CONSTRAINTS TO COMPUTER USAGE IN TEACHING ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONICS IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN VANDEIKYA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, BENUE STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The study aimed at investigating constraints to the use of computer in teaching electrical and electronics to secondary school students in Vandeikya local Government Area of Benue State. Three objectives and three research questions guided the study. The population of the study was twenty (20) electrical/ electronics teachers that teach the subject in fourteen (14) secondary schools that offer the course in Vandiekya local government area of Benue State. A structured questionnaire titled Constraints to the use of Computer in Teaching Electrical/ Electronics was used to obtain information from teachers. The data collected was analyzed using descriptive statistic (mean and standard deviation was used to answer the research questions.) The findings from the study revealed the importance of use of computer in teaching electrical/electronics to secondary school students. That it enables the development of both cognitive affective and psychomotor skills in students, makes learning concrete instead of abstract among others. The study further revealed constraints to the use of computer to include, the teacher characteristics, inadequate classroom space that will accommodate a large number of computers, inadequate infrastructure among others. The study again identified ways that the identified problems can be solved such as continuous training and retraining of teachers in the new emerging technologies, technical staff should assist teachers in handling the ICT gadget while teaching, formation of public-private partnership to purchase, install, maintain the ICT gadgets among others. It was concluded that computers are vital in teaching and learning. However, many factors inhibit the use of computers and such constraints can be solved by provision of electricity in rural areas and other ways. It was therefore recommended that use of computer in teaching in secondary schools should be emphasized to enable the development of cognitive,affective and psychomotor skills in students. Technical staff should be employed to assist teachers in the use of computers while teaching and necessary infrastructure such as electricity, ICT gadgets and teachers trained and retrained for effective use of these gadgets.