AVAILABILITY AND UTILIZATION OF COMPUTER PACKAGES IN TEACHING AND LEARNING OF ISLAMIC STUDIES IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS NORTHERN NIGERIAN

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1         Background to the Study

Religion is a social institution of a belief system, a mental complex and a system of worship found in every human society. Religion as a social institution is characterized by its universality, its rituals, its sacredness and its persistence Nseabasi & Oluwabamide (2008) Religion exists in all societies because, it offer answers and some purported solutions to such ultimate questions as why we fail or succeed and why we die (Udo, 2006). Different culture produce vary different systems of religious beliefs but, they all share a common feature, theycentre on a fundamental belief in the supernatural. Religion is the root of formal education in Nigeria (Udo, 2006).

Education has been the pillar upon which all meaningful national developments are built. It is the instrument which sets the pace for growth, development and understanding of issues in their entire ramification (Dalhatu, 2010). For education to be relevant in a society, it has to be effectively taught. And this can only be achieved through the appropriate use of teaching methods, instructional materials and its relevance to the teaching of Islamic Studies. Teaching method is an orderly procedure in which a teacher uses to direct students in the development of knowledge, skills, attitudes and habits (Habila, 2008). Instructional materials are those things which a teacher uses or manipulates in the process of his teaching in order to enhance learning process (Ogunleye, 2004). Dalhatu (2010) defined instructional materials as those hardwares or sets of tools at the disposal of a teacher that help in facilitating teaching and learning and development of knowledge in Secondary Schools.

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The development of knowledge, skill, attitude and character is an important function of educational institution known as school; this made Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN, 2004), to emphasize on the need to equip youth with general education and religious knowledge which should be acquired right from Secondary School. Secondary School is the second tier of institution in Nigeria which is designed to prepare individual youth to acquire knowledge of arts, science, skills, attitudes and sound moral character required as graduate at sub-professional level. Secondary Schools give full trainingintended to prepare students for entry into various discipline subject areas, among which include Islamic Studies (Magaji, 2015).

AVAILABILITY AND UTILIZATION OF COMPUTER PACKAGES IN TEACHING AND LEARNING OF ISLAMIC STUDIES IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS NORTHERN NIGERIAN