CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1     BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

Today, the world is transforming into one society driven by a phenomenal increase in the amount of information shared between individuals, region and countries on virtually all subjects. It has truly become an information society in which information and communication technologies (ICTS) are playing important and indispensable roles in the creation, fostering, disseminating and ledge. (Ibekwe, 2018, p.1).

Our world is going through an information technology revolution that has drastically changed many facets of human life, from education, industry, economy, and politics to entertainment. Also worthy of note is unprecedented capabilities of ICTS and new media technology tools in the processing, storing, refining and dissemination of data, information and knowledge in a variety of ways across geographical boundaries.

New media have drastically changed the ways in which government, the public, the private sector and academics operate all over the world. It is worthy to note that information has become a strategic resources, a commodity and foundation of every activity. In fact new media are now regarded, according to Ajayi (2002, p.1) as

A utility such as water and electricity and hence it has become a major factor in socio-economic development of every education, fearing and research in general, agriculture, health, commerce and even in poverty alleviation by generating or creating new jobs and investment opportunities.

Major transformations are occurring in the formal education sector and other organizations that play a key role in enabling people to develop new capabilities. These changes are partly the result of increasing use of new media as enabling technologies for education, learning and research. The extension of more affordable communication networks enables networking among communities of interest supporting the exchange of scientific and technical information as well as sharing knowledge about all aspects of business and everyday life.

The application of new media to research is leading to more flexible learning environments. The feasibility of interactive learning between teachers and learners, and among teachers, learners and researchers themselves is becoming a reality for some people in developing countries. In other countries, “it is a technical possibility that may become a cost effect alternative to traditional form of education and research in the future” (Mansell and Wehn, 1999) in Ibekwe (2008, p.2).

As new media application provide new tools for improving access to information and knowledge sharing, according to Mansell and Wehn (1998) in Ibekwe (2008, p.2);

The competitiveness of industrial sector and the achievement of sustainable development in developing countries depend on the quality of research and the ability of firms to transform the result of research into marketable products and enterprising knowledge.

Researchers in developing countries require easier access to up to date scientific and technical information, as well as opportunities to communicate with other researchers. Networking services, e-mail and multimedia conferencing are essential lifeline for many researchers in the industrialized countries and for researchers in the developing world to make appreciable impact, they need to be able to access these networks.

In applying ICT to education, it is widely reported that information and communication technology tools have the potential to accelerate, enrich and deepen skills, motivate and engage students in learning, help to relate school experience to work practice, help to create economic viability for tomorrows workers, contribute to radical changes in school, strengthen teaching and provide opportunities for connection between the school and the world (Davics and Tearld, 1999,lemke, 2001;ibekwe, 2008 ). The new media have the sustained ability to make the school more efficient and productive, thereby engendering a variety of tools to enhance and facilitate teachers, professional activities (Kisschner and Woperies, 2003).

In the area of research, new media like the internet provides opportunities for schools and students to communicate with one another through e-mail mailing lists, chat rooms, and so on. It also provide quicker and a more extensive information. The computer equipped with the necessary softwares can be used to solve complex mathematically and statistical calculations. Furthermore, they provide researchers with a steady avenue for the dissemination of research reports and findings (Yusuf and Onasanya, 2004).

Following a review of 28 major reports on technology integration in American schools by Culp, Honey and Mandinach (2003), the trio advanced three major reasons why the application and utilization of ICTs is desirable in research and education.  They note technology is usually;

1. A tools for addressing challenges in teaching and learning,
2. A change agent, and
3. A central force in economic competitiveness.

Researchers could have proffer some challenges to researchers in Nigerian universities and colleges, but the application of the new media has opted to reduce these burdens of gathering reliable research information. It is against this backdrop that the study seeks to investigate the influence of new media on students’ attitude to research in Akwa Ibom State Collage of Education, Afaha Nsit.

1.2     Statement of the Problem

Much of the extent research on new media use has focused on students, particularly those of universities, polytechnics and collages of education, who constitute an important human resource in our education system. Students expected to have up-to-date information on their various areas of specialization and show appreciable level of general knowledge on other areas.

They are expected to chat new frontiers which the use of new media can aid and stimulate research, knowledge and skills gained from the effective of new media tools can equip these students roundly to participate in global research and turn out findings that will go a long way to drive the development wheels of the nation.

