CHAPTER ONE

1.1 BACKGROUND OF STUDY

The use of information and communication technology has increased overtime in most of the tertiary institutions in Nigeria and this has had significant effect on the performance and competency of students in most of the science subjects ranging from biology, chemistry and physics.

The use of information and communication technology plays a significant role in the competency of science students especially the physics students.

The federal government of Nigeria has put so much effort to improve the teaching and learning environment by making provisions for the availability of information and communication technology such as computer sets, television sets and DVDs in most of the secondary schools in Nigeria for practical purpose and documentary.

The use of information and communication technology in teaching and learning physics has make a lot of differences in the academic performance of students in physics and this can be relevant and functional way of providing education to most of the learners in Nigeria that will equip them with skills and knowledge required to function in the 21st century.

The use of management information system (MIS) which is also one of the components of information and communication technology can provide support to school teachers in their daily teaching of physics. For example according to (Barta et al., 2000) stated that MIS will ensure the usability and accessibility of school data base of students, teachers, employees, class rooms, test scores, discipline cases, finance and teachers allocation to classes and their day to day teaching especially for the science students especially physics students.

According to (World Bank, 2002) stated that the use of ICT in education is taken in this study to mean the application of digital equipment to all aspects of teaching and learning processes. Information and communication technology consist of the hardware, network, software and media for effective collection, storage, processing, transmission and presentation of information

It is therefore imperative that information and communication technology is integrated in the teaching and learning of physics. It was the intention of this study to carry out a study on the competency of physics students in the use of information and communication technology using university of Benin as the case study

1.2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

What really instigated the study was due to continuous decline in the competency of students in most of the science subjects especially physics as a result of high level of illiteracy in the use of information and communication in most tertiary institution in Nigeria especially university of Benin. The level of illiteracy is as a result of poor computer laboratory which in turns affect the efficiency of the use of ICT during physics practical. Poor allocation of funds to most of the tertiary institutions and low level of infrastructural development in most tertiary institutions in Nigeria has affected the teaching and learning processes for subjects especially physics. The performance of physics students in the use of ICT has being a question overtime of their competency in the use of ICT. Most physics students are not always exposed to the use of ICT in most of the tertiary institution in Nigeria and this has had effect on their competency in the use of ICT.

1.3 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF STUDY

The main aim of the research work is to examine the competency of physics students in the use of information and communication technology. Other specific aims of the study include:

1. To examine the effect of ICT on the performance of students in physics
2. To examine the effect of the use of information and communication technology on the competency of physics students
3. To investigate on other factors affecting the competency of physics students in the use of information and communication technology
4. To examine the effect of lack of exposure of student to the use of ICT on their competency in the use of ICT
5. To proffer solution to above stated problem

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTION

The study came up with the following research questions in order to ascertain the above objectives. The specific research questions are stated as follows:

1. What is the effect of ICT on the performance of students in physics?
2. What is the effect of the use of information and communication technology on the competency of physics students?
3. What are the factors affecting the competency of physics students in the use of information and communication technology?
4. What is the effect of lack of exposure of student to the use of ICT on their competency in the use of ICT?

1.5 RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS

H0: there is significant relationship between the competency of physics students and the use of ICT in university of Benin

H1: there is significant relationship between the competency of physics students and the use of ICT in university of Benin

1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY

The study will be of immense benefit to the entire university of Benin, the students in the department of physics, the teachers in that department and the university management. The study will also benefit other researchers that wishes to carryout similar research on the above topic as it discuss the competency of physics students in the use of information and communication technology

1.7 SCOPE OF STUDY

The study on the competency of physics students in the use of information and communication technology is limited to university of Benin covering the effect of the use of ICT on the competency of students in physics

1.8 LIMITATION OF STUDY

Financial constraint- Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).

Time constraint- The researcher will simultaneously engage in this study with other academic work. This consequently will cut down on the time devoted for the research work

1.9 DEFINITION OF TERMS

ICT: information and communications technology - or technologies) is an umbrella term that includes any communication device or application, encompassing: radio, television, cellular phones, computer and network hardware and software, satellite systems and so on, as well as the various services and applications

COMPETENCY: the ability to do something successfully or efficiently.

REFERENCES

Al-Alwani, A. (2005). Barriers to Integrating Information Technology in Saudi Arabia Science Education. Doctoral dissertation, the University of Kansas, Kansas. Albirini, A. (2006). Teachers’ attitude towards use of Information and communication Technologies. Journal of computer and Education, 373- 398. Allison, L. (1997). Factors which, potentially, will enable teaching staff to make more effective use of ICT for learning and teaching: Centre for Academic Practice, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow G1 1QE. Retrieved on 20th January 2014 from https://www.google.com/#q=Allison+%281997%29+and+ICT.