1 FACTORS AFFECTING ACCESS TO AND USE OF ICT IN THE TEACHING OF INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES Roseline Onyinye Uka Egwu Department of Igbo Language, Ebonyi State College of Education, Ikwo. And Ugochi I. Chidi-Ehiem Department of Igbo Language, Ebonyi State College of Education, Ikwo. Abstract Language plays a vital role in the education process. Being the only means to convey the objectives of education, it has to be properly taught in schools. Indigenous languages, supposedly the medium of instruction of the child at early stage of education, have not received much attention both at home and in school. This leaves the child at the mercy of the teacher to remedy the deficiency created. In order to achieve a permanent result, the teacher needs to integrate ICT into his teaching and learning process. To do this, he must have access to ICT and must know how to use them. It is on this backdrop that this paper sought to reveal those factors that make it difficult for the indigenous language teacher to have access and to use ICT in his teaching. The paper discovered that the language of the ICT, lack of relevant software, inadequate power supply, ICT illiteracy, and lack of time to use ICT, are the hurdles the indigenous language teacher contends with. Recommendations made include, provision of adequate power supply, and building of software or computer programmes that are indigenous language oriented. Language is important in the teaching and learning process; it serves as a medium of instruction in the education process. It can be said to be a basic tool for communication and transfer of knowledge (Egwu, 2008). Ajayi and Oyetayo in Egwu (2008) described language as a veritable vehicle of interaction and a means of education through which human beings pass their culture from one generation to another. It is one of the essential ingredients of life; a means through which one can make known ones thought, feelings, frustrations, innovations, dreams and aspirations. With these functions of
language, Ofoegbu and Umo (2008) quoting Adiele and Nwadike opined that it is the most essential asset of a people. They also asserted that no race or people would want their language to die. Indigenous language is important in the education of a child. This, according to Ofoegbo and Umo (2008:226), is because the proper development of the child is closely bound with the constant use of the language spoken to him from birth. They further stated thus, 2 indigenous languages before coming to school. The language teacher, therefore, as a matter of duty has to devise means of meeting the learning needs of the different categories of children in his class. One of such means is for the language teacher to have access to and acquire the technical know-how to integrate Information and Communication Technology (ICT) into teaching and learning of indigenous languages. the child cannot learn the most elementary facts and ideals until he has understood the rudiments of his indigenous language. It is through indigenous language that the technological skills and competencies are inculcated. It is used as a vehicle for communication, maintenance of culture and of creative teaching and learning in the classroom. The Federal Government in the National Policy on Education (2004) recognized three Nigerian indigenous languages to be studied in schools. These three indigenous languages are called the major Nigerian languages. The teaching and learning of these languages should be accorded special attention since they are no longer used as mother tongue at home. Some children in Nigeria start language acquisition with the English language, promoting it above the status of their native languages thereby, aiding the deterioration of the Nigerian indigenous languages. Some children, however, already develop the use of their Information and Communication Technology is a powerful tool that can enhance the teaching and learning situation. It challenges the traditional process of teaching and learning and the way education is managed. Jagboro (2003) observed that ICT enhances teaching skills and learning ability. According to Wilderotte (2007), it widens learning resources, provides immediacy to education, and one can be educated anywhere with it. The use of ICT is gradually transforming teaching/leaning process. In the words of Esiobu (2010:42), the acquisition of skills in Information management and the use of Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) in teaching and learning has today became a prerequisite for success and effectiveness at all levels of education. The use of ICT facilities in teaching has brought pressure to bear on language teaching generally, specifically in the teaching of indigenous languages in Nigeria. It is important that the language teacher has access to and is able to integrate ICTs
