EFFECTIVENESS OF E-LEARNING ON ACHIEVEMENT AND ATTITUDE OF JUNIOR SOCIAL STUDIES STUDENTS
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study
The attitudes of social studies students towards e-learning may vary based on factors such as age, experience with technology, and the quality of e-learning platforms and materials. Younger students who have grown up with technology may be more comfortable with e-learning, while older students may need more support in adapting to the technology.
Additionally, students' attitudes towards e-learning may depend on the quality of the e-learning platform and materials. If the platform and materials are engaging, interactive, and well-designed, students may be more likely to have a positive attitude towards e-learning. On the other hand, if the platform and materials are difficult to use, outdated, or unengaging, students may be more likely to have a negative attitude towards e-learning.
Furthermore, students' attitudes towards e-learning may be influenced by their individual learning styles and preferences. Some students may prefer the traditional classroom setting with face-to-face interactions, while others may enjoy the flexibility and convenience of e-learning.
Overall, the attitudes of social studies students towards e-learning are likely to be complex and multifaceted, depending on a variety of individual and environmental factors.
It is important to note that e-learning has become increasingly popular over the past few years, particularly due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, students across all disciplines have had to adapt to virtual learning environments, and social studies students are no exception.
That being said, the attitudes of social studies students towards e-learning may vary depending on a number of factors. Some students may find e-learning to be more convenient and flexible, allowing them to learn at their own pace and on their own schedule. Others may prefer the traditional classroom environment and find e-learning to be less engaging or interactive.
Additionally, the success of e-learning for social studies students may depend on the specific course content and teaching methods employed by the instructor. Some social studies topics may be better suited to online learning than others, and certain teaching methods such as discussion forums, interactive activities, and multimedia resources may be more effective in engaging students in e-learning environments.
The attitudes of social studies students towards e-learning may vary, it is clear that virtual learning has become an increasingly important part of modern education. As such, it is important for educators and institutions to continue to explore and refine e-learning strategies to ensure that they are effective and engaging for all students.
E-learning according to Markus (2008) can be defined learning process created by interaction with digitally delivered content, network based services, and tutoring support E-learning is any technological mediated learning using computers whether from a distance or in face to face classroom setting (Computer assisted learning) it is a shift from traditional collaborative learning based on a community of learners, teaches, facilitator, experts. E-learning is the use of internet technologies to enhance knowledge and performance. E-learning technologies offer learner 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 of e-learning materials, consensus on technical standardization, and methods for peer review of these resources. E-learning presents numerous research opportunities for faculty, along with continuing challenges for documenting scholarship. Innovations in e-learning technologies point toward 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.
The integration of e-learning into education can catalyze the shift toward applying adult learning theory, where educators will no longer serve mainly as the distributors of contents, 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 board 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 decade; however, its use it highly variable among medical schools and appears to be more common in basic science courses than in clinical clerkships. E-learning is also called 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.
Computer assisted instruction (also called computer-based learning and computer base training) uses computers to aid in the delivery of stand-alone multimedia packages for learning and teaching. 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 most educators, is an approach that combines e-learning technology with traditional instructor-led training, where, for example, a lecture or demonstration is supplemented by an online tutorial. Faculty, administrators, and learners find learning. These advantages can be categorized 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 accessibility refers to the user’s ability of 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 materials 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 allows them to tailor their experience to meet personal learning objectives. Internet technologies permit the widespread distribution of digital content to many users simultaneously anytime and anywhere. An additional strength of e-learning is that it standardizes course content and delivery; unlike, for instance, a lecture given to separate sections of the same course. Interactive learning shifts the focus from a passive, teacher centered model to one that is active and learner’s centered, offering a stronger learning stimulus interactivity helps to maintain the teacher interest and provides a means for individual practice and reinforcement Evidence suggests that e-learning is more efficient because learners gain knowledge, skills, and attitudes faster than through traditional instructor-led methods. This efficiency is likely to translate into improved motivation and performance. E-learners have demonstrated increased retention rates and better utilization of content, resulting in better achievement of knowledge, skills, and attitudes. Multimedia e-learning offer learners the flexibility to select from a large menu of media options to accommodate their diverse learning styles.
The use of e-learning tools for teaching and learning of social studies social studies as one of the core subjects in school curriculum was designed to inculcate in learners right attitudes, values, knowledge and skills for effective citizenry and enable the understanding the way to manage the environmental resources for maximum utilization. This is why Chikwelu (2017) defines social studies as an inter-disciplinary study of man and interaction with his environment and inculcation of right attitudes values, knowledge and skills for developing effective citizenry who contribute positive to the development of his society.
While Abimbade (2020) sees it as a discipline through which man studies and learns about the problem of interaction and adjustment of the changing world.
The status of a core subject accorded social studies at all levels of education in Nigeria, it also given credent by the national policy on education (FRN 2004).
In spite of the important place of social studies in our educational system, literatures such as Falade (2017) and Fagbemi, Giambari, Oyedum and Gibodi (2012) had revealed that there had been sharp fall in the interest and performance of student and pupils in social studies owing to an unbridled use to conventional lecture method in teaching and learning of social studies. This has resulted in high rate of moral bankruptcy, corruption and poor management of environment resources.
Yusuf (2018) corroborates this view when he acknowledge the poor performance of students in social studies to poor teaching methods employed by teachers. The teaching of social studies lesson in college of education in Nigeria are usually carried out in the classroom during school hours but a time entails going for an excursion or filed trip to an environment different from usually school environment.
