ASSESSMENT OF EFFECTIVENESS OF EDUCATIONAL RADIO BROADCASTING FOR ADULT LITERACY IN LAGOS STATE, NIGERIA
ABSTRACT
Education has been identified as one of the most important ways to achieve national development. With three million non-literate adults in Lagos State, radio becomes a veritable medium to teach such adults who, as a result of their economic activities, may not have the opportunity of formal schooling. The study assessed the effectiveness of educational radio broadcasting for adult literacy in Lagos State, Nigeria.
The study adopted survey design. The population of the study comprised 604 non-literate adult participants in Lagos is Learning project. Total enumeration was used to include all the 604 adult learners for the study. Two executive personnel of the project were purposively selected for interview and three learning centers were purposively selected for observation exercise. Validated questionnaire, interview guide and the Office for Standards in Education (OFSTED) standardized observation form were used to collect data for the study. Cronbach’s Alpha coefficients for the constructs in the questionnaire were: perceived literacy skills (0.64) and radio instruction (0.76). Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential (T-test, One-way ANOVA procedure and regression analyses) statistics. The interview and observation were content-analyzed.
Findings revealed that there was a significant influence of instructional radio broadcasting techniques on literacy skills acquisition among adult learners in Lagos State (R²=.065; p<0.05). Results also indicated that there was a significant influence of frequency of use of the radio instructional programme, Mooko Mooka on literacy skills among the participants (F(2,498) = 4.322, p<.05). However, there was no significant influence of gender (T (453) = -0.812, p>.05) and age (F(2,502)= .102, p> .05) on literacy skills acquisition among the study participants. Findings from observation revealed that Interactive Radio Instruction (IRI) was found to have been used in classroom but the degree of use differed from one classroom to another. Findings also showed that majority (62.4%) of the study participants used the instructional radio programme, Mooko Mooka to prepare for classroom instruction, while 53.5% of the study participants used the programme for revision. Findings from interview indicated that cooperation existed among the different agencies involved in the project, while learners’ participation was encouraged.
The study concluded that radio instructional techniques were effective in promoting adult literacy in Lagos State. The study recommended that educational radio programmes targeting adult learners should be geared towards participation.
Keywords:Interactive Radio Instruction (IRI), Educational broadcasting, Effectiveness, Learning, Literacy