INTEGRATION OF ELECTRONIC MEDIA INTO DISTANCE EDUCATION PROGRAMMES OF TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS IN SOUTH EAST NIGERIA

This study examined the extent of integration of electronic media into distance education programmes of tertiary institutions in South East Nigeria. Five research questions and four null hypotheses were statistically raised to guide the study. The descriptive survey research design was adopted in the study. The population for the study was 9,572 made up of 489 facilitators and 9,083 students in all the 40 centres from the five South East States. The sample size of 1,201 respondents (this comprised 294 facilitators and 907 students from 20 centres) was drawn using the multi-stage sampling procedure and simple random sample technique by balloting. Data collection instruments were observation checklist and researcher developed questionnaire titled: ‘Electronic Media Integration Questionnaire” (EMIQ). The instrument was face validated by three validates: one in Measurement and Evaluation and two from Adult Education and Extra-Mural studies all from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. A reliability index of .79 was obtained using the Cronbach Alpha statistic to establish the reliability of the study. Data were analysed using the percentage for research question one and mean for the remaining four research questions. The t-test statistic was used to test the null hypotheses at .05 level of significance. Findings of the study revealed that available electronic media facilities for integration into distance education programmes were mainly computer technology which include internet, e-mail, social network, and CD-ROM. The extent of integration of electronic media into teaching and learning of distance education programmes was poor. With regard to record keeping, findings indicated that the extent of integration of electronic media was high; and low for students’ assessment and evaluation. On militating factors against integration of electronic media, inadequate funds for procurement of multimedia systems, students’ poor knowledge of computer and its utilisation, high cost of owning personal internet facilities, inadequate sensitisation on integration of electronic media, epileptic power supply and lack of political will in distance education programmes were identified. Findings further indicated that significance difference were not found in the mean ratings of facilitators and students with regard to the extent electronic media integration enhances teaching and learning process, students assessment and evaluation as well as factors militating against integration of electronic media into distance education programmes of tertiary institutions in South East Nigeria. Significant difference was however found in terms of the extent electronic media integration enhances record keeping of distance education programmes. Based on the findings, some recommendations were made, amongst them were that adequate funds should be provided for the procurement of multimedia facilities by government and that organisers of distance education programmes should ensure the effective integration of available electronic media into teaching learning for qualitative delivery of programmes.