LECTURERS’ CONSCIOUSNESS, READINESS, SELF-EFFICACY AND AIM TO ADOPT MICRO-BLOGS FOR TEACHING AMONG UNIVERSITIES IN KADUNA STATE, NIGERIA  

ABSTRACT

 

This study was designed to investigate lecturer‟s awareness, readiness and level of self-efficacy as determinant of micro-blogs use for teaching in Kaduna State universities.The influence of gender and experienced were also analysed. The study had nine specific objectives, nine research questions, and six null hypotheses which were formulated and tested at 0.05 level of significance.  A total of 285 lecturers were surveyed, using questionnaires. The results of the survey were analysed using descriptive statistisc, Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis Test. The results of the survey based on the hypotheses tested revealed that most lecturerswere aware of the use of micro-blogs for teaching in tertiary institution in the State with cumulative mean of (3.11) outweighs the decision mean (2.50). Respondents show readiness in the use of microblogs as means of teaching in tertiary institutions as evident as evident from the fact that cumulative mean was (3.8) high. The result also revealed that lecturers self-efficacy was high based on the fact that cumulative mean (3.25) was higher than the decision mean of (2.50). Hypotheses one, two and three revealed that there is no significant difference between male and female lecturers‟ awareness, readiness and self-efficacy in using micro-blogs for teaching while null hypotheses four, five and six revealed that there was significant differences in lecturers year of experience on the awareness (10.730), readiness (14.778) and self-efficacy (6.541) on the use of micro-blogs for teaching at 0.05% level of significant in the State.The. result therefore concluded that gender has no influence on the awareness, readiness and self-efficacy while years of experience influence on the awareness, readiness and utilization on the use of micro-blogs for teaching in tertiary institutions in Kaduna State. Based on the findings, it is recommend that lecturers should be given all necessary assistance that will aid them to identify and exploits the use of micro-blogs in their subject area as well as enlighten and educating them on its usage by

the                                                         university                                                         stakeholders.

 

 

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.9 Background to the Study

Education has shifted from the traditional form of education towards new methods of teaching and learning through the exploration of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). The continuous advances in information technology have enabled the realization of a more distributed structure of knowledge transfer through the development of e-learning. The developing countries have embraced ICT and consequently e-learning so as to keep pace with unimaginable speed in the area of technology. The use of ICTs in Nigeria and African countries generally is increasing and dramatically growing.The integration of elearning in tertiary institutions is witnessing rapid growth in developed countries. Most tertiary institutions in developed countries have websites from which students can take online lectures and participate in other educational activities (Tabisa, 2014).

E-learning is the use of electronic technology to deliver education and training applications, monitor learner‟s performance and report learners‟ progress. Hedge and Hayward (2004), defined it as an innovative approach for delivering electronically mediated, well-designed, learner-centered and interactive learning environments to anyone, anyplace, anytime by utilizing the internet and digital technologies in concern with instructional design principles (Adu, Eze, Salako & Nyangechi, 2013).

In Nigeria, the integration of e-learning in tertiary institutions has witnessed slow growth which may be as a result of massive unawareness. Manir (2011) noted that awareness to ICT in Nigeria started gathering momentum two decades ago. The early exposure camethrough lecturers, researchers, academics and students who studied abroad and had opportunities of attending conferences on ICT. However, Manir(2011) posited that a large number of people are still not aware of the use of these ICTs in education. This is because Nigeria had no specific policy on e-learning until February 2007 when the ICT department of the Federal Ministry of Education was created.

The provision of quality education to millions has been one of the struggles facing developing countries such as Nigeria. Experiences both nationally and internationally have shown that conventional education is extremely hard pressed to meet the demands of today‟s socio educational milieu especially for developing countries like Nigeria. The limitation of spaces in the universities imposes restrictions on access. If they had their way almost every product of the senior secondary system wants a place in a conventional university (Jimoh, 2013).

Online social networks have become increasingly popular in recent years providing a different and user-friendly way to maintain social connections and share information. Lepi (2014) assert that a shift is taking place in the focus of pedagogical practice on universities all over the world as students across a wide variety of disciplines are learning by making and creating rather than from simple consumption of content. Presently, students are used to social networking resources such as blogs, WhatsApp, twitter, among others.

Weblogs, or blogs, have rapidly evolved to become a popular and influential form of online micropublishingand computer mediated communication (Bruns & Jacobs, 2006). Studies of bloggingare still in their infancy but the available literature suggests that “blogging has the potential to be atransformational technology for teaching and learning” (Williams & Jacobs,

2004). In particular, it isclaimed that blogging is a useful practice for the development of higher order learning skills, activelearner-centered pedagogy, authentic learning, associative thinking, and interactive learning communities(Farmer, 2006).

