INVESTIGATION OF FACTORS MILITATING AGAINST THE EFFECTIVE TEACHING - LEARNING OF COMPUTER SCIENCE IN JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS

INVESTIGATION OF FACTORS MILITATING AGAINST THE EFFECTIVE TEACHING - LEARNING OF COMPUTER SCIENCE IN JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS

Background of the Study

The worlds are rapidly advancing  and its stage has been transformed into an electronic one, with a computer at the middle. This advancement has resulted in several improvements and revolutions in teaching and learning. The 3Rs, which formed the core of the ancient educational system, have seen a succession of literacy improvements. Because the world is now in the era of, it is necessary to stay up with the times. One method to do this is to include computers into our educational institutions.

According to Edhuze (2016), a computer is an electrical machine that executes tasks. Such as arithmetic or electronic communication, which is controlled by a set of instructions known as programmes. The programmes are normally stored on the computer and are accessed when needed by the computer. He goes on to define a computer as an electrical machine that can take data, process data, and retrieve data, resulting in the output of information. According to Okolo Lawrence (2017), a "computer" is an electronic machine or device that receives data as input and processes it electronically to generate the intended output or information using a set of instructions. In general, a computer is an electrical device that takes input, processes the data, and outputs the result as information. Incorporating computer science into teaching-learning, like at Enugu North Junior Secondary Schools, merely implies that instruction should include a definition of computer for simple comprehension. Okebukola (2017) defines teaching as a systematic, reasonable, and structured method of conveying information, attitude, and skills in line with professional norms. He also stated that education has become a difficult undertaking that should only engage expert teachers in the system in order to correctly impart computer skills to learners.

Education is one of every human being's essential rights. Education equips people for life's problems. As a result, Edhuze (2016) believes that education is more than just delivering information; it is also about shaping a child's entire personality. There are three stages of education in Nigeria: primary, secondary, and postsecondary. Secondary education is the intermediate stage between elementary and secondary education. It also prepares pupils to be contributing members of society (Jegede2013). Secondary school is viewed as the entrance to delivering not just an educated population but also a capable workforce in industrialised countries. Secondary education is currently acknowledged as the cornerstone of the educational system in the twenty-first century, according to the World Bank in Etim (2006). As a result, high-quality secondary education is critical to ensuring a prosperous future for both people and nations.

The terms computer studies and computer education have been used interchangeably; in some circumstances, computer education is used, while in others, computer literacy is used. It signifies the same thing in every case. Computer education refers to the endeavour or capacity to make the general public computer literate. Computer literacy refers to the ability to read, write, and speak computer language. It may also be viewed as a process of teaching individuals how to utilise a computer to execute a software and other applications such as business, industry, and commerce (Okorie, 2012). According to Edhuze (2003), computer studies involves teaching and instilling in the student the basic abilities necessary to autonomously control the computer to attain educational goals. He went on to say that computer studies as a topic is designed to help students develop the skills and competences needed in this competitive digital world. Such fundamental abilities and competences, following graduation, make individuals familiar with computer terms and procedures. Computer studies is therefore a topic intended to help individuals comprehend the function, applications, and limits of computers, as well as to give a chance to study current ways of information processing.

Nigeria's goal to incorporate computer studies into high school curricula dates back to 1988, when the National Policy on Computer Education was enacted and implemented (Abimbade, 1999). The policy on computer education recommended the following computer curricular contexts for secondary school students: A fundamental awareness of how the computer works, a comprehension of the basic principles of computer operation, and hands-on experience utilising pre-programmed programmes that are relevant to the students' interests as teaching aids in various disciplines. According to the National Policy on Computer Education (2006), it is expected that by the end of secondary school, the child will have acquired reasonable competence in software such as word processing, spreadsheet, and database analysing programmes that allow learners to interact with the computer in the manner that they desire (Ayogu, 2008). As a result, strategies are required to attain the objectives outlined in the National Policy on Education.

The computer is progressively being employed in many facets of human endeavour in the modern world. It has been emphasised that the use of computers will improve effectiveness and efficiency in this fast changing and technologically evolving environment. Computer education is being promoted since it is practically guaranteed that in the rapidly expanding information age, computer literacy will have as great of an influence on professional choices (Adamu and Bello, 2012). The utility value of computer education so determines its relevance. The National Policy on Education (NPE, 1981, updated in 1988, 1991, 1998, and 2004) established computer studies as a subject in Nigerian schools. The introduction of computer studies in the school curriculum was intended to provide every student with the chance to become computer literate. The study of computer studies has had a tremendous impact on both students and society. However, as compared to other regions of the globe where computers have been used in many aspects of human endeavour such as workplaces, schools, businesses, research centres, communication, and hospitals to name a few, the usage and study of computers in Nigeria is relatively new. The complexity of today's educational scenario has complicated the transfer of knowledge and instruction to pupils, as well as the nature of learning and teaching in general. This has made the teacher's responsibility in fostering learning more difficult. The new position entails more than simply transmitting knowledge to pupils; it also entails investigating issues related to learning and instruction so that students can get the most from the teaching and learning process. Computers are currently employed in situations where a large amount of data must be handled, complicated processes must be managed, or real-time access to centralised information from random places is required, such as in education, telemedicine, telecommunications, and numerous other areas (Adewopo, 2015). The study of computers in school is therefore aimed at assisting students in dealing with current technology development, equipping them with knowledge and competences or abilities of programme and administrative administration, and improving the learning process. Students are required to acquire computer appreciation or application skills rather than merely what a computer is and what it can accomplish. Students are thus required to be taught in such a way that they can not only perceive and understand the computer, but also successfully manage their own learning, reinforce it, and apply such information or training in a practical context. This new technique has made computer science education a little more difficult and hard. It has been noticed that teaching and studying computer science in schools has proven difficult. People frequently complain about inadequate learning and teaching equipment, facilities, and computer instructional tools (Aghadino, 2014). It is considered that scientific education in general, and computer studies in particular, face a variety of challenges (Adamu, 2010). This was due to the sluggish speed of computer learning and application. This assumes that there are issues with the teaching and learning of computer science education. As a result, one is driven to inquire, "What really is the situation?" What are the issues associated with teaching computer science education? This study was created against this context to analyse the problems associated with computer studies education utilising Enugu North as a case study. The kids named below are junior secondary school pupils studying computer science in Enugu North L.G.A. in Enugu State. According to Wikipedia (2010), learning is defined as a change in behaviour based on prior experience. As a result, this learning requires the processing of multiple sorts of information.

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