CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background to the Study
The English language is not indigenous to Nigeria. Yet, it is studied and used in Nigeria more actively than most of the indigenous languages. The English language is Nigeria’s second language but many parents prefer their children speaking English to their indigenous languages. No wonder, Bamgbose (1971) asserts, “Of all heritage left behind in Nigeria by the British at the end of the colonial administration, probably none is more important than the English language”. E-learning according to Markus (2018) can be defined as a learning created by interaction with digitally delivered content, network-based services and tutoring support E-learning is any technologically mediated learning using computers whether from a distance or in face to face classroom setting (Computer Assisted Learning), it is a shift from traditional education or training to Information Communication Technology (ICT) based personalized, flexible, individual, self- organized, collaborative learning based on a community of learners, teachers, facilitators, experts. E-learning is the use of internet technologies to enhance knowledge and performance, Maxwell, (2014). E-learning technologies offer learners control over content, learning sequence, pace of learning, time and often media, allowing them to tailor their experiences to meet their personal learning objectives, to manage access to e-learning materials, consensus on technical standardization and methods for peer review of these resources.
E-learning presents numerous research opportunities for schools along will continuing challenges for documenting scholarship. Innovations in e-learning technologies point towards a revolution in education allowing learning to be individualized (Adaptive Learning), enhancing learners’ interactions with others (Collaborative Learning), and transforming the role of the teacher, Saxy, (2014).
The integration of e-learning into education can catalyze the shift toward applying adult learning theory, where educations will no longer serve mainly as the distributors of content, but will become more involved as facilitators of learning and assessors of competency. E-learning refers to the use of internet technologies to deliver a broad array of solutions that enhance knowledge and performance. E-learning can be used by medical educators to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of educational interventions in the face of the social, scientific, and pedagogical challenges noted above. It has gained popularity in the past decades; however, its use is highly variable among medical schools and appears to be more common in basic science courses than in Clinical Clerkships.
Murray James (2012) viewed E-learning as web-based learning, online learning, distributed learning, computer- assisted instruction, or internet-based learning. Historically, there have been two common e-learning modes; distance learning and computer assisted instruction.
Distance learning uses information technologies to deliver instruction to learners who are at remote locations from a central site. Caleb, (2013), computer assisted instruction (also called computer-based learning and computer based training) use computers to aid in the delivery of stand-alone multimedia packages for learning and teaching. I.e multimedia learning, multimedia uses two or more media, such as text, graphics, animation, audio or video, to produce engaging content that learners access via computer, Blended learning, a fairly new term in education but a concept familiar to moist educators, is an approach that combines e-learning technology with traditional instructor-led training, where, for example, a teaching or demonstration is supplemented by an online tutorial. Learners find that multimedia e-learning enhances both teaching and learning. These advantages can be catalyzed as targeting either learning delivery or learning enhancement.
Learning delivery is the most often cited advantage of e-learning and includes increased accessibility to information, ease in updating content, personalized instruction, ease of distribution, standardization of content, and accountability, Lanlung, (2011). Accessibility refers to the user’s ability to find what is needed, when it is needed improved access to educational materials is crucial as learning is often an unplanned experience. Updating electronic content is easier than updating printed material; e-learning technologies allow educators to revise their content simply and quickly. Learners’ have control over the content; learning sequence, pace of learning, time and often media which allow them to tailor their experience to meet personal learning objectives.
Different technological resources are now available for effective English practice in formal and informal settings. These resources include the following:
Audioblogging: This is a situation whereby a kind of diary published online in a web log in which a person (its author) writes about what he/she likes in a chronological order is substituted for the written posts with voice recording. It is a medium to capture personal thoughts in the form of speech. This emerging technology has been identified as a tool that could potentially enhance the teaching and learning of English. According to Tan, Ow and Tan (2016) teachers using Audioblogs in English classes have reported improvement in students’ learning. The authors found that the use of Audioblogs enabled students who had a weak proficiency in language skills to acquire formulaic expressions when they listened to English performance of stronger students.
Moreover, e-learning can be designed to include outcomes assessment to determine whether learning has occurred. Advantage in learning enhancement are a less well recognized but potentially more revolutionary aspect of e-learning than are those related to learning delivery. Hence, this study intends to examine the effects of e-learning on the teaching and learning of English Language in selected secondary schools in Akure-South local government area of Ondo State.
Statement of the problem
The world is technologically advanced. It is sometime referred to as a global village. The reason for this assertion is attributed to the influence of information and communication technology. E-learning as a matter of fact is fast becoming popular in instructional delivery method, most especially in secondary schools in Nigeria and other developed and technologically advanced countries. In Nigeria its usage as instructional method of teaching and learning process of English language in secondary schools needs to be emphasized in live with what obtains in other part of the world. Pedagogic application of Information Communication Technology (ICT) involves effective learning with the aid of computer and other information technologies serve as learning aids, which play complementary roles in teaching and learning situations.