During the last couple of years, micro-blogging a kind ofblogging where users publish snippets of information abouttheir daily activities and thoughts has become the newestInternet trend. Online micro-blogging services such asTwitter.com, which provide an alternative communicationand social networking channel, have quickly becomepopular. On

Twitter.com, millions of people post short text-basedupdates – known as tweets – about

“What I amdoing”. Topics range from their personal life and work, tocurrent events, news, and interesting observations andthoughts.The tweets are published on the authors‟ personalTwitter page and sent to their followers‟ people whosubscribe to other people‟s tweets. By following a group ofpeople, users manage awareness of what‟s happening totheir family, friends, and communities (Farmer, 2006).

This new social medium also has attracted attention from in the universities. Variants of Twitter have begun to appear in the university environment. Micro-blogging,which provides a light-weight and easy tool to post briefupdates about daily activities and thoughts may helpsupport knowledge sharing and communication in universities. However, the relative benefits and liabilitiesof using micro-blogging by university lecturers are not yet fully evident nor is it clears how lecturers should adopt and use micro-bloggingin their teaching activities. Despite a growing body of research concerning the use of micro-blogging services like Twitter, there have only been a few attempts to investigate micro-blogging in a work environment.  (Ayinde, 2011).

 

 

The greater people perceived their self-efficacy to be, the more active and longer they persist in their effort (Bandura, 1986). Self-efficacy therefore reflects an individual‟s confidence in his/her ability to perform the behavior required to produce specific outcome and it‟s thought to directly impact the choice to engage in a task, as well as the effort that will be expended and the persistence that will be exhibited (Sam, Othman & Nordin, 2005)

Hogeth and Kramer (2003) and Ayinde (2011) revealed that gender and academic

qualifications of lecturers‟ do not affect their proficiency in the use if ICT facilities and equipment.  There is an adage that experience is the best teacher. Part of this study will investigate how lecturers‟ awareness, readiness and utilization of blog can influence teaching in tertiary institutions. Lecturers‟ area of specialization will also be examined to see whether it affects the lecturers‟ awareness, readiness, and utilization and intention to adopt blogs in teaching. Jiya (2015). Area of specialization is specializing or pursuing a particular line of study or work. Such areas include Sciences, Arts, Social Science, Education and Technology.

This study investigated the lecturers‟ awareness, readiness,self-efficiency and intention to adopt micro-blogs for teaching among universities in Kaduna State.

 

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Today‟s students are regarded as “Net–generation students”, they only embrace facebook which they use to connect with people and make new friends. The use of social media such as blogs in academic activities is far from adequate. Many lecturers in Nigerian universities are not aware and ready to use competentsocial media as a teaching tool.

Although the use of social media in teaching and learning has become inevitable to produce marketable and employable graduates, many universities in Nigeria suffer from a lack of application or use of appropriate technologies by lecturers. This affects the over-all set academic objectives and impairs the goal of any existing or new e-learning system as observed by Dalsguard (2008). This has affected today‟s graduates so much that stressed that employability enhancement and career management among a diverse range of core university processes can be facilitated through the application of social networks (Berg, Berquam & Christoph, 2007).

Most lecturers have not been able to integrate social network such as micro-blogs in the teaching and learning process in universities in Nigeria. The outcome is that students are not living university with the most marketable and industry-relevant skills, thus, many graduates lack the necessary skill to move forward.

In view of the foregoing, thisstudy intends to find out the extent of lecturers awareness, readiness, self-efficacy and intention to adopt micro-blogs for teaching among Universities in Kaduna State.

 

1.10     Objectives of the Study

The study investigates lecturers‟ awareness, readiness, self-efficacy and intention to adopt micro-blogs for teaching among universities in Kaduna State. Specifically this study will determine the:

1. Lecturers‟ awareness in the use of micro-blogs for teaching in universities in Kaduna

State; ii.    Lecturers‟ readiness to use micro-blogs for teaching in universities in Kaduna State; iii.   Lecturers‟ level of self-efficacy to use micro-blogs for teaching in Universities in

Kaduna State; iv. Interaction of lectures‟gender on theirawareness of using micro-blogs for teaching in

Kaduna State Universities;

1. Interaction of lecturers‟ gender in their readiness in using micro-blogs for teaching; vi. Interaction of lecturers‟ gender on their level of self-efficacy in using micro-blogs for teaching; vii. Influence of lecturers‟ experience awareness of using micro-blogs for teaching; viii.      Interaction effect of experience on their readiness in using micro-blogs for teaching; ix.      Influence lecturers‟ experience on their level of self-efficacy in using micro-blogs for teaching.

