THE IMPACT OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY ON THE TEACHING AND LEARNING OF STATISTICS IN TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS

Thesis Overview

1.0 INTRODUCTIONThe world is infact becoming a global village and a necessary tool for this process is communication of which, telecommunication industry all over the world is growing very rapidly as one innovation replaces another in a matter of weeks. A major breakthrough is the wireless telephone system, which comes in either fixed wireless line or the global system for mobile communication (GSM) {Wajuade 2005}. Communication is a major driver of any economy. Nigeria is not left out in the race for development. As a result of this, the establishment of regulatory body, the Nigeria Communication Commission (NCC), since then, the NCC has issued various licenses to private telephone operators. The return of democracy in 1999 however, paved the way for the granting of GSM license to three services MTN, ECONET (which is now ZAIN) and NITEL plc in 2001, with GLOBACOM joining in 2003.The development of GSM in the world was prompted by the need to provide streamless telecommunication through Europe. A study group called ‘Group Special Mobile’ (which GSM got its name from) was formed and was tested to prove a standardized system for mobile telephony. Out of this group and seven years later, the GSM standard was realized in January 1992, the first GSM network OY Radioing AB Finland went on air.Today, GSM cover over 1.2 billion users on 630 network in over 210 countries and is the fastest growing technology of all time (Scott in America times, 2003). It has also generated a lot of employment opportunities to many people in the world.In Nigeria, National Economic Empowerment Development Strategy (NEEDS) target for telecommunication sector include, Attainment of tele-density of 1.25, the development of national communication backbone and multi-media super corridor, today tele-density stands at about 1.15 (Adomi 2006). The development achieved in this sector, confirm Nigeria’s present rating as one of the fastest growing telecommunication market in Africa.1.1 BACKGROUND OF STUDYKogi State Polytechnic is one the institutions in Nigeria which was established in the year 1993 by the first executive governor of Kogi State, Prince Abubakar Audu. It was established as a result of the people’s desire to have a domestic tertiary institution and also by the government desire to transform the society technologically as this is spelt out in the federal polytechnic amendment decree No. 25 of 1987. There were few lecturers and Students at the early stage of operation of the institution. Today, the institution is blessed with many lecturers and Students . The institution now runs the following different schools;School of Applied Sciences (main campus)
School of Management Studies (main campus)
School of Art and Industrial Design (main campus)
School of Part time (main campus)
School of Engineering (osara campus)
School of Environmental Studies (main campus)
The institution was formerly sited at its temporary site at Government Science Secondary School in Lokoja, later during the military regime, it was relocated to its permanent site at the former Government Teacher’s College Lokoja. After this development, other various developments had also emerged. It will also be of interest here to say that the current Rector is Professor Mathew Idowu Ajibero and he has been doing a great work for the polytechnic since his assumption of office.1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEMThis is a research work into the interest of consumers (most especially student) on the prepaid plans of Nigeria’s two greatest telecommunication giants MTN and GLOBACOM.1.3 AIMS AND OBJECTIVE OF STUDYIt is to discover if Gender is a determinant factor of consumer’s interest on the various prepaid plans.
To know if one plan is highly favoured over the others.
To also know if one network is attracting more interest than the other.
From this project, one should be able to conclude if, interest is as a result of the packages attached to the various prepaid plans.
It is to decipher whether, the shortage supply of one of the characteristics of interest will affect interest from consumers.
To observe if interest on any particular prepaid plan is associated with marital status.
1.4 SCOPE AND LIMITATIONSThis project work is associated with interest of Students only. It is basically a work on the interest on MTN prepaid plan (extra cool and extra connect) and Glo prepaid plan (classic and classic plus). It is an original work.1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDYThe outcome of this study should make it clear to the reader(s) the level of interest attached to various prepaid plans of MTN and GLO. It should also define the reasons for these interests. The study would also reveal whether interest of individual prepaid plan is based on some factors like; Gender, marital status e.t.c. through this work comparison can be done with previous work done on this research problem.1.6 ABBREVIATION OF TECHNICAL TERMSGSM: Global System for Mobile Communication.NEEDS: National Economic Empowerment Development StrategyNITEL: Nigeria TelecommunicationGLOBACOM: Global CommunicationMTN: Mobile Telecommunication NetworkNCC: Nigeria Communication CommissionGDP: Gross Domestic ProductSME: Small and Medium Scale Enterprise.