Today's world is aptly described as an information age, driven primarily by Information and Communication Technologies. This chapter stresses the idea that ICT usage in media education will not only improve the capacity of the students to learn but also improve the capacity of the facilitators. Although there are a number of factors that affect the integration of technology in learning, the chapter advocates that against the benefit of ICT education proactive steps need to be taken to redress the low trend if the graduates must compete with others, particularly those with overseas qualifications and other professionals in today's globalised and evanescent technological world.
TopIntroduction
Information and Communication Technologies have been described as drivers of modern societies. This chapter seeks to establish the value of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in media education. It paints a picture of the state of ICTs knowledge and usage among academics and the low level of their usage in teaching and learning. The chapter draws on the different benefits of their usage in learning particularly in media education. It also x-ray practices which have become ingrained in the management of universities and the attitude of university academics have hindered the successful integration of ICTs into media education.
Essentially, this chapter:
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Explain Information and Communication Technology and media education.
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Highlight the benefits of media technology education.
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Describe the state of ICT usage in media education in Nigeria.
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Explain the cultural trends that hindered the effective integration of ICT in media education and learning in general.
TopBackground
There is no doubt that vicarious changes have taken place in the world over as a result of ICT. The obvious impact of ICTs manifest in the use of e-payment, e-learning, e-banking, and e-trading, to mention a few, in the area of education, ICTs have challenged the old method of teaching and even raised a serious concern for curriculum development experts. These serious concerns for curriculum developers are developing online database for students, online examination, course material development, online assessment, student-teacher interaction amongst others. This is because teaching in the digital age, especially media educators must incorporate sound knowledge of ICTs, such as digital editing, multi-media application, online journalism creations, and computer based presentation methods amongst others.
The present level of communication development in the society has not always being digital centred. Society has transited from oral culture to the written culture and then to the present electronic era, the era of technologies and globalization. Faniran (2010) observes that, in human history, society has evolved different means of storing and distributing information from spoken word to the written/printed word, to the broadcