In recent times, the world has witnessed a rapid increase in technological innovations, one of which is computer. At present, the computer technology has permeated nearly all aspects of human organisational roles and education. A welcome development which is due to the benefits associated with it especially in providing a convenient technique for designing and developing dynamic interaction between students and instructional programme.
More so, computer-in-learning institutions aid students to prepare themselves for participation in a rapidly changing world where activities are increasingly transformed by access to I.C.T as well as develop initiative and independent learning skills.
The benefits of computer in the Nigerian’s institutions notwithstanding, it is argued that most lecturers are yet to key in to the trend.
Speaking to LEADERSHIP SUNDAY on this, the former Vice Chancellor of the University of Jos, Prof. Sonny Tyodeen said that ICT is fast becoming the order of the day and most Nigerian universities are yet to key into this wave. According to him, it is a serious situation the ranking of universities which determines the quality of universities emphasises the publications of staff within universities on the internet, a task he opined they may not be able to do if they are not computer literate.
“You may be surprised to know that many of the University lecturers are not computer literate, they are yet to catch up on the ICT wave so this is part of the problem that we have in the Nigerian educational system and I think that we need to hasten the pace in bringing solution to these problems though it has to do with funding because internet facilities are quite expensive so once the funding is not there, it creates a problem.”
Still on the discourse, a Lagos based computer and research based computer analyst, Mr. Makuachukwu Ojide revealed that most Nigerian lecturers are contented with their ability to use Microsoft products (especially, word processor), which is one of the various applications a computer can offer.
Describing the situation as unfortunate, Mr. Ojide noted the need for lecturers to use computer to communicate more effectively and as well handle basic research needs.
“I think computer literacy, for lecturers is the ability to use computer to communicate more effectively as well as the ability to handle basic research needs using computer applications relevant to the lecturer’s discipline or area of specialization.
In view of this and based on my personal interactions with Nigerian lecturers cutting across about twelve universities, excluding colleges of education and polytechnics, I will rank Nigerian lecturers 3 on a scale of 10. Well, this is just a personal perception not based on any empirical study.”
Stressing the implication computer illiteracy of some lecturers will have on students, an Abuja-based educationist Emmanuel Agbodike emphasised poor results as part of its effects both on students and the society at large.
“When lecturers who are in the job of transferring knowledge to students are not computer literate, the effect would be poor education, poor knowledge transfer, poor technology transfer, poor economic growth. These people are doing the job of knowledge transfer and looking into the system, youths are more associated with ICT and lecturers teach these youths.
Most of them are not computer literate. I can tell you with all sense of responsibility that over 50%of lecturers in the higher institution, (and it cuts across not universities alone), are not computer literate and that is the reason we see the poor quality of research in higher institutions as they do not write books, what they do is transfer of lecture notes. This is to tell you that most Nigerian lecturers do not know how to access the internet.”
He goes on to call on the government to put certain strategies in place to tackle the issue of poor computer literacy among Nigerian lecturers by strengthening the supervisory department of the Ministry of Education.
What the government can do right now is to strengthen the Ministry of Education by stepping up the supervisory roles. Our legislature has a big role to play in this regard. We should put our lecturers to test by engaging them in unexpected visits. The problem is that when you tell these people that you are coming, it aids them to do a facelift. So, government should strengthen that department.”
In the same vein, Prof. Tyodeen acknowledged that most readings are presently done on the internet and even for the readings that are done in the library; he noted the challenging state of most libraries in the Nigerian Universities.
“Another area of challenge is the state of our libraries; there are very few universities with top class libraries and without the library, you do not have the university, it is used by lecturers for research, it is used by students to make references, so, it is also one of the areas that we need to reposition our universities, putting in place first class libraries that are fully ICT complaint.” Mr. Ojide, therefore pointed diversification as a factor that will help.
“Lecturers should begin to master basic computer applications relevant to their disciplines or areas of specialization. For instance, a statistics or economics lecturer who cannot handle basic data analysis using Excel or SPSS should either resign or take leave to train in these computer applications.
Of course, any lecturer who cannot, at this age, use PowerPoint Presentation to deliver lecture shouldn’t be allowed to handle students in our high institutions. Computer has become a necessary tool for teaching and research – the very core duties of lecturers.”
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Autor(en)/Author(s): Chibunma Ukwu
Quelle/Source: Leadership Newspapers, 20.01.2013
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