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THE APPLICATION OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY TO THE LEARNING AND TEACHING OF ECONOMICS IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1   BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

In today’s world, the use of adoption of information technology (ICT) in teaching of economics in secondary schools could be helpful in the task of capacity building therefore; negative view in this direction could constitute a draw back to the achievement of our science and technology objectives (Adetula 2003). The adoption and application of ICT Information and Communication Technology in teaching of economics in secondary schools has come to occupy an important place in the education sector and national development and indeed the development of the world. This is because it has not only ensured scientific and technological development but it has also opened up more learning opportunities, improved the techniques of teaching and production of materials which reduce time consumption and distance. Because of the adoption of or use of information communication technology in teaching of economics in secondary schools today one can communicate in different ways, fully capable of communicating his or her findings from economical enquiry using power points, spread sheets to present graphs of data from around the world moreover, the evolution of technology can be traced from the earlier days of human existence, when our early ancestors learn the benefits of setting in one area to cultivate farm lands and grow foods rather than wonder from one place to the other. Settling down increase population which necessitate the investigation of tools to increase food production that was the beginning of technology advancement. 
The computer is one of the greatest inventions of the 20th century which has contributed to the service of humanity through its capacity to automate the highly needed respective calculation earlier inventions have necessitated from the history of man existence, it is clear that there has been a continuous search for a way to reduce computational efforts primitive and mechanical tools to speed up calculation during the ear of predigital electronic computer. The researcher observed that ICT is not effectively used in our classrooms situations; this is partly because most of the teachers are not computer literate, therefore making it difficult for them to operate ICT materials. The issue of power, which is needed to power the computers, is another problem affecting ICT application in the classrooms. 
1.2      STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEMS 
The use of Information Communication Technology in teaching economics in secondary schools, like any other devices is because of the ability or its capability to store large volumes of data, organize and analyze data accurately in other to produce quality information it has been the rapidly expanding trend. Could it be that there is a problem in the application of the ICT in economics classroom activities?   
1.3   PURPOSE OF STUDY
The purpose of this work is to ascertain the current statues of ICT use in economics. Specific objectives of this work are as follows: 
1.   Access the extend to which some schools use information communication technology in teaching of economics in secondary schools and operational activities 
2.   Find out the advantages of the application or use of information communication technology to the teaching of economics in secondary schools 
3.   Identify problems in the use of ICT in teaching and learning situations 
4.   Recommend ways of using information communication technology in teaching economics in secondary schools effectively in order to promote the technique in teaching and learning for the growth of the Nigerian educational sector, most especially in secondary schools.   
1.4   RESEARCH QUESTIONS 
The following research questions would guide the study 
1.   To what extend has Information Communication Technology has been used in teaching of economics in secondary schools and operational activities 
2.   What are the advantages of the application of Information Communication Technology in the teaching of economics in secondary schools? 
3.   What are the problems in the use of ICT in teaching and learning situations? 
4.   What are the ways in which the application of information communication technology can be used effectively, in order to promote the technique in teaching and leaning for the growth of the Nigeria educational sector?

1.5   RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS

There is no significant differences in the performance of students who use information communication technology and those who do not.   
1.6   SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY 
The cardinal objective of carrying out this research is paramount with respect: 
A.    The teacher: The teacher will hopefully benefit from this study because it will help the teacher to get a better understanding of ICT and also how it can be used to teach the students effectively, thereby making teaching easier for the teacher 
B.    The administrators: Also this work or study will hopefully benefit the administrators, because it will make documentation easier for them instead of keeping documents in paper form, they can easily keep it in their computers and they can easily find it when they want to make use of it. 
C.    The students: This work or study will benefit the student hopefully because it will make it easy for the students to understand what the teacher is teaching, and also the students can also get more information in the internet thereby widening their knowledge.   
1.7   THE SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY 
The research is on the use of Information Communication Technology and its importance in teaching economics in secondary schools. The study is to enhance teaching and learning using Information Communication Technology which provides a safe and non-threatening environment for learning with the flexibility to meet individual needs and the ability of such students. The use or application of internet that is world wide web gives students immediate access to richer source of materials, difficult ideas are made more understandable when communication technology make them easier and affect the power of trying different ideas and take risks, encouraging analytical and divergent thinking (Hansell, 2002:149). The work is limited in secondary schools within Jos North because of lack of time for the researcher to travel to other places of sources of data. And also lack of finance to enable the researcher to transport himself to other various places or cities in the country. However, care is taken to ensure that all data collected for this study are sufficient for the analysis. 
1.8   OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF TERMS 
The following term concepts may have other meaning but for the purpose of this study are giving operational definitions. ICT Information Communication Technology involves the use of computers and telecommunication devices for requiring processing, organizing, storing and distribution of various types of information used in many fields of human endeavors. 
COMPUTER: An electrical device which processes data at a very great speed according to a program stored within the device. 
CHIP: Silicon chip is a very thin piece of silicon or other semi-conductor materials. Only a few millimeters square on which all the components of a complete circuit (e.g. a radio, watch, calculator or computer). 
CPU: Central processing unit is the part of the computer that controls and co-ordinates the operations of all the other part of the computer. It changes raw data (which is not useful or meaningful) to processed information. 
E-MAILS: A system for transmitting messages and computer fuels electronically from one computer to another e.g. computer network over the internet in an office. 
KEYBOARD: the part of computer that looks like a typewriter. It is used to input raw data into the computer. 
MONITOR: The part of computer that looks like television. It displays raw data and processed information on the screen. 
PROCESSING: The production of text using a computer application made for the input processing and retrieval of text. 
TELECOMMUNICATIONS: Is the process that allows the transmission of available or visible information over long distance by means of electrical or electronic signals e.g. telephones, radio, TV, telegraph and fax data.       
INTERNET OR E-MAIL SERVICES A computer set to prepare the message A telephone set for communication A modem to convert signals from analog signal (telephone) to digital signals which the computer understands.