ASSESSMENT OF THE INFLUENCE OF E-LEARNING ON ACADEMIC BEHAVIOR OF UNIVERSITY STUDENTS IN NIGERIA.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Learning is an essential component of human existence. Every day of a man's life, he learns something new in order to live in a changing environment. This is informal learning in the sense that man learns new things when he interacts with his environment at any point in time. However, in a formal learning scenario, learning begins in the cradle and continues through school, college, universities, and the job (Becker, 2000).

Education is a social artifact that embodies hopes for the well-being and growth of the society it is meant to serve. Education is anticipated to contribute to residents' social, cultural, political, and economic well-being and progress.

Education is widely considered as a supporter of human growth, and many consider it to be at the heart of any society's existence and concerns. According to Botswana's educational aims, pupils who graduate secondary school are supposed to have learned lifelong skills and to be employable in the global village (Goode, 2010). As a result, students must achieve academically or perform to the pleasure of the country.

Academic performance is the rate at which a student performs academically. Different factors affect academic performance with aiding it while some do not.

With the help of modern technology, many students can now educate themselves and study alone. As a result, learners/students may connect to classrooms from anywhere and get lectures while being anonymous to their peers and teachers/lecturers. This breakthrough falls under the purview of electronic learning (e-learning) and e-learning technology. Since the 1990s, e-Learning has been gaining traction in education. The definition of e-learning varies according to who you ask.

 Goode, (2010) defined Online e-learning as learning experiences that take place in synchronous or asynchronous environments using various electronic devices (e.g., computers, laptops, cellphones, etc.) with internet access. E-learning is a catch-all phrase for any sort of learning that relies on electronic communication. It is a broad phrase that encompasses a diverse range of ICT-based applications and activities such as computer-based learning, web-based learning, virtual classrooms, digital collaboration, and networking" (Crawford, E. & Kirby, M. 2008). In other terms, it refers to web-enabled teaching and learning. Other often used phrases in combination include: online learning, computer assisted learning, and ICT in education.

Online e-learning might be a platform for making the educational process more student-centered, innovative, and adaptable. Online course distribution is cost-effective and convenient, especially when offering material to students in rural and remote places. The United Nations (UN) and the World Health Organization (WHO) regard online e-learning as a valuable instrument for satisfying educational requirements, particularly in poor countries. To counteract the situation, medical schools have developed a variety of innovative solutions, including the use of software/apps such as Google Classroom, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams to take online classes. This virtual class of e-learning was established to increase the students' conviction and trust in their faculty, not only to complete the course but also to stay in continual touch with the learners. E-learning, as a technology instrument, is utilized in a variety of ways at the university to influence and improve teaching and learning outcomes. With the usage of e-learning, fields of knowledge will no longer be regarded as autonomous, but rather as interdependent, with the attribute of transformational potentiality (Ezekwe, Onwe & Udu 2014).

In a nutshell, e-learning is still in its early stages in Nigeria's educational system. It differs from the traditional approach to curriculum implementation. Apart from its use at the university, it aims to revolutionize, reform, and innovate in teaching and learning in all aspects of education. E-learning has played a vital role in students academic performance with students linking their improved academic performance to it ( Bouchard, 2011).

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Though e-learning has been widely accepted and has aided in the construction of virtual institutions in the majority of Western nations, only a few universities in Nigeria entirely conduct their academic operations using e-learning (Eze et al., 2018). Bouchard, (2011) discoveres that the majority of people find it difficult to use e-learning, and for some, it is still a pipe dream due to poor and inadequate technical infrastructure. Most universities are not equipped to use the means of modern technology for teaching, some lecturers do not know the technical know-how and are not willing to change and adapt.

Though some students in sub sahara Africa have access to modern technology, they mainly use it for entertainment and non academic purposes. It is for these reasons that this study aims to assess the influence of e-learning on academic behaviour (Cavusa, & Kanbulb, 2010).

1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

This study primarily seeks to focus on the assessment of e-learning to students’ academic behaviour. Other aims of this study are:

a)        The impact of e-learning on students academic behaviour.

b)        To examine the attitude of University students towards e-learning.

c)        To identify the challenges students face in the use of e-learning.

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The following research questions will guide this study.

a.         What are the impacts of e-learning students academic behaviour?

b.        What are the attitudes of University students towards e-learning?

c.         What are the challenges students face in using e-learning?

1.5 RESEARCH HYPOTHESES

Ho1: There is no significant difference in students academic performance due to the influence of e-learning.

Ha1: There is significant difference in students academic performance due to influence of e-learning.

Ho2: Undergraduate students' usage of e-learning technology is not affected by their awareness of them.

Ha2: Undergraduate students’ usage of e-learning technology is not affected by their awareness of them

1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study will be of great significance to undergraduate and post graduate students as it will pique their interest on the use of e-learning technologies. Lectures and scholars will benefit greatly from this work as they will know the influence of e-learning technology.

Finally, this work will serve as an existing material for future research and reference.

1.7 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This study will be carried out in Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike. This study will only be using undergraduates of five (5) selected faculties. Post graduate students are excluded.

This study will be looking at the assessment of e-learning technologies on students academic behaviour.

1.8 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

This research result cannot be used in any other University as the research will be limited to lecturers and students of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike in Abia state.

This research will be limited to the assessment of e-learning on academic behaviour of students and so will not be offering solutions to the problems of e-learning. This research was not carried out on the post graduate students, this will serve as a limitation to this study.

1.9 DEFINITION OF TERMS

Assessment: the action of assessing someone or something

Influence: the capacity to have an effect

E-learning: learning conducted via electronic media

Behaviour: the way in which one acts or conducts himself

Students: a person that is studying in University or any other higher institution.