ASSESSMENT OF MATHEMATICS LECTURERS’ COMPETENCIES IN THE APPLICATION OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT) IN MATHEMATICS INSTRUCTION IN TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS
ABSTRACT
This study assessed mathematics lectures’ competencies in the application of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in mathematics instruction in tertiary institutions in Cross River State. Three levels of competencies (personal, pedagogical and subject oriented) of mathematics lecturers in the application of ICT in mathematics instruction in tertiary institutions was considered. Institutional type (Universities and Colleges of education) was also looked at in this study. Six research questions and three null hypotheses guided the study. A descriptive survey research design was used for the study. Twenty six mathematics education lecturers participated in the study. The questionnaire required information on personal, pedagogical and subject oriented ICT competencies of mathematics lecturers. The questionnaire was administered to mathematics lecturers and their responses analysed. Mean and standard deviation was used to answer research questions while the null hypotheses were tested using t – test statistics. The results indicated that mathematics lectures apply personal ICT competency in mathematics instructions to a high extent while pedagogical and subject oriented competencies are applied in low extent in mathematics instruction. Institutional types do not have any significant influence on the extent mathematics lecturers apply personal, pedagogical and subject-oriented ICT competencies in mathematics instruction. This revealed that mathematics lecturers required the needed ICT competencies for instructions. Recommendations were made to help facilitate the application of ICT in mathematics instruction at all levels especially in tertiary institutions, that every teacher preparation course must include elements for developing ICT competencies of both lecturers and students which will promote the integration of ICT in mathematics education and other educational programmes, that ICT competency should be one of the compulsory requirements for lecturers’ promotion and up grading, that lecturers should be facilitated through in-service educational activities to develop ICT competencies and become interested in ICT integration in instructions. The following suggestions were made for further studies; that a similar study should be conducted in other areas in the country and other forms of instruments should also be used as instrument for data collection to assess the ICT competencies of lecturers