Technologies such as e-learning necessitate and facilitate learning at a distance and on one’s own and pace possible. Modeling, simulation, use of data base, guided instruction. Closed world exploration results, in change in terms of teaching strategy, instructional content, role of the teachers and context of the curricular is made obvious and inevitable. Furthermore, utilization enhances motivation, help recall previous learning and provide new instructional stimulus for the learners.
However, there is dearth of enough e-learning tools and technologies that are required for teaching and learning process. In addition, many teachers and students do not have the required skills and competency in the utilization of e-learning for impacting English language. The above observations inspired the researchers’ curiosity to investigate the effects of e-learning on the teaching and learning of English Language in selected secondary schools in Akure-South local government area of Ondo State.
Purpose of the study
The general objective of this study is to examine the effects of e-learning on the teaching and learning of English Language in selected secondary schools in Akure-South local government area of Ondo State. The study intends to specifically;
1. determine the extent to which e-learning technologies are utilized for effective teaching and learning of English Language in selected secondary schools in Akure-South Local Government Area of Ondo State.
2. identify the major constraints of using e-learning technologies for pedagogical application in English language in selected secondary schools in Akure-South Local Government Area of Ondo State.
3. find out the strategies for improving the utilization of e-learning technologies for teaching and learning of English language in selected secondary schools in Akure-South Local Government Area of Ondo State.
4. ascertain the benefits of using e-learning for teaching and learning of English language in selected secondary schools in Akure-South Local Government Area of Ondo State.
Significance of the study
This study on the use of e-learning in the teaching and learning of English in secondary schools will be relevant to teachers, students, curriculum planners, educational researchers and government. The teachers will find the study beneficial because it will come up with the best method of teaching and learning of English using e-learning. ICT is a new technological innovation in Nigeria and teachers have not utilized it fully in the teaching and learning of English. This study will avail the teachers of the information that will enable them to utilize ICT in the teaching and learning of English with wonderful results. Students will also find the results of this study useful because it will expose them to the strategies in the teaching and learning of English. With e-learning facilities in a language laboratory, the students can interact with the native speakers of English, using the computer. There is no doubt that these strategies and technologies will help them achieve proficiency in the use of the English Language. Moreover, curriculum planners will explore the result of this study and incorporate it in planning the English language curriculum for effective teaching and learning. Again, this study will make its contribution to the literature e-learning thereby contributing to educational research in Nigeria. Finally, the result of this study will help the government to stand to its responsibility of providing e-learning facilities for secondary schools.
The study will provide improved performance in terms of teaching and learning process abilities of English educator and students of secondary schools. It will also promote conveniences and flexibility of students through self-pace and time, as well as increased access to instructors of best quality through share of knowledge across boarders viz online and internet connectivity.
Scope of the study
This study is delimited to the effects of e-learning on the teaching and learning of English Language in selected secondary schools in Akure-South local government area of Ondo State. It is also limited to all teachers of secondary schools in Akure-South local government area of Ondo State. Its dependent variable is teaching and learning of English Language while the independent variable is e-learning.
Research questions
The following research questions were raised to guide the study.
1. To what extent are e-learning technologies utilized for effective teaching and learning of English Language in selected secondary schools in Akure-South Local Government Area of Ondo State?
2. What are the major constraints to the use of e-learning technologies for pedagogical application in English language in selected secondary schools in Akure-South Local Government Area of Ondo State?
3. What are the strategies for improving the utilization of e-learning technologies for teaching and learning of English language in selected secondary schools in Akure-South Local Government Area of Ondo State?
4. What are the benefits of using e-learning for teaching and learning of English language in selected secondary schools in Akure-South Local Government Area of Ondo State?
Hypotheses
The following null hypotheses were generated from the research questions for the study;
1. There is no significant difference in the extent to which e-learning technologies are utilized for effective teaching and learning of English Language in selected secondary schools in Akure-South Local Government Area of Ondo State.
2. There is no significant difference in the major constraints of using e-learning technologies for pedagogical application in English language in selected secondary schools in Akure-South Local Government Area of Ondo State.
3. There is no significant difference in the strategies for improving the utilization of e-learning technologies for teaching and learning of English language in selected secondary schools in Akure-South Local Government Area of Ondo State.
4. There is no significant difference in the benefits of using e-learning for teaching and learning of English language in selected secondary schools in Akure-South Local Government Area of Ondo State.
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