TECHNOLOGY: IMPLICATION ON CHILDREN LEARNING IN NIGERIA

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1       Background to the Study

Information and communication technology is becoming a ubiquitous component of the physical and social worlds occupied by young children. It is an important part of the private and work lives of most people, including those who support young children’s learning and development, whether as parents, family members, caregivers, or early childhood educators. It is often argued in the literature that children’s child’s education experiences should reflect and connect with their experiences in the wider world. Therefore, Information and communication technology matters in child’s education, because it already has an effect on the people and the environments that surround young children’s learning and well-being. There is strong consensus across the literature that it is timely for the role and potential of technology for the child’s education sector to be critically examined, to guide future development and decision-making in this area (Biddulph, Biddulph, and Biddulph, 2003)

Most of the write-up about technology in child’s education strongly supports the view that technology on its own should never drive the process of technology development in the sector (Downes and Fatouros, 1995). Rather, all planning for the introduction and use of ICT by children and adults in child’s education should be grounded in a clear understanding of the purposes, practices, and social context of child’s education (Mitchell and Cubey, 2003). Brooker (2003) has suggested that, at least in the UK, child’s education may actually be leading the way in developing best practice in the use of ICT to support positive learning experiences for children.

There is now a strong focus on the development of technology policy and integration of ICT in curriculum and practice across the whole education sector. Technology and “e-learning” have become important concepts in primary, secondary, and tertiary education. In most countries, policy and curriculum support for the development of technology in the child’s education sector have lagged (Wylie, and Thompson, 2014). This situation is beginning to change. Some countries, like Scotland, have recently developed ICT strategies for the child’s education sector (Learning and Teaching Scotland, 2011). Researchers, academics, and practitioners in child’s education have also published books, articles, and guidelines which provide information and guidance about technology in early childhood, and aim to support child’s education practitioners to make well-informed decisions and choices about technology.

Technologies present novel opportunities to strengthen many aspects of child’s education practice such as children’s learning and play experiences, practitioners’ professional learning and development and relationships and communication between early childhood centers, parents, and other people (Aladejana, 2010).

There is global support and interest across the whole education sector for the development and integration of technology into education policy, curriculum, and practice. Children today live in a communication-rich environment. The models of communication they encounter in their everyday lives include…a whole range of electronic and digital methods of communication (Siray-Blatchford and Siraj-Blatchford 2012).

Children’s early literacy and play experiences are shaped increasingly by electronic media. So, in order to empower children and assist them in becoming competent and active participants in their environments, they must be given opportunities to develop “technological literacy”, a new form of literacy, which is increasingly considered to represent an essential curriculum entitlement in any broad and balanced curriculum for the 21st century. Today there is a significant amount of support and interest in the education sector for the development and integration of technology into policy, curriculum, and practice. Some consider that just as it is every child’s right to become literate, he or she should enjoy the right to become a skilful user of technology. Others believe that children should be given opportunities to experience technology as a tool with vast possibilities for communication and information retrieval/sharing. The UK Foundation Stage (3 to 5 years) curriculum states that as part of their child’s education, children should find out about and identify the uses of everyday technology, and that children should have opportunities to use ICT to support their learning (Aladejana, 2012)

In most countries, policy and curriculum support for the development of technology in the child’s education sector is weak. However in some countries such as the UK, child’s education may actually be leading the way in developing best practice in the use of technology to support positive learning experiences for children. Similarly, Scotland has recently developed ICT strategies for the child’s education sector (Learning and Teaching Scotland 2013). Researchers, academics, and practitioners in child’s education have also published books, articles, and guidelines which provide information and guidance about technology in early childhood, and aim to support child’s education practitioners to make well-informed decisions and choices about technology (Siraj-Blatchford and Siraj-Blatchford 2013).

In order to guide future development and policy-making, it is essential to critically examine the role and potential of technology in child’s education. The introduction and use of technology in this sector should take into account the existing knowledge about early childhood learning and development. Technology on its own should never drive the process of technology development in the child’s education sector. Rather, all planning for the introduction and use of technology by children and adults in child’s education should be based on a clear understanding of the purposes, practices, and social context of child’s education (O’Rourke and Harrison 2009).

1.2       Statement of the Problem

The increasing pervasiveness of technology has led some parents, teachers, and children’s advocates to question its usefulness to the cognitive, emotional, social, and developmental needs of young children. More often than not, the argument is focused on young children’s use of computers and computer games and questions are raised on these two accounts.

Healey (2008) cautioned that the use of computers is damaging to young children’s development as well as their learning. Stating that young children need human support and verbal interaction, she concluded that as computers fail to offer intersensory experiences to enhance learning, they are inappropriate as an educational resource for children below the age of about 7 years as using computers before the age of 7 ‘subtracts from important developmental tasks’. It is therefore a part of the background that the study seeks to examine the effect of Information and communication technology in Child’s education classroom.

1.3       Purpose of the Study

The study examines the Technology: implication on children learning in Nigeria. Specifically, the study aims:

1. To examine the level of availability of technology facilities in early childhood classroom.
2. To examine the effect of technology on the academic performance of children in Child’s education classrooms.

iii.       To examine the perceived advantages of using technology in early childhood school Education.

1. To establish the challenges of technology usage in early childhood classroom.

1.4       Research Questions

In assessing the purpose of the study, this research project answered the following questions:

The study was guided by the following research questions:

1. What is the level of availability of technology facilities in early childhood classroom?
2. How effective is technology on the academic performance of children in Child’s education classrooms?

iii.       What are the perceived advantages of using technology in early childhood school’ Education?

1. What are the challenges of technology usage in early childhood classroom?

1.5       Research Hypotheses

The following hypotheses were developed for the study:

Ho₁: There is no significant relationship between technology usage and early childhood classroom performance.

Ho₂: There is no significant relationship between availability of technology facilities and early childhood classroom performance.

1.6       Scope of the Study

The study examines Technology: implication on children learning in Nigeria. The scope of the study are: technology and Child’s education while the geographical scope of the study is limited to Private Nursery Schools in Yaba, Lagos

1.7       Significance of the Study

The significance of the study lies in the hope that the findings may be of benefit to:

The Ministry of education where the study may be used to understand the effect of technology in early childhood classroom.

Again, it will enable both public and private schools to be able to plan systematically for effective usage of technology in child’s education. Other stakeholders of education (parents, students, lecturers, support staff, donors, will use the study as a checkpoint to act as a safeguard against any future happenings of the same nature.

The study will help the care-giver to reduce or carefully monitored children exposure to ICT which could be detrimental to their mind to avoid anti-social development or behaviour.

 1.8       Definition of Terms

ICT: ICT (information and communications technology – or technologies) is an umbrella term that includes any communication device or application, encompassing: radio, television, cellular phones, computer and network hardware and software, satellite systems and so on, as well as the various services and applications.

Child’s education: Child’s education (CE) is a branch of education theory which relates to the teaching of young children (formally and informally) up until the age of about eight. Infant/toddler education, a subset of child’s education, denotes the education of children from birth to age two.

Electronic Devices: This is a piece of electronic equipment, such as a laptop computer or a mobile phone that is small and easy to carry.

Storage Device: This is a piece of computer equipment on which information can be stored.

Classroom: a room in which a class of pupils or students is taught.