The study investigated science teachers’ perception and readiness for elearning instructional delivery in secondary schools in South Western Nigeria. The study employed a survey research design. The sample for the study comprised 250 science teachers and 2,500 SSSIII science students. Two instruments were used namely e-Learning Science Teachers’ Perception and Readiness Questionnaire (r=.82) and Science–based Achievement Test (r=.73) to collect data. Five hypotheses were generated and tested. t-test, analysis of variance and Pearson moment correlation statistics were used to analyse the data. The results showed that there was a significant difference in male and female science teachers’ perception of e-learning and also of their readiness for e-learning instructions. There existed no significant difference between private and public science teachers’ perception and also their readiness for e-learning instruction. There was a significant difference in teachers’ perception of e-learning among science subject affiliations with no significant difference in teachers’ readiness for e-learning instruction. Positive relationship existed between teachers’ perception and science students’ achievement and also between perception and readiness for elearning instruction. Female science teachers’ perception and readiness for e-learning instructions and public schools science teachers’ should be encouraged to develop themselves in e-learning. E-learning instructions should be incorporated into science teaching in secondary schools to enhance students’ understanding of scientific concepts. Introduction The use of electronic learning (e-learning) is on the increase and it is gaining appreciable grounds in the educational systems all over the world. Involvement of e-learning is given prominent attention especially in the higher institutions and for distance learning situations. Ayoade and Raji (2006) when emphasizing on the importance of ICT asserted that ICT can be used in many ways and how it is integrated into educational settings depend largely Johnson Ayodele Opateye. Review of Education Institute of Education Journal, University of Nigeria Nsukka. Vol. 23. No.1. 50-64 on teachers’ instructional goals and strategies. They further enumerated technologies that enable ICT activities in the classroom as Interactive White Board (IWB), Web-based Instructions (WBI) and Virtual Classroom (VC). Development of e-learning is therefore based on these ICT technologies. An interactive white board is a sensitive display that functions as a white board, a projector screen, an electronic copy of the board, a computer, projector and in which computer image is controlled by touching the surface of the panel instead of using a mouse or keyboard. IWB is used as presentation devices and classroom motivation of students (Glover & Miller, 2002). Distributed learning activities include e-learning, Webbased learning (WBL), Web-based Instruction (WBI), Web-based Training (WBT), Internet-based Training (IBT), Distributed Learning (DL), Advanced Distributed Learning (ADL), Online Learning (OL), Mobile Learning (ML) and aLearning (anytime, anywhere, anyplace learning). The pivot of elearning is the Web-based Instruction in which individuals have freedom to choose their learning path in order to have greater control over their learning. E-learning is applied to systems for distance learning in which software support students to take a campus based course or online documentation for teaching and learning (Rhdhagen & Trojer, 2008). The main mover of e-learning is internet. Carr (2000) noted that since early this century, various “new†educational technologies have been touted as the revolutionary pedagogical wave of the future. Classroom films, language laboratories, educational television, computer-assisted instruction, interactive video disc, and more recently, electronic learning, which is any type of online learning that is relevant and realistic to the user, are now adopted and integrated into the curriculum with varying degrees of success most especially in the developed countries. Cattagni and Farris (2000) claimed that, elearning, which is also known as Internet-based hybrid learning, is now one of the most significant new learning technologies to emerge in the last 10 years. It is further revealed that, the evolution of Internet in K-12 schools is having a profound impact on the evolution of computer use and the curricular integration of new learning technologies in America. Elearning is therefore an Internetenabled learning that encompasses training, education, just-in-time information and communication. It is also a delivery of learning, training, or education programme by electronic means. It is any virtual act or process used to acquire data, skills, information or knowledge in a virtual world where technology Johnson Ayodele Opateye. Review of Education Institute of Education Journal, University of Nigeria Nsukka. Vol. 23. No.1. 50-64 emerge with human activities to accelerate rapid development (Brill & Galloway, 2007). In order to make e-learning work in Tanzania, a research project developed a more complex understanding of the participatory aspect of e-leaning. First, secondary school teachers are potential participants, when materials are developed. Second, the e-learning materials can allow for more or less participation among the students in the schools. Thirdly, the actual participation in the schools will depend on the preparedness (readiness) among teachers and students to change the education context towards a more interactive mood when the e-learning material is introduced (Rhdhagen & Trojer, 2008). Government agencies and Ministries of education in Nigeria that are initiating e-learning are National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), The School Net Project, The Teachers Network (TeachNet) Project, The National Virtual Library Project among others. The moves are made to improve the efficiency and quantity of the educational delivery system in Nigeria. There is a need to employ alternative means to ensure that the large number of students are taught effectively with or without the shortage of the professionally qualified teachers. Ajelabi (2005) therefore wrote in his book that face to face teaching is predominantly in Nigerian secondary schools which calls for innovations and reforms of mode of curriculum implementation. Most science teachers still resort to using old technology of books, chalkboard, overhead projector, video projector and computer. Carr (2000) observed that various new educational technologies have been touted as the revolutionary pedagogical wave of the future. It is possible to use various pedagogical approaches for effective implementation of e-learning in secondary schools. Such approaches include instructional design, social constructivist, Laurillard’s Conversational model, Cognitive perspective, emotional perspective, behavioural perspective, contextual perspective and model neutral (Reeds & Jones, 2008). Bates and Poole (2003) suggested that different types or forms of e-learning can be considered as a continuum, from no e-learning, i.e. no use of computers and/or the Internet for teaching and learning, through classroom aids, such as making classroom lecture Powerpoint slides available to students through a course web site or learning management system, to laptop programs, where students are required to bring laptops to class and use them as part of face-to-face class, to hybrid learning where classroom time is reduced but not eliminated, with more time devoted to online leaning, through to fully online learning, which is a form of distance education. Also e-learning Johnson Ayodele Opateye. Review of Education Institute of Education Journal, University of Nigeria Nsukka. Vol. 23. No.1. 50-64 framework by scholars and practitioners from various fields focussed on nine dimensions which are applicable to science teaching in secondary schools as shown in figure
Title of Article
SCIENCE TEACHERS ’ PERCEPTION AND READINESS FOR E-LEARNING INSTRUCTIONAL DELIVERY IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN SOUTH WEST , NIGERIA
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Opateye, J.
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