This enable student (Pre-service teacher) under the guidance of their teacher to discover the riches of a particular situation, site, surrounding, historic and artistic feature and the roles they serve. Visit to near by areas may be easier but a trip to far place or another country to witness the heritage richness it possesses will be difficult. This is where electronic learning can be employed to assist. All students can be given the opportunities to sample other ethnic group and countries heritage through the effective power of interactive multimedia.
Multimedia is the embodiment of test, graphic, animation, pictures, sound and videos clip and cab the easily used in social studies education. Curaphics play in extreme important role in the learning process. A look at existing teaching method will show the wide spread of use of graphic device and sound, movement and interactivity on a multimedia CD-ROM. It should also be noted that student can be provided with fact by using virtual reality system that transport them into environment created by the computer that generate there dimensional realistic scenes with which the student can interact. Abidoye, (2020) noted that introduction of computer disc (CD-ROM) has revolution the way of information stored, retrieved and disseminated.
Statement of the Problem
Traditionally, teachers have been visualized as repositories of knowledge which they transmitted to the students. Today, technology has changed this completely. Yet most secondary school teachers are not euphoric about the technology revolution. They doubt the potential of technology in meeting instructional goals and they continue to be tied to the old methods.
The use and emergence of I E-learning Technology came along with some hindering vices to academic pursuit, many students or youth prefer spending much of time on ,Yahoo, Facebook, WhatsApp and social media generally etc, watching films which are not edutainment via the internet etc. This has been modus operandi on how some student utilize E-learning facilities which is affecting the academic performance of leaners in Social Studies and Education generally.
The challenge decreasing the standard of E –learning in teaching and learning of Social Studies has been identified in the area of teacher qualification. Teachers experience, teachers’ frequent transfer, poor condition of services, inadequate materials, services and textbooks etc. This study therefore investigates Effectiveness of e-Learning on achievement and attitude of Junior Social Studies students in Karu Local Government Area, Nasarawa, State
Objective of the Study
The major objective of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of e-Learning on achievement and attitude of Junior Social Studies students in Karu Local Government Area, Nasarawa, State
The specific Objectives of the Study
- To determine the effectiveness of E-learning on students academic achievement in social studies in junior secondary schools
- To find out how social studies teachers utilized e-learning for effective teaching of social studies in secondary schools
- Find out the problems faced by teachers and students in effective utilization of e-learning in teaching and learning in social studies
- Determine the attitude of students and teachers towards E-learning in teaching and learning of social studies
Research Questions
The following research questions were generated to guide the study.
- What are the effect of E-learning on students academic achievement in social studies in junior secondary schools
- To what extent do social studies teachers utilized e-learning in their teaching for effective learning
- What are the problems faced by teachers and students in effective utilization of e-learning in teaching and learning in social studies
- What are the attitude of students and teachers towards E-learning
Research Hypotheses
- There is no significant relationship between the effect of E-learning and students academic performance in social studies
- There is no significant relationship between social studies teachers utilized e-learning and students academic performance
- Teachers and attitude does not have significant effect towards E-learning
Significance of the Study
Significance of the study stems from the importance of E-learning in the teaching and learning of social studies. Identifying the students’ attitudes towards its use in education and the information and data which this study is going to provide. Decision makers can benefit from such data and information and can foster the positive attitudes of the students and develop their attitudes. This will lead to good choice of the methods and activities which encourage students to use mobile phone in education in the future.
The result of this study may also contribute to the literature review with a study of great scientific value among the studies that dealt with using educational technology in college of education
The results may also introduce the potential impact of E-learning in Education, in training students and restructuring the polices of higher education, including curriculum and E-learning. The significance of the study is emphasized by the instrument of the study developed by the researchers that can be used in other subsequent studies. It is expected that graduate students and educational researchers. Who are interested in applying advanced technology in higher education may benefit from it.
Scope of the study
The study is aimed at explaining the effectiveness of e-Learning on achievement and attitude of Junior Social Studies students in Karu Local Government Area, Nasarawa, State
This research work would focus its effort towards obtaining information from the students from five secondary School in Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa state,
Operational Definition of Terms
Teaching: The activities of educating or instructing someone
Learning: Learning is the act of acquiring new, or modifying and reinforcing, existing knowledge, behavior skills, values or preference and may involve synthesizing different types of information. It is the activity or process of gaining knowledge or skill by studying, practicing being taught or experiencing something.
E-learning: E-learning is learning utilizing electronic technologies to access educational curriculum outside of a traditional classroom. In most cases, it refers to a course, program or degree delivered completely online
Information: - information means processed data or whatever that is capable of changing an individual’s opinion about the current states of real world.
Communication: - communication refers to the transfer of information, ideas taught and messages.
Technology: - technology is a scientific knowledge used in practical ways in industry, for example in designing new machines like computer, telephone, television, radio etc.
Education: - Education is the form of learning that gives intellectual and moral instruction to learners.
Social Studies: -the study of man in his totality - where he lives, his activities in the past and present; his culture; his frame of mind; and how he relates to others. It focuses on developing the right values, attitudes and abilities which help the child to get on well with others as he grows up to become a responsible citizen”.
E - Library: - An electronic library where library facilities or services can be assessed on line (through the internet).
ICT: - Information and Communication Technology
TV: - Television
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