CHALLENGES AND PROSPECTS OF E-LEARNING AT THE NATIONAL OPEN UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA ABUJA

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1       BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

The use of ICTs (Information and Communication Technology) to improve and assist the teaching and learning process is referred to as e-learning. E-learning encompasses anything from how students utilize email to how they access course material online while taking a class on campus to completely online programs. Higher education has been transformed by advances in ICT in many ways, including increasing access to post-secondary education, improving the availability of educational resources, facilitating meaningful interaction among learners, and modernizing an outmoded educational system to better prepare students and the average citizen for the information age, as well as accelerating national development efforts. Information and communication technologies (ICTs) have had an influence on many aspects of society, including education.

The use of ICTs in the form of e-learning is already transforming teaching and learning processes in higher education. Higher education institutions have adopted e-learning due to a variety of pedagogical and economic variables. Increased information access; increased communication; synchronous learning; increased cooperation and collaboration; cost-effectiveness (e.g., by reaching a larger number of students); and pedagogical improvement through simulations, virtual experiences, and graphic representations are some of these. Both trainers and learners may pick more relevant applications that are more flexible in terms of time and location, customized, reusable, suited to particular domains, and cost-effective (Adomi, 2005; Fisser, 2001; Pelliccione, 2001; Olabode, Marlien, & Jacobs et al, 2005; Bruno, 2007). E-learning is the use of information and communication technology (ICT) to improve and/or assist learning in higher education.

This, however, covers a wide range of systems, from students utilizing e-mail and accessing course materials online while taking a class on campus to completely online programs. Elearning may take many forms; for example, a campus-based university may provide courses utilizing Elearning that is connected to the Internet or another online network (Lorrain et al, 2007). E-learning encompasses not just classroom training and teaching, but also personalized learning. The phrase "online learning" has been defined using a variety of terms (Lorrain et al., 2007; Oye 2011).

Computers and ICT were first used in the classroom to complement teaching approaches. As more personal computers became accessible, several pioneering schools and institutions began to research and examine the notion and practice of online classrooms. E-learning is the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) to improve and assist the teaching and learning process. It enables the efficient transmission of information, regardless of subject matter, anywhere and at any time, and opens up a world of learning previously unattainable in most parts of the globe. At the same time, e-learning provides learners with the knowledge and abilities in information technology that they need to flourish in today's global knowledge economy.

 Ajadi et al. (2008) and Olaniyi (2006), the most prevalent sort of e-learning used in Nigerian schools is in the form of lecture notes on CD-ROM, which may be played whenever the students choose. They stated that some universities have embraced the usage of Intranet facilities, but that this is not effectively maintained due to power outages and the expensive expense of maintaining generators. The majority of Nigerian students use a cyber café to access the Internet. Despite these and other obstacles, the University of Ibadan, Obafemi Awolowo University, University of Benin, University of Abuja, University of Lagos, and the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), among others, have e-learning facilities. This figure may seem low (in comparison to other regions of the globe and the value of e-learning in economic growth), but it is due to the location of most institutions, bandwidth challenges, and, most importantly, the electrical supply dilemma. Although most educational institutions (private and public) have begun to establish ICT centers just for Internet services, without considering the other components of an e-learning center (Ajadi et al., 2008).

1.2       STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Higher education has been transformed by advances in ICT in many ways, including increasing access to post-secondary education, improving the availability of educational resources, facilitating meaningful interaction among learners, and modernizing an outmoded educational system to better prepare students and the average citizen for the information age, as well as accelerating national development efforts. Information and communication technologies (ICTs) have had an influence on many aspects of society, including education.

Despite the fact that the contemporary era promotes the use of e-learning facilities to further the education of individuals, it is still over looked in certain schools. Schools ignore these e-learning methods and stick to archaic methods of imparting knowledge on students and as a result, graduates are limited in the world of fast growing technology as they were not exposed in their school days in e-learning or any knowledge pertaining to the use of contemporary learning methods.

1.3       OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The main purpose of this study is to analyse the challenges and prospects of e-learning at the National Open University of Nigeria, Abuja. Thus, the following objectives;

1. To determine whether the students have knowledge on the use of e-learning facilities.

2. To determine whether the National Open University of Nigeria have enough e-learning facilities and equipment.

3. To determine whether the lecturers also have knowledge on the use of e-learning facilities.

4. To determine the various challenges that face NOUN in using e-learning facilities.

1.4       RESEARCH QUESTIONS

These questions guide this study;

1. Do students really have knowledge on the use of e-learning facilities?

2. Does National Open University of Nigeria have enough e-learning facilities and equipments?

3. Do lecturers also have knowledge on the use of e-learning facilities?

4. What are the various challenges that face NOUN in using e-learning facilities?

1.5       SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study will be helpful to other researchers who wish to broaden the scope of the research and conduct a study on another university. It will also be helpful to National Open University of Nigeria as it will provide the necessary information pertaining to the use of e-learning facilities and the various challenges that face the proper implementation of e-learning in the university which will allow for the university to take the necessary actions.

1.6       SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This study will only cover the National Open University of Nigeria and the various challenges it faces in implementing the use of e-learning facilities.

1.7       LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

The only limitation the researcher faced during the course of this study was insufficient time.

1.8       DEFINITION OF TERMS

1. CHALLENGES: In this study, it simply refers to the various obstacles both internal and external that prevent smooth running of University programs.

2. E-LEARNING: learning conducted via electronic media, typically on the internet.

3. PROSPECTS: the possibility or likelihood of some future event occurring