1.4 Research Questions

Based on the research objectives, the following research questions arise:

1. What is the extent of lecturers‟ awareness of the use of micro-blog for teaching in

Kaduna State universities?

1. Are lecturers ready to use micro-blogs for teaching in Kaduna State Universities?

• What is the level of lecturers‟ self-efficacy in using micro-blogs for teaching in

Kaduna State universities?

1. What is the difference between male and female lecturers‟ awareness on the use of micro-blogs for teaching in Kaduna State universities?
2. What is the difference between male and female lecturers‟ readiness in using microblogs for teaching?
3. What is the difference between male and female lecturers‟ on their level of self-

efficacy in using micro-blogs for teaching?

• What is the influence of teaching experience on lecturers‟ awareness of micro-blogs for teaching?
• What is the influence of teaching experience on lecturers‟ readiness of micro-blogs for teaching?

1. What is the influence of teaching experience on lecturers‟ self-efficacy of using micro-blogs for teaching?

1.5 Research Hypotheses

The following null hypotheses are formulated:

H_O1: There is no significant difference between male and female lecturers‟ awareness of using micro-blogs for teaching in Kaduna State universities.

H_O2: There is no significant difference between male and female lecturers‟ readiness in using blogs for teaching in Kaduna State universities.

H_O3: There is no significant difference between male and female lecturers‟ self-efficacy of using micro-blogs for teaching in Kaduna State universities.

H_O4: There is no significant difference between lecturers‟ years of experience on their awareness on the use of micro-blogs for teaching.

H_O5: There is no significant difference between lecturers‟ years of experience on their readiness on the use of micro-blogs for teaching.

H_O6: There is no significant difference between lecturers‟ years of experience on their levels of self-efficacy on the use of micro-blogs for teaching. 1.6 Basic Assumptions of the Study

The study assumes that:

1. Lecturers are familiar with the use of mobile devices for social networking.
2. University lecturers have mobile devices such as android, tablet, smart phones,

laptops etc.

• Lecturers have existing knowledge on the use of mobile devices for phone calls, text messages etc. iv. Lecturers are subscribing to social network such as facebook, whatapps, and twitteramong others.

1.7 Significance of the Study

This study could be useful to lecturers, students, government, instructional technology scholars and researchers in the following ways:

The finding of this research work might give insight into the concept of lecturers‟ awareness, readiness and self-efficacy of using micro-blogs for teaching based on their area of specialization, academic qualification and years of experience. With this exposition, the government, ministry of education and other stakeholders in the education sector may have researcher based facts to decide the next appropriate action to take on the implementation of blogs for teaching in Nigerian universities.

The study would encourage lecturers as well as instructional technology scholars to adopt more teaching method through the use of micro-blogs or ICT. Thus, it will make teaching more efficient and improve academic standard of the universities.

The finding of this research work may also provide useful information for school curriculum developers to identify the useful and beneficial direction of the nation‟s curriculum as it affects lecturers‟ education on one hand and the various level of education from primary to tertiary education. It would enable the government to identify the usefulness of blogs in improving teaching in the universities. Adoption of micro-blogs for teachings by the school authorities would empower the lecturers‟ more. Using micro-blogs for teaching also help students to learn at their own pace: Students can walk through a blog post at their own pace rather than individuals working or learning together on one activity, technology allows independent completion of work.

The study would also expand the market of ICT, social media, educational technology and educational media entrepreneurs and which may impact positively on the nation economy. Finally, the study would serve as material resources for those who may wish to embark on similar research work.   1.8 Scope of the Study

The study focuses on lecturers‟ awareness, readiness, self-efficacy and intention to adopt micro-blogs adoption for teaching among universities in Kaduna State. The study targeted lecturers of the universities in Kaduna State, Nigeria. The study is further delimited tothe areas of accessing the awareness, readiness and self-efficacy to use micro-blogs for teaching by the, lecturers in Kaduna Stateuniversities will be addressed.

LECTURERS’ CONSCIOUSNESS, READINESS, SELF-EFFICACY AND AIM TO ADOPT MICRO-BLOGS FOR TEACHING AMONG UNIVERSITIES IN KADUNA STATE, NIGERIA  

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