CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

Computer Science Education according to Encarta (2009), is defined as the process of acquiring the basic computer knowledge, ideas, skills, and other competencies so as to understand the basic technologies. At that time, computers were huge, expensive and rare, computer education was limited to those students with exceptional mathematical aptitude. Computers were then thought to be all about, solving mathematical problems.

The ability to access, manipulate and use information is the basic requirement for survival and development in the emerging information age in which information is growing at a very fast rate. However, the capacity and capability to access and apply information must find bearing in Information and Communication Technology in the global village (Aduwa-Ogiegbaen and Iyamu, 2005).

The ability to access and apply information is widely referred to as information literacy, a term which, according to Kubiatko (2007), simply involves the ability to find and use information.

It is important to stress, at this juncture, that, even at its most fundamental level, the ability to find, manipulate and use information must necessarily be grounded in computer practical competence, which, at its basic level, involves the ability to use the new computer technologies to effectively perform a variety of tasks involving the processing, manipulation and storage of information.

Remarkably, the definition of computer as practical competence varies widely. It can be defined as the ability to use a few commercial applications and touch-type smoothly (Kubiatko, 2007). It is also the ability to tell the computer what you want it to do and understand what the computer says (Bada et al., 2009). Oluwatayo (2012) defines computer practical competence in terms of the amount of knowledge and skills acquired by an individual to perform a given task using a computer system.

For students, the acquisition of computer skills is indisputably a sine qua non for survival in today’s world. It has become very indispensable in order to be competitive in today’s labour markets. Increasingly, an individual is today considered to be truly literate if he or she combines the ability to read and write with the capability to use a computer. As Poole (1996), cited by Aduwa-Ogiegbaen and Iyamu (2005), has rightly indicated, computer illiteracy is now regarded as the new illiteracy.

The increasing realization of the potential benefits of computer practical competence with computers Amongst students has no doubt been driving efforts to support not only the integration of computer technologies into the learning environment but also the improvement of access to and use of the tools of the information age. In the context of the Nigerian education system, the first official efforts towards integrating computer education into the school system date back to the 1980s.

In 1987, the Federal Government, at the 32nd Ministerial Council Meeting of the National Council on Education, set up a National Committee on Computer Education, which was inaugurated on December 14 of the year. This crystallized into the establishment of a National Policy on Computer Education (1988), the general objectives of which, according to Jegede and Owolabi (2003), are focused on ensuring that: the general populace appreciates the impact of information and computer technology on today’s society; and Nigerians are equipped with the knowledge and skills to use and program computers, develop software packages, understand the structure and operation of computers and their history, and to appreciate the economic, social and psychological impact of the computer.

Beyond the primary objective of ensuring that Nigerian students are reasonably computer literate, the Federal Government of Nigeria has a vision that transcends the realm of computer practical competence to embrace the gamut of information and communication technology (ICT). It was this vision that prodded the Nigerian Federal Executive Council into approving, in 2001, a National Policy for Information Technology, which envisages the use of information technology (IT) for education, wealth creation, poverty eradication, job creation, and global competitiveness.

For the realization of its education objectives, the National Policy for Information Technology (2001) stresses “restructuring the education system at all levels to respond effectively to the challenges and imagined impact of the information age and, in particular, the allocation of a special IT development fund to education at all levels”.

Notwithstanding the existence of enabling policies, questions relating to the depths of integration of computer education and the lack of computer practical competence among students continue to crop up. Recent studies, unfortunately, show low levels of computer integration in the school system. Cawthera (2005) had observed that although there are few countries in the world that do not have at least one computer in at least some schools, yet the vast majority of schools in the world are without any computers.

The students’ academic performance is the outcome of the final examinations, quizzes, assignments, attendance and other graded points related to the course. The primary mission of each tertiary institution in the field of computer science is to offer high quality and relevant education in order to produce skillful and competent graduates. To accomplish this, a number of practical and instructional strategies were designed to improve the students’ academic performance.

Computer Science courses are generally belief that is one of the most difficult courses in tertiary institutions because it is too abstract and requires higher analytical and problem solving skills. Thus, to improve the performance of struggling students in computer science, improvement strategies are needed.

However, the researchers have observed that after about four (4) decades of the establishment of technical schools (colleges) Polytechnics, Monotechnics, Colleges of Education Technical and Universities of technologies, Computer Science education is yet to be given the desired attention and/or focus in our educational system.  Computer Science education is plagued with numerous problems, ranging from shortage of manpower, lack of funds, inadequate workshops for practical, and government not give enough attention to it.  The main aim is to identify the problems encountered by and make amendment toward solving these problems. 

Aside from the fact that, teaming number of graduates are unemployable and jobless because they were ill equipped in practical and employable skills in their course. Thus, there is need to assess and suggest ways of enhancing the practical competence of computer science students in the Department of Education Technical, Kaduna Polytechnic, Kaduna.

Statement of the Problem

Despite the importance of Computer Science Education as evident in our present day life, yet not much attention have been dedicated to this specialty.  Computer education in Nigeria is bedeviled by many problems such as availability and accessibility of computers to classrooms, teacher quality and teaching method, learning environment and learner characteristics (Akuoma, 2012). Other problems include erratic power supply, poor maintenance of computers, low computer literacy of teachers and students and high class population (Josiah et al. 2003).

As a student in Department of Education Technical, the level of practical skill acquisition of computer science is still very low as such even graduating students from the department cannot be said to be adequately groomed in practical aspect of the programme. Therefore, this study tries to look at ways of enhancing the practical competence of computer science students in the Department of Education Technical, Kaduna Polytechnic, Kaduna.

Purpose of the Study

The study will aim at developing Strategies for Enhancing the Practical Competence of Computer Science Students in the Department of Education Technical Kaduna Polytechnic, Kaduna. Specifically, the study seeks to:  

1.      Assess the availability of human and material resources for the teaching/learning of Computer Science in the Department of Education Technical, Kaduna Polytechnic, Kaduna.

2.      Compare hour of practical lesson with those of theory per week through the period of the study.

3.      Determine the competence of graduates of computer science to teach the secondary school computer science syllabus.

Significance of the study

a.           If the findings of this study are adopted and implemented, it will be of great benefit to the government and policy makers, school managers, students and parents/guardian.

b.           The research will be of benefit to government, in planning its vocational and technical education effectively, thus is with particular reference to computer science education.

c.           It will also benefit policy makers, such as the National Commission for colleges of education (NCE) with Computer Science about the challenges in teaching Computer Science in Department of Education (Technical), Kaduna Polytechnic.

d.           It will also be useful to schools managers, in maintaining admission standard, monitor the lecturers' performance and qualities. Provide adequate practical materials, tools equipment. And above all ensure the free environment for students to learn.

e.           It will benefit students, who want to devote their lives to offer the course (Computer Science) as   subject.

f.             It will benefit Parents/Guardian, in allowing and guiding their children/wards in choosing courses of their choice according to their capabilities, provide all their need for effective learning.

Research Questions

Based on the purpose of the study the following research questions are drawn

1.      What is the quality and availability of human and material resources for the teaching/learning of Computer Science in the Department of Education Technical, Kaduna Polytechnic, Kaduna?.

2.      What number of practical lessons are the students exposed to as compared with those of theory per week through the period of the study?

3.      Are the graduating Computer Science students competent to teach the secondary school computer science syllabus?

Scope of the study

This scope of this study covers strategies for enhancing the practical Competence of Computer science students in the Department of Education (Technical), Kaduna Polytechnic. 

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