UTILIZATION OF E-LEARNING FACILITIES IN TEACHING OF OFFICE TECHNOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT (OTM) EDUCATION COURSES

1.1 Introduction

Electronic Learning is a system designed to help students gain access and acquire knowledge in any university of their choice (Nbina, 2012). Electronic Learning results to learning and other supportive resources that are available through a computer and it includes computer based training, computer based instruction and technology. According to Tijani (2017), the call for application of e-learning in tertiary education is to pervade and inject efficiency and effectiveness in curriculum implementation. However, in developing countries like Nigeria, e-learning is challenged with the problem of material devices such as computers, computer laboratories, internet and e-mail facilities, videophone systems and teleconferencing devices, fax and wireless applications, digital library, digital classrooms, multimedia systems and the problem of multimedia courseware development among others (Tijani, 2017).

As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Research hypothesis and questions, Limitation of the study and Definition of terms.

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1.2 Background of Study

The earliest use of technology in Nigeria was the introduction of microform technology at the University of Ibadan Library with the purchase of three microform readers in 1948 (Aguolo et al., 2006). Nwafor (2007) remarked that most organizations in Nigeria still see modern office technology as a luxury rather than a means of survival. He further noted that no effort has been made by some organizations to produce these modern technologies. In some offices where efforts are made, the rate of adaptation tends to be too slow.

Droka (2009) observed that some organizations that have the capacity to procure the equipment, lack trained personnel to manipulate and put them to effective use. This is because Nigeria still lacks conceptual clarity on the role of the Information and Communication Technology in national development. Suffice it to say that Nigeria is making waves in the use of technology in offices, but a lot still needs to be done.

E-learning gives room for effective pedagogy and curriculum implementation in the computer age. According to Offorma (2002), curriculum implementation is the planning and execution of the contents of curriculum in order to bring about certain changes in the behavior of the learners and the assessment of the extent to which the changes take place. The primary purposes of implementation are to achieve the objectives of instruction, and achieve retention and transfer of knowledge.

According to Chiaha et al. (2013) explicitly studied the kind of e-learning facilities that students have access to; the percentage and extent students access these facilities as well as the factors that hinder students from accessing e-learning facilities. The result revealed that about 42.9% of the students had access to e-learning facilities; most students have access to only e-mail accounts and the factors hindering access to e-learning facilities include irregular electric power supply, poor network connection, among others (Chiaha et al., 2013).

Atsumbe et al. (2012) investigated the availability and utilization of e-learning infrastructures in a Nigerian University. Their specific objectives were to investigate the adequacy of e-learning infrastructures for effective teaching and learning; the proficiency of e-learning infrastructures to facilitate enhanced lecturer-student teaching and learning inter- actions; and the factors that inhibit the use of e-learning infrastructures. The findings revealed that there were inadequate facilities specifically directed toward teaching and learning and the e-learning infrastructure available is largely for administrative use, although lecturers and students have access to computers or laptops internet facilities they are not used for teaching and learning.

E-learning can be seen as web-based or online learning, which is presently a fast- growing educational model in higher institutions in Nigeria. It encompasses all teaching and assessment methods that use technology. This new teaching and learning method could substitute the traditional classroom teaching and learning method due to its flexibility and availability of information to a large number of students at a time. E-learning also provides easy access to any type of information essential for academic purpose through the use of internet facilities.

Therefore, in Nigeria where the research was carried out, the activities that was conducted is to know the Utilization of E-learning Facilities in Teaching of Office Technology and Management (OTM) Education Courses in Tertiary Institution for Effective Service Delivery.

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1.3 Statement of Problems

Investigation revealed that management students in Federal Polytechnic Nekede Owerri, the students are exposed only to the use of analogue typing and shorthand skill, therefore inability to keep up with the rapid pace of technology has created fear on these students. The unavailability of most of the information technologies in the office technology and management (OTM) workshops is another challenge the students are facing in this information technology era. However, this investigation would proffer solutions to the exposure office technology and management (OTM) students in Federal Polytechnic Nekede Owerri need in order to overcome these challenges they are facing in this information technology era.

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1.4 Aim and Objectives of Study

The aim of the study is to examine the Utilization of E-learning Facilities in Teaching of Office Technology and Management (OTM) Education Courses in Tertiary Institution for Effective Service Delivery. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows:

1. To examine the relationship between E-learning facilities utilization and OTM Education effectiveness in Tertiary Institution;
2. To investigate the factors that constitutes to the hindrance of availability, accessibility and utilization of e-learning facilities effectiveness for OTM Education in Tertiary Institution;
3. To determine the level of utilization of e-learning facilities by staff of OTM Education in Tertiary Institution; and
4. To investigate the relationship between E-learning facilities utilization and OTM students’ academic performance in Tertiary Institution.

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1.5 Research Questions

The study came up with research questions so as to be able to ascertain the above stated objectives. The specific research questions for the study are stated below as follows:

• Are there factors that constitutes to the hindrance of availability, accessibility and utilization of e-learning facilities effectiveness for OTM Education in Tertiary Institution?
• Is there any relationship between E-learning facilities utilization and OTM students’ academic performance in Tertiary Institution?
• What is the level of utilization of e-learning facilities by staff of OTM Education in Tertiary Institution?
• What are the relationship between E-learning facilities utilization and OTM Education effectiveness in Tertiary Institution?

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1.6 Research Hypothesis

In order to pursue the objective of this study, the following generalized statements have been designed to guide and aids in obtaining the result for the experiment to be conducted. For this work, the null hypothesis will be represented with H0 while the alternative hypothesis will be represented with hypothesis H1.

Hypothesis One

• H0: There is no significant relationship between E-learning facilities utilization and OTM students’ academic performance in Tertiary Institution
• H1: There is significant relationship between E-learning facilities utilization and OTM students’ academic performance in Tertiary Institution

Hypothesis Two

• H0: There are no significant factors that constitutes to the hindrance of availability, accessibility and utilization of e-learning facilities effectiveness for OTM Education in Tertiary Institution
• H1: There are significant factors that constitutes to the hindrance of availability, accessibility and utilization of e-learning facilities effectiveness for OTM Education in Tertiary Institution

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1.7 Significance of Study

The findings of this research will serve as communication to the school management on the direction of teaching and exposure needed by these students so as to measure up with modern trend of information technology (e-learning) and the challenges the students are facing in the information technology era.

This study will be of immense benefit to other researchers who intend to know more on this study and can also be used by non-researchers to build more on their research work. This study contributes to knowledge and could serve as a guide for other study.

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1.8 Scope of Study

The scope of the research is focused on the Utilization of E-learning Facilities in Teaching of Office Technology and Management (OTM) Education Courses in Tertiary Institution for Effective Service Delivery using Federal Polytechnic Nekede, Owerri (FPNO) as a case study.

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1.9 Limitations of the Study

During the course of this study, many things militated against its completion, some of which are:

1. Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
2. Establishment Policies: Establishment policies posed a serious limitation as most staffs are not ready to release information needed for this research work. There were lots of information needed from the staffs of this establishment to enhance the study which took them time to release or they did not release at all for security purposes, hence the scope was reduced.
3. 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).
4. Lack of Initial Cooperation from Respondents: A particular limitation of this work came as a result of the respondent refusal to offer their cooperation at the initial time they were contacted. This contributed in making the success of this research study difficult.

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1.10 Definition of Terms

Efficiency:

It is the ability to perform duties well to produce the desired or satisfactory result.

Secretary:

An individual employed to keep the records of the meetings of organizations and to write or answer letters on this behalf.

Professional Secretary:

A person employed to be in charge of the clerical, organizational and administrative functions of the organization