However since availability and accessibility are critical factors in media use studies, the general hardship posed by the poor. Nigerian economy tended to have rubbed-off badly on the students of Akwa Ibom State Collage of Education Afaha Nsit. Also, the slow speed of new media application and utilization in curriculum development and practical training; the growing cost of traditional research tools (books and chemicals) complicated  by poor funding and inadequate journal collections are other problems college student and the use of new media in research works.

The neglect and underdevelopment of the collage of education had rendered the collage badly funded and facilities for conventional research depleted. However, it is unclear empirically whether these assumptions are correct. The question there fire, is: can the students of collage of education in Afaha Nsit be said to have a high level of familiarity with new media and able to utilize them optimally in their research endeavours?

1.3     Objectives of The Study

The objectives of the study were to :

i.        Determine the extent of exposure to new media among students of Akwa Ibom Collage of Education.

ii.       Find out whether new media influence students attitude to research Akwa Ibom State Collage of Education Afaha Nsit.

iii.      Examine the level of influence of new media on student attitude of research in Akwa Ibom State College of Education, Afaha Nsit

iv.      To find out which of the new media that influence student attitude to research in Akwa Ibom State Collage of Education the most Afaha Nsit

v.       Investigate other factors aside new media that influence students’ attitude to research in Akwa Ibom State Collage of Education the most Afaha Nsit

1. 1.     Research Questions

The study will provide answers to the following research question:

i.        To what extent are the students of Akwa Ibom State collage of Education exposed to new media

ii.       Do the new media influence students attitude to research in Akwa Ibom State collage of Education, Afaha Nsit?

iii.      What is the level of new media influence on students attitude to research in Akwa Ibom State collage of Education?

iv.      Which of the type of new media influence students attitude to research in Akwa Ibom State collage of education?

v.       What other factors aside new media influence students attitude to research in Akwa Ibom State collage of Education, Afaha Nsit?

1.5     Research Hypothesis

The hypothesis of the study was tested:

          Hi: New media have significantly influenced the student of Akwa Ibom State Collage of Education toward having a positive attitude to research.

1.6     Justification of the study

This study is indeed significant and will continue to remain relevant to scholarship because of its depth of issues. That is, focusing on using ICTs for research. Many individuals, groups, organizations, governments and non- government organizations will benefit from the findings of the study. This is because, the study will call for a rethink on the need to approach new media positively in academic activities. This is because Ekeanyanwu and Edewor (2009) have noted that students use the new media more for social reasons than for academic purposes.

Therefore, students and particulary, those of Akwa Ibom State Collage of Education will benefit from free findings of the study because through it, they will come to appreciate the need to seek research knowledge from the new media as well as traditional sources.

Research institutions, policy makers, stake holders and indeed the government will see direct their investment in academic research through adopter of appropriate new media tools.

Future researchers who may find this area of study interesting, will use its findings as a source of reference material.

1.7     Delimitation of the study

The scope of this study was restricted to only new media. It excluded other learning tools and non-digital educational technologies which the researcher believes their inclusion would expand the scope of this study unduly.

Also, it limits itself to only the students of Akwa Ibom State Collage of Education Afaha Nsit. The study did not make any attempt to study other tertian institution in Nigeria.

1.8     Limitation of the study

In the course of carrying out the study, the researcher was limited by myriads of factors. These limitations, no doubt, posed a very serious threat on the success of this study. One of such limitation is the poor unlimited access to gaining the population figure this study. Also, the respondent requested for financial buoyancy before filling out the questionnaire.

However, the researcher was able to bring these limitations to a halt by getting over them to progress on the work, thus, making the research work a success. 

1.9 Definition of Terms

The following key terms and concepts used in the study were operationally defined as follows:

i.        Akwa Ibom State Collage of Education, Afaha Nsit: one of the government owned institutions of higher learning in Akwa Ibom State, where students do research using new media. It is used here to mean the universe of the study.

ii.       Attitude: A way by which new media influence the way the Collage students approach research. It could be positive or negative.

iii.      Influence: When new media directs the Collage students attitude to research.

iv.      New Media: Modern information and communication technologies like the internet, Computer, Mobile Phones, etc, that allow the students of Akwa Ibom State collage of Education to engage resourcefully in their research endeavors.

v.       Research: An academic activity that enable students in Akwa Ibom State Collage of Education to fine dependable solution to academic problems in their different areas of study, using through a systematic and scientific means.

vi.      Student: Those who study in Akwa Ibom State collage of Education.