into is classroom practices in conformity with the Millennium Development Goals. The most critical challenge in the successful integration of ICTs in the teaching of language, especially indigenous languages in Nigeria, is the extent of access the language teacher has to ICT facilities and the extent of acquisition of knowledge and skills for modeling the use of ICTs in his teaching. Access to Information and Communication Technology (ICT) according to Ryo and Atsuko in Inyang, Egodi and Ayuh (2011) is the central theme in the World Summit of the Information Society (WSIS) in 2009. According to them, the action plan adopted by WSIS in Geneva in 2003 and Tunis in 2005 centered on ensuring that more than half of the people in the world have access to Information and Communication Technology by 2015. Murdoch (2002) asserted that access to ICT is considered a basic right of the 21st century citizen. Warchauer in Inyang, Egodi and Ayuh Inyang, Egodi and Ayuh (2011:276) stated that the very resources that the people need access to are the same resources to which they will be able to contribute. Thus, access and use are closely related. In fact, according to them, access to resources and the use of resources are interdependent. Quoting National South African Policy at school level, Yusuf (2005) observed that ICT can create access to learning opportunities and 3 improve the quality of learning and teaching and can lead to lifelong learning, ICT can accommodate differences in learning styles and remove barriers in learning by providing expanded opportunities and individualized learning experience (Inyang, Egodi and Ayulu, 2011:276). Based on these wonderful and lofty features of ICT in teaching and learning process, the indigenous language teacher needs to have access to and acquire the needed knowledge and skills for using ICT in the effective delivery of his services. Furthermore, The importance of ICT is quite evident from the education perspective. Though the chalkboard, textbooks, radio/television and films have been used for educational purpose over the years, none has quite impacted on the educational process like the computer (Abubakar, 2012:104). Many researchers (Ofoegbu, and Umo, 2008; Odo, 2011; Abubakar, 2012; Uloh and Ogbaekrigwe, 2008, Kulik, 2002, Fox 2005) have agreed that technology can improve education if appropriately used; it is no longer in contest whether technology should be employed in the educational process. However, the emphasis is in ensuring that technology is made available and is used effectively to create new opportunities for learning and to promote students achievement. Jagboro (2003) submitted that ICT enhances teaching skills and learning ability. Both teachers and
students can use the internet to browse recent and old information relevant to their programmes. The academic work of students and teachers could include materials for research, projects and assignments. Computer-Based Instruction (CBI) or Computer-Assisted Instruction (CAI) has made individual instruction easy by giving the information in small bits or frames, ensuring immediate reaction from learners and ensuring immediate feedback, self spacing, and so on (Udeolisa, 2008). ICT facilitates the instructional roles of the teacher in the classroom and beyond the classroom through Computer Based Education (CBE). According to Adiele (2005), CBE is designed to expose the learner to a variety of instructional options through multi-channels learning. He maintained that ICT assists in the teaching and learning process through virtual reality. Lending credence to this, Ebenebe and Ezenwosu (2006) highlighting the importance of ICT to the teaching and learning process, stated that ICT creates a new learning environment in which students are engaged and are able to take greater responsibility for their own learning. This makes learning experience easier as learners will no longer stay in the classroom as empty vessels and passive listeners waiting for the teachers to spoon-feed them using his repository method of chalk and talk (Odo, 2011). This simply means that with ICT, individualized and collaborative instruction can be archived. Ncneil in Odo (2011) also stressed thus, ICT has the capacity of gaining attention of the learners, inform the learner of the expected outcome, activate relevant capabilities, present stimuli inherent to the task, elicit correct responses by promoting, provide immediate feedback, appraise performance, provoke for transfer of learning accessed through internet and ensure high retention of learning experiences. There is no doubt that ICT provides productive teaching and learning in order to increase the learners creative and intellectual resources especially in this information era. 4 ICT gives ample and exceptional opportunities to the learner to develop capacities for high quality learning and to increase his ability to innovate. By implication, access to and the use of ICT by both the teacher and the learner enhance and facilitate affective teaching, repose confidence on the teacher, encourage the learner and stimulate the his enthusiasm and appetite for more knowledge. ICT and the Indigenous Language Teacher The language teacher plays vital role in the teaching and learning process. He ought to promote meaningful learning by integration of ICT. This is because language is the major means of inculcating knowledge, skills and competences (Awoniyi, 1982). It is an indispensable tool for effective
