AN ANALYSIS OF E-READINESS OF A HIGHER INSTITUTION

Introduction

1.1 Background Of The Study

The world of today has grown deep with the use of internet; making almost everything more easily; the place of learning and teaching and the business environment has improved over the years. Internet has contributed so much in our societies today. Consider the case study for the purpose of this research work. We shall investigate the impact of E-readiness on higher institution using the national open university of Nigeria, Benin centre as a case study.

The increasing use of Internet has experienced an explosion over the years and is responsible for enormous changes in the pedagogies of teaching leading to a more interactive learning process. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) came as a result of advancement in internet and is considered as a new communication technology now in use to improve and replace the existing old technologies of information delivery and exchange. They have become increasingly significant as tools to accelerate social, economic and educational development. For instance, the topic of e − readiness is not a phenomenon that links the use of ICT and access to the Internet alone, but also to usage and benefits of ICT as observed by Fuchs and Horak (2006).

United national education and cultural organization of Nigeria UNESCO (2002); pinpoints that ICTs are seen as pedals of educational system and change. However, the significant role of ICT as strategies for development is essential to the running of universities in developed and developing economies as well. In the same vein, several efforts at institutionalizing ICT for development in national Open University of Nigeria, Benin centre have been geared towards public institutions with less emphasis on private institutions because of the nature of ownership and policy. This could be argued from the standpoint that the resources required for institutionalizing ICT in our various institutions are available if and only if it can be well harnessed. According to Colle (2004), e-readiness refers to relevant content, human resources, practical research, training capacity couple with the ability to sustain these utilities in the process of assessing these indicators (resources).

It is particularly noticeable in the definition given by Colle (2004) which posited that e-readiness is a concept usually applied to nations and it refers to a nation’s inventory of ICT resources for operating in a modern information society. He further posited that e − readiness of a nation among others includes; service provider, networking facilities, favorable ICT policies, appropriate human resources and telecommunications competition e.t.c It is pertinent that Universities all over the world have a very critical role to play in every country’s development effort with theoretical capacities to be the living force that could spearhead the use of internet in their respective countries and even outside their national borders. Any initiatives being undertaking by the national government as a whole to improve ICTs that is by discovering the capacity of the universities.

To buttress the forgoing, it is important to state that the evolution of Internet cannot be compared to the existing technologies that were before it. For instance, Molosi (2001) remarked that the television revolution took years to reach 30 million viewers and internet achieved this mark in only 4 years. There is no doubt that the rate of deployment of the new technologies in developing countries is low; especially those of the sub-Saharan Africa. This is particularly noticeable in the area of telecommunication and computing infrastructure such as telephones, power supplies development of appropriate electronic network e.t.c. as opined by Naidro and Schutte (1999). Today the growth in telecommunication infrastructure has led to increase in Internet connectivity.

Despite the foregoing, most universities in developing and under developing countries showed a low level of e- readiness. This is in terms of adequately trained human resources for effective and efficient deployment of internet. In addition, there had been the problem of deficiency in practical resource to mention a few especially in the private universities which is the major thrust of this study. Hence, this paper seeks to investigate the impact of e-readiness on educational development of our case study.

The focus of this study is to identify the extent to which e-readiness in the selected private university has impacted on educational development in Nigeria.

1.2 Statement Of Problem

The driving force behind the study was actually however to address the fact that, in spite of the growing adoption of and demand for ICT in education, there is very little systematic research and hard data about how ICT is actually used in the universities and even less about its impact on educational outcomes, social behaviour, or employment (human resources) and students productivity.

1.3 Research Question

1. Does information and technology has significant impact on the social economic and educational development in Nigeria?
2. Is there any link between the use of ICT and access to the internet alone?
3. Does ICT has significant effect on the preparedness of students in the national open university of Nigeria, Benin centre?
4. Does E-readiness helps to improve Benin inventory of ICT resources for operating a modern information society?

1.4 Research Hypothesis

1. H0: There is no significant relationship between the use of ICT and access to the internet alone.
   H1: There is significant relationship between the use of ICT and access to the internet alone.
2. H0: There is no mean difference in gender responses of the respondents that information and technology has significant impact on the social, economic and educational development in Nigeria.
   H1: There is mean difference in gender responses of the respondents that information and technology has significant impact on the social, economic and educational development in Nigeria.
3. H0: Good ICT has no significant effect on academic performance of students
   H1: Good ICT has significant effect on academic performance of students

1.4 Aims And Objectives Of Study

1. To ascertain the influence of E-readiness on educational development in Nigeria.
2. To measure the adequacy of infrastructural facilities in the national open university of Nigeria, Benin centre.
3. To determine effect of E-readiness on the preparedness of students in the national open university of Nigeria, Benin centre
4. To determine the roles E-readiness plays in the social economic and educational development in Nigeria.

1.5 Significance Of Study

The research work shall reveal the roles of E-readiness in the social and economic educational development in Nigeria. We shall be able to explain the effect of E-readiness on the preparedness of students in the national open university of Nigeria, Benin centre. This study went on to explain in detail the influence of E-readiness on educational development in Nigeria. Finally people’s view on E-readiness and its effect shall be discussed in detail and proper recommendation will be given concerning the analysis of e-readiness of a higher institution.

1.6 Scope Of Study

The research work is limited to the roles of E-readiness on the educational development of the national open university of Nigeria, Benin centre.

It covers various areas of ICT development in Nigeria. It reveals people’s view on the impact of E-readiness on the academic performance of student in higher institutions in Nigeria.

The research work will make use of research questionnaires to gather good information concerning the roles of E-readiness on the academic performance of higher institution students in Benin centre.

1.7 Limitation Of Study

Financial Constraints:

Due to lack of sufficient funds, the research was unable to visit all the areas of Benin City, but was able to gather meaningful information concerning the research topic.

Time Constraints:

Due to the researchers over involvement in other areas of research he/she was able to gather more information about the research topic; but he/she was able to meet up with great ideas concerning the research topic.

1.8 Definition Of Study

ICT:

Information and communication technology; is an extended term for information technology (IT) which stresses the role of unified communications and the integration of telecommunications (telephone lines and wireless signals), computers as well as necessary enterprise software, middleware, storage, and audio-visual systems, which enable users to access, store, transmit, and manipulate information.

E-Readiness:

This is also called electronic readiness, which is the preparedness towards the use of information and communication technology.