INFLUENCE OF INADEQUATE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF OTM STUDENTS [A CASE STUDY OF FEDERAL POLYTECHNIC, EDE]

ABSTRACT


This study was carried out to examine the influence of inadequate information technology on academic performance of OTM students using Federal Polytechnic, Ede. Specifically, the study examined if office technology students are access to information technology in other to boost their academic performance. The study also evaluate if there is a relationship between information technology and students of office technology management academic performance. The study further find out if students of office technology management have challenges in the use of information technology. Lastly, the study recommend ways information technology can be made adequate in other to boost the academic performance of office technology management student. The study employed the survey descriptive research design. A total of 141 responses were validated from the survey. From the responses obtained and analyzed, the findings revealed that office technology students have access to information technology in other to boost their academic performance. Also there is a relationship between information technology and students of office technology management academic performance. Furthermore, students of office technology management have challenges in the use of information technology. Lastly, some of the ways information technology can be made adequate in other to boost the academic performance is that the management of the institution should put more IT facilities and equipment,the high ups should make the compliance of IT facilities more relevant to encourage skill acquisition and the administrators should show more interest in the use of ICT tools. The study thereby recommend that IT facilities and equipment in providing solutions to specific problems of curricula. Also,the management of the institution should recognize the impact and applicability of IT to enhance qualitative and quantitative decision-making in the successful academic output. Lastly,the high ups should make the compliance of IT facilities more relevant to encourage skill acquisition and competence of the students.

CHAPTER 1


CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Information Technology had turn to a very significant tool in order to ease our daily activities. Several organizations had accepted the use of Information Technology as a tool that need to be understood, know the concept, and have the ability to properly adapt its usage. Universities are becoming familiar with the adaption of Information Technology in their system. This is seen as a fuel that increases the speed of proper academic activities and good administration in the University system. Different infrastructures and technologies are utilized for processing and transmitting data or information been captured. These infrastructure and technology range from that of the University to that of the staff and students, and these include devices such as mobile phones, personal digital assistant, computers, radio, television, network communication devices, satellite system, hardware and software, as well as other different services and applications (Kumar, 2006).
The use of these technologies which were designed for other purpose had found its way into the educational environment. In such a way that nobody in the educational institution is left out in regard to its usage, starting from the top management, across the staff to the students. To some researchers, it enhance academic activities while, other researchers call it e-learning or embedded learning, whatever the terminology it is called, the purpose is to make learning and knowledge gain easy for the students and make learning assessment easier for the academic staff while keeping effective and efficient record by management for various usage. However, it has been observed that there are inadequate provision of IT tools for an effective teaching and learning and also contributing to the academics performance of office technology management. With the use of computer and related technology, a special way for learning assessment was devise and named Computer-Based Testing or Computer-Based Assessment or e-examination. It is a way for conducting, processing, recording and assessing examination in an electronic format. As the name implies and adapted by federal polytechnic Ede, Computer-Based Testing makes use of a computer in order to assess students based on their courses of study. This computer could be a stand-alone with a learning management system installed within a local network or virtual learning environment which can be accessed through the web.