communication. Language is not just significant but absolutely crucial in the ultimate success of all education process (Gomwalk, 2007). Emphasizing more on this, Wolf (2005) in Egwu (2010) stated that language is everything in education; that without it, everything is nothing in education. According to Elugbe in Egwu (2010), it is accepted that education is part, if not the corner stone of national development. It will become obvious that Nigerian indigenous languages have to be developed so that education may be on a surer- footing. According to Chijioke (2001), the use of indigenous language as a medium of instruction is the only avenue through which development can be made and sustained in all spheres of human endeavour especially in education. This places the indigenous languages on a very important pedestal in the achievement of educational objectives. For the indigenous languages to be able to carry out this duty successfully, ICT has to be applied. This follows that the indigenous language teacher has to have access to and be able to use ICT in the teaching/learning process. This is because technology cuts across all subject areas and can improve education if appropriately used (Waxman, cannel and Groovy, 2002 and Fox, 2005). Access to and use of ICT will make the indigenous language teacher more creative and give him insight into how to solve teaching and learning problems. 5 Factors Affecting Access-to and Use of ICT in the Indigenous Languages Classroom Despite all the important roles of ICT in the teaching and learning process, some factors still hinder the language teacher from having access to and using ICT facilities in his teaching/leaning process. It is a known fact that language and culture cannot be separated; the language of a people is imbedded in their culture. The language of ICT is different from that of our local of languages. This therefore, makes it difficult for the indigenous language teacher to conceptualize certain concepts that are not found in the culture of our indigenous languages that are used in the ICT. This frustrates his effort to use or integrate ICT in teaching. Since the language of the ICT is different from that of Nigerian indigenous languages, the alphabet systems will definitely not correspond. This, also, will pose a problem to the indigenous language teacher. Esiobu (2010) in his report on factors affecting access to and use of ICT in teaching and learning in Nigerian higher education, reported that lack of full and direct access to computers and internet connection, lack of time for use and lack of specialized training on integrating ICT into teaching and learning are major setbacks. He further noted that poor connectivity, high cost of private subscription, poor electricity supply and doubts on the benefits of ICT for teaching and learning as also
militating against access to and real use of ICT in teaching and learning process. This supports the claims of Uloh- Bethels, Ogbaekirigwe and Uloh (2008); Abubakar (2012); and Ibiam (2013) that cost of equipment in the country, weak infrastructure, lack of ICT personnel, lack of relevant software and limited access to the internet as a result of inconsistent electric power supply in most parts of the country are contributing factors to the problem the Nigerian teacher is facing in accessing and using ICT in the teaching and learning process. Ibiam (2013) added that high rate of computer illiteracy among teachers including the indigenous language teachers cannot be overlooked. Funding is another huddle the indigenous language teacher has to jump if he must have access to and use ICT in the teaching and learning process. It is a known fact that teachers are not well remunerated, most especially in some states in Nigeria like their counterparts, such as doctors, lawyers, etc. It becomes difficult for a teacher to afford a set of desktop computer in his house not to talk of a laptop that is just like a notepad in the hands of other professionals. This implies that he will see himself as not being capable, that ICT is meant for other professionals other than him and there is no need to bother about its usage. 6 Conclusion and Recommendations Considering the importance of indigenous languages in the development of the child, the roles of ICT in the education process cannot be over emphasized. However, so many factors hinder the indigenous language teacher from having access to and use of ICT in teaching and learning. These factors range from lack of power supply to cost of equipment, weak infrastructure, lack of relevant software, language barrier, computer illiteracy, funding, among others. The researchers, therefore, recommend that adequate software or computer programme that will have Nigerian indigenous language in place should be commissioned. This will help in no small measure to curb the problem encountered in language teaching in the usage of ICTs. Training should be organized for language teachers on how to integrate ICT in teaching and learning process. This will reduce the high rate of ICT illiteracy in Nigeria. Government should provide adequate power supply for the operation of these ICT gadgets. It is already reported that funding contributes to the problem of access to and use of ICT on the part of indigenous language teacher in Nigeria. It will be a case of adding more salt in an open injury for the indigenous language teacher who cannot afford a set of computer to also be subjected to using the little fund he has to fuel a generator in order to operate his
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