AN APPRAISAL OF THE ROLE OF ICT AS A CHANGE AGENT FOR QUALITY EDUCATION IN TERTIARY INSTITUTION IN NIGERIA.

AN APPRAISAL OF THE ROLE OF ICT AS A CHANGE AGENT FOR QUALITY EDUCATION IN TERTIARY INSTITUTION IN NIGERIA

CHAPTER ONE
1.1      BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
The challenges confronting our educational system in tertiary institution centers on quality attainment of education delivery, almost everything connected with education in tertiary institution is in short supply. Quality teachers are in short supply, quality buildings, quality equipment, quality laboratories, good experimental farms and other resources input that can lead to quality education are inadequately provided. Today, there exist general disenchantment and general distrust in the quality of the education system as well as in the quality of education output.
The quality of education is the prime factor that determines the worth and significance of the system to both the recipients and the society at large. Thus, Igwe (2009) notes that, the promises of information and communication technologies (ICTs) have driven e-learning in transforming education delivery and thereby advancing the knowledge economy.
The knowledge, economy for example sets a new scene for education and new challenges and prospects for education is a pre-requisite of the knowledge based economy and the production and use of new knowledge both require a more educated population and workforce (Arikewuyo, 2004). ICTs are very powerful tool  for diffusing knowledge and information which is fundamental aspects of the education process.
In that capacity, ICTs play a pedagogic role that could in principle compliment the traditional practices of the education sector (Igwe, 2009).
Undoubtedly, e-learning powered by ICT use in tertiary institutions could help to expand and widen access to tertiary education and learning, improve the quality of education as well reduce its cost. This means that effective ICT use in tertiary institutions in Nigeria could help to spur positive results in improving the overall learning (and teaching) experiences as well as in up-lifting the quality of the system.
Therefore the research seeks to investigate the role of ICT as a change agent for quality education in tertiary institution in Nigeria.

1.2      STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Elele (1983) cited in Yusuf (2012) notes that quantitatively, the Nigerian Education scene in quite impressive but qualitative deficient. There exist general disenchantment and general distrust in the quality of the education system as well as in the quality of education output. (Arikewuyo, 2004) stated that ICT can play a very prominent role in diffusing knowledge and information which is fundamental aspects of the education process towards quality attainments.
In this capacity, ICT plays a pedagogic role that could in principle complement the traditional practices of the education sector.
Therefore, the problem confronting this research is to appraise the role of ICT as a change agent towards quality education in tertiary institution in Nigeria.

AN APPRAISAL OF THE ROLE OF ICT AS A CHANGE AGENT FOR QUALITY EDUCATION IN TERTIARY INSTITUTION IN NIGERIA