INFLUENCE OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY ON THE EFFECTIVE TEACHING OF HOME ECONOMICS PROGRAMME IN SOME PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN OVIA NORTH EAST LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF EDO STATE

ABSTRACT

This study investigates the influence of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) on the effective teaching of the Home Economics Programme in public secondary schools within Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo State. Four (4) research questions were raised to guide the study. The study employed a descriptive survey research design. The population of this study comprised of two hundred and ninety (290) correspondents. The sample of the study was made up of one hundred and sixteen (116) Junior secondary students in Ovia North East local government area, which is 40% of the population. The research instrument used for data collection was a self-structured questionnaire titled “The Influence of Information and Communication Technology for Effective Teaching of Home Economics Questionnaire” (IICTETHEQ). The instrument for data collection was subjected to face validity by the researcher's supervisor and two other experts from the Department of Vocational and Technical Education, Faculty of Education, University of xv Benin, Benin City. To establish the reliability of the instrument, the internal consistency of the items were measured using the Cronbach alpha statistical tool. It yielded an alpha value of 0.89. The study used statistical analysis methods including mean, standard deviation, and two-sample independent t-tests to investigate the impact of ICT tools on teaching effectiveness in Home Economics. Findings indicated that ICT significantly influenced effective teaching, with results emphasizing improved student engagement and access to learning resources. Challenges such as teacher incompetence and funding constraints were identified, with proposed solutions including teacher training and adequate provision of funds and power supply. Recommendations included government support for ICT procurement and teacher training, as well as the integration of renewable energy sources and multimedia resources to enhance learning outcomes. Based on the findings of the study, it was concluded that Information and Communication Technology influence the effective learning of home economics in public secondary schools in Ovia North East Local Government Area in Edo State.