CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1     Background of the Study

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is an umbrella term that includes all technologies encompassing medium for recording information such as magnetic disk, tape, optical disks (CD/DVD) flash and paper record, technology for the broadcasting, information, radio, television and technology for communicating through voice and sound or image, microphone, camera, loudspeaker, telephone or cellular phones (Augustine and Akpan, 2021). It also includes a wide variety of computing hardware, desktop computers, laptops and storage devices. From the foregoing, one can define ICTs as electronic devices that encompass CD-ROM, computer hardware and software, Internet, radio, television, disk and tape that libraries and information centers manipulate to facilitate recording, organizing, storage, retrieval, transmission and dissemination of information. The advent of ICT has broadened the horizon of education including Office Technology and Management as a result of increase in information. Information in various fields is readily available at split seconds. ICT has led to a fast paced world in almost all spheres of human endeavors. The rate at which the world is moving with Information and Communication Technology in this 21st century has left no choice to the educational sector especially in the area of teaching and learning than to dance to the tune piped by recent technological trends (Augustine and Akpan, 2021). Since the evolution of ICT, giving and retrieving information have not remained the same. Information and Communication Technology has gained global recognition in the evolution of information dissemination (National Open University of Nigeria, 2019). Despite the role of government and our educational institutions on the provision of ICT in the educational system, the performance of Office Technology and Management graduates towards exhibiting the ICT skills is something to worry about. Many Office functions and secretarial duties which were previously done manually have been mechanized. Thus, the diversities of these office technologies required the office manager to possess new skills and sub- skills to enable them be relevant in the modern office and these skills and competencies can only be acquired during teaching and learning. Therefore, Office Technology and Management according to Okoro and Amagoh (2018) is an efficient, effective, productive and functional education which leads itself to self employment, self-reliance, paid employment and consequently self-actualization. It focuses on combining office information technical skills with adequate and relevant business knowledge in solving organization-wide problems.

Information and Communication Technology tools for teaching and learning Office Technology and Management Education programme include computer, internet, PowerPoint software, television, overhead projector, camera, radio, video, tape, audio, world wide web(www) and telephones. Information and Communication Technology has been recognized to be a very powerful tool in education reform. It has radically influenced the way knowledge and information are generated, developed and transmitted. Information and Communication Technology has also turned the entire world into a global village and reduced the use of office technology management strength through performing tasks with automation (Drika, 2020). Teachers, trainers and educationists who are not familiar with Information and Communication Technology find themselves threatened by professional obsolescence (Adewonj, 2020).  Information and Communication Technology (ICT) also play a major role in the individual and professional lives. As a result of this technological revolution, there are increasing demands for schools to integrate this technology to enhance the teaching-learning process. The use of ICT has made teaching easier, concrete, real and more result-oriented (Etiubon & Akpan, 2020). In particular, ICT has transformed the way higher education institutions perform their core functions of teaching and learning. Now, teaching and learning are done differently with the help of this technology, especially at the polytechnics and university levels. However, integrating ICTs into the educational system is a multifaceted process that involves not only the technology but also curriculum and pedagogy, institutional readiness and teacher competencies (Yaushau & Nannim, 2018; Hoque & Alam, 2022)

Since education is perceived generally as an instrument par excellence for effecting sound changes, Information and Communication Technology, according to Adewonj (2020), has become the new communication and computing technology used for creating, storing, selecting, changing, developing, receiving and displaying all kinds of information. Adewonj (2020) classified information communication into three groups namely, those that process information e.g. those that disseminate information e.g. communication in electromagnetic devices and systems, and those for presentation of information e.g. multimedia. Information and Communication Technology is a technological tool and resource used to communicate, create, organize, disseminate, store, retrieve and manage information especially in the teaching ICT related courses in Office Technology and Management (OTM) Education programme.

Office Technology and Management (OTM) programme consists of courses that provide the business world with multi-skilled and knowledgeable workers who manage information efficiently, equipped with a comprehensive range of skills including managerial, technological and communication skills. Its graduates find employment in variety of fields in the business world. The work involves the management of information in administrative, financial, public relations, human resources, legal, e-commerce, event management or education and training environment. OTM programme was designed to equip students with secretarial/office skills for employment in various fields of Endeavour.

Statement of the Problem

In this era of modern technology it is observed that the global changes in economic competitiveness for national developments are creating an increasing demand for ICT jobs for selfsustenance with the required skills (Oladimeji, & Folayan, 2018). The integration of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in education has become a pivotal component of modern teaching and learning practices. In Office Technology Management (OTM), the application of ICT is essential for equipping students with the necessary skills to thrive in a technology-driven workplace. Despite the recognized importance of ICT in enhancing OTM education, tertiary institutions in many regions, including Nigeria, face significant challenges in its effective adoption and utilization. Key issues include inadequate ICT infrastructure, insufficient funding, and limited access to modern tools such as computers, software, and reliable internet connectivity.