[with respect to evidence-based students achievement using

Information and Communication Technology (ICT)]

by

Ezendu Ifeanyi ARIWA

Business School

University of North London

United Kingdom

ABSTRACT:

The dropout rate and academic progression of undergraduates in the business school was defined as very high. This definition has called for investigative procedures through basic testing techniques in selected Information Systems in Marketing modules taught in the business school. An evaluation framework was used with the intent of measuring the students? performance with reference to the level of support mechanism and resources utilised by the student.

The research results will be used in enhancing and improving the resource provision and the best way to capture students needs and interest in order to minimise dropout rate and maximise achievement in terms of the academic progression rate. This will lead to development of model(s) for academics and practitioners.

LITERATURE REVIEW

Staurt (1998) argues that the new global learning economic led to increased demand for new wave management skills, especially tutors, who are information technology competent or computer literate. The argument has its consequence but does not address the issue of add-ons with unsocial hours such as resources and support mechanisms such as the role of duty tutors, tutor?s office hours and pastoral support.

Therefore a cyber classroom will provide remote access to learning materials and curriculum information including available resources which will satisfy the on-line learner. The institutions may use the advanced ICT systems and information technology with video conference links to the premises of their learners and tutors, providing full access to Internet. Further development in this direction will transform the traditional teaching and learning approach into network oriented and integrated environment.

Furthermore, this will make the business school competitive like any other business related education service providers. Otten (1994), in describing information technology and associated electronic communication, classified their benefit over the traditional systems as follows:

Overall cost reduction

Efficient communication system

Positive media relation within teaching and learning environments

Integrated environment in document management and efficient storage and retrieval system

On-line delivery services

Integrated cyber business environment

The term ?cyber business environment? refers to providing services through the Internet, Intranet, extranet and using simple World Wide Web sites. Research has shown that most of the higher institutions in the UK pay lip service to the importance of having information and the means of documentation. In practice, the argument remain that most of the organisation and their personnel need to have access to certain categories of information without restriction. The cyber facilities management will provide virtual site and telecottage features, exhibiting some of the most technological advanced packages and network based application within efficient resource environments.

Collaboration, Partnership and Alliance

There was evidence of collaboration but its effectiveness needs to be improved through online mechanisms. The realisable benefit of collaboration and partnership cannot be over emphasised. Collaboration is important because it relates directly to building and sharing knowledge; collaboration is linked to learning. It builds a relationship between organisations or the team. The aim of Collaboration may be twofold. It may be for the purpose of buying expertise that the organisation lacks or balancing the strength of the team with respect to resources and extended facilities. The extended services provided through collaborative partnership can transport a weak organisation to a high level so that its full potentials may be realised. Collaboration is solely based on trust like any other business.

In order to achieve collaboration with a team, it is necessary that role definition takes precedent followed by these concepts:

Diversity Based trust

Stable identification-based trust

Stable knowledge-based trust

Stable calculus-based trust

METHODOLOGY:

The research method will be based on the following:

Use of Questionnaires and face-to-face interviews as well as online support mechanisms. In addition, student feedback and online facilities will be used in order to test the Information Technology and Communication [ICT] capabilities of undergraduate students.

The information and data gathered were used to analyse the requirements of expected design. The analysis will lead to developing an appropriate teaching support model that will enhance students? performance and achievement using web and network driven ICT Model.

WEB SITES USAGE ANALYSIS

The use of network driven systems in the acquisition and transfer of knowledge using resources from the World Wide Web was of great importance. The results showed that out of the 140 students polled, only 109 provided evidence of using the university web site, a representation of 77.86%. In addition, fewer than 20% did not use web site or any online mechanism.

EMAIL USAGE ANALYSIS for Easter support mechanism

The evidence showed that only 102 students responded to email for the Easter support mechanism but fewer than 60 [42.86%] attended the office hours appointment and use of business application platforms during this period.

SUPPORT AND TRAINING ON PROBLEM SOLVING MECHANISM

There was evidence that most of the weak students lack the necessary knowledge and skills to complete their work. They benefited from motivation through pastoral work and office hours. The Business School staff were actively involved in providing resources for development of basic ICT skills through staff training scheme within the faculty. In addition, the PCLT Co-ordinators ensured that pedagogical advice and research models were used for developing appropriate and relevant teaching and learning criteria tailored towards the individual needs.

EVIDENCE OF STUDENTS? PERFORMANCE AND REPORT

Results, Conclusion and Recommendation

In summary, there is research evidence that students improved in their performance through this support. This is demonstrated by the following results from the three modules taken during the semester, and student performance and comments as well as outcome.

MODULE - Managing Finance and Information

The distribution of grades represents the performance of the students in the Managing Finance and Information module.

Summarizing the trend as shown by students? performance: Three (13%) students achieved A grades compared to Six (35.3%) students in the year 2000. Thirteen (56.5%) students achieved B grades compared to one (5.9%) student the previous year. This is a positive indication in terms of the more students scoring 60% and below 70%. Four (17.4%) students achieved C grades as compared to Two (11.8%) in the previous year; and Two (8.7%) students achieved D grades as compared to Eight (47%) students in the previous year. Only one (4.3%) student failed and this was due to lack of attendance and inability to complete the coursework as required.

MODULE - Information Systems in Marketing.

The distribution of grades represents the performance of students in the Information Systems in Marketing module.

Summarising the trends as shown by the students performance:

Six (25%) students achieved A grades; Ten (41.7%) students achieved B grades; Seven (29.2%) students achieved C grades and One (4.2%) student achieved a D grade. This is very good performance and can be attributed to hard work and attendance on the part of the students, coupled with extended support mechanisms in place.

MODULE ? Business Information Systems

The distribution of grades represents the performance of the students in the module Business Information Systems.

Summarising the trends as shown above: Three (23.1%) students achieved A grades; Eight (61.5%) students achieved B grades and Two (15.4%) students achieved C grades.

The students worked very hard and attended regularly. They also made good use of the support mechanisms in place.

SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

In conclusion the following findings were made:

There is research evidence that Information and Communication Technology as teaching and learning tools showed that tutors and learners of higher institutions are aware of the role played by new technology but no evidence of link relationship was identified such as support mechanism. This will be an issue for further research.

Quality Assurance and Monitoring of teaching and learning through effective evaluation tools will be achieved through research and development, surveys and user groups. The benefit in terms of financial and competitive advantage can be evaluated through measuring the retention rate of students, as well as their performance, progression and achievement. This measurement must be at trivalent scales ? formative, summative and ultimate evaluation stages. In addition, teaching and learning feedback mechanisms need to be in place at all times either directly or by use of a vital audit trail and help desk techniques.

Conclusion and Recommendation

In summary, there is research evidence that students in the UK are lagging behind in terms of implementing effective virtual systems through online provisions such as email, e-forum and web sites. But this is not the case in the Business School as the students relied strongly on the available pastoral and support mechanisms in place. Therefore, it is predictive that students? retention, progression and achievement strongly depended on the pastoral support, motivation and relevant accessible resources available. The students? performance and examination results are indicative of this claim.

REFERENCES

Ramsden Paul (1992): Learning to teach in higher education. Routledge Publishers, London

Fry Heather et al (1999): A handbook for Teaching & Learning in higher education. Kogan Page Limited, London

Gibbs Graham et al (1994): Preparing to Teach. Technical and Educational Services Limited, UK

Mabey Christopher et al (1994): Managing Learning. Routledge publishers, London

Thorpe Mary et al (1997): Cultural and Processing of Adult Learning. Routledge publishers, London

Gibbs Graham et al (1992): Teaching Large Classes ? How to maintain quality with reduced resources. Kogan Page Limited, London

Henry Jane (1995): Teaching Through Projects. Kogan Page Limited, London

Pidds Michael (1998): Computer Simulation in Management Science. John Wiley & Sons Limited, UK

Elliott David et al (1999) Students IT Skills. Gower Publishing, UK

Yates JoAnne et al (2001): Information Technology and Organisational Transformation. Sage Publishing, UK

Daphne Johnson (1994): Research Methods in Educational Management. Financial Times and Pearson hall, London

Moingeon Bertrand et al (1996): Organisational Learning and Competitive Advantage. Sage Publishing, UK

Stein Stuart (1999): Learning, Teaching and Research on the Internet. Pearson Educational Limited, London

Mouton Jane Srygley et al (1984): Synergogy: A New Strategy for Education Training and Development: Jossey-Bass Inc publisher, USA

O. C. Nwana (1994): Introduction to Educational Research. Heinemann Educational Books (Nig.) Limited, Ibadan, Nigeria

Nigerian Journal of Technical Education: published by Planning division, National Board for Technical Education. Vol. 6 No 1 & 2 April/Oct 1989

Journal of Technical Teacher Education published by Department of Vocational Teachers Education, University of Nigeria, Nsukka

Nigerian Vocational Journal Vol. 3; Nov 1990 published by Nigerian Vocational Association

Alan Clavering (1997):

Enabling Technologies. The Eclipse Group publishing, UK

Allan Dix et al (1995): Human-Computer Interaction. Macmillan Publishing Limited, UK.

Bennett, R.H (1984), Managing Activities and Resources. Kogan Page, London, UK.

Charles C. (1996): High Performance TFT LCD Network. Semicom Limited (UK)

Chris Shipley et al (1996): How the World Wide Web Works (Explore the cyberspace frontier). Macmillan Publishing Limited, UK

Computer Review Journal July 1998

Crescenzi T. P. (1998): Document Management of Network Systems Management (DMNSM). Information Week: special report. (June 25).

James O. Hicks (1997): Management Information Systems: A user perspective. West Publishing. United States of America.

Jeanette Blomberg et al (1998) Computer Supported Co-operative Work: The Journal of Collaborative Computer (Volume 7; Nos. 3-4) Kluwer Academic Publishers, UK

Jepson H. Et al (1996): ?Identity Crisis? network management. NT News series (May)

John Bennett (1995): Construction Project Management. Butterworths Publishers, UK

Johnson Davies & Scholer et al (1993): Information Technology & Web Design. Longman Publishing Group, UK

Jones C. et al (1995): Interactive Resource Information System. Van Nostrand Reinhold Publisher, UK

Judith Greene et al (1997): Learning to Use Statistical Tests in Psychology. Open University Press, Milton Keynes, UK

Keith Unger (1996): Managing Change (Organisational perspective)

Ken Henders (1998): Computer weekly. The future of information technology. (January)

Leonard Kleinrock et al (1996): Realising the Information Future: The Internet and beyond. Computer Science and Telecommunications Publishing, UK.

Macleod A. (1998): The IT facilities management. The Eclipse Group Publishing, UK

Marilyn Bohl (1997): Information Processing. Science Research Associates, Inc. Chicago, USA

Mckennedy C. N. (1998): Voice and Data Integration. Cisco Systems, Publishing Inc. United Kingdom

Mick Henry (1998): Network and resource management. Computer personnel (April 1998)

Noel Bruton (1997): How to manage the Information Technology Help Desk. Butterworth & Heinemann Publishing Limited, UK

Otten Berkeley (1994): Netwatch ?The information Workshop? (February edition)