education. These courses are designed to achieve the goals of technical and vocational skills in Nigeria. One of which is to give training and impart the necessary skills to individuals who will in turn become self- reliant economically, Federal Government of Nigeria (2004). National policy on Education (FGN, 2004).
Education is the acquisition of skills so as to develop one’s potentials in order to perform effectively and become functional and beneficial to oneself and the society. It is generally believed that technical education is an essential pre-requisite for the technological development of any society. The National Policy on Education (2004) spells out the broad goals of vocational and technical education as being meant to: provide trained manpower in the applied science, technology and business particularly at craft, advanced craft and technical levels; provide the technical knowledge and vocational skills necessary for agricultural, commercial and economic development; and to give training and impart the necessary skills to individual who shall be self-reliant economically. This necessitated the introduction of courses that are tailored towards achieving the set objectives. Such as welding, building technology, electrical and electronics technology, automobile technology, metal work technology as well as woodwork technology among others. These courses/programmes requires certain equipments like Cutting Machine, Planning Machine, Jointing Machine, Lathe Machine, Computer and its accessories, Tenonner Machine, Mortiser, Band Saw, Dimension Saw, Oscilloscope, Galvanometer, Digital Multipurpose Meter, Frequency Indicating Device, Pylon Lifter, Synchronoscope etc. Granted that the functions being performed with these basic equipments cannot be replaced with ICT as at the moment, ICT can be adopted in writing software programmes indicating how the use of such machines can be simplified. This is necessary given the fact that the use of robotic machines has not gained popularity in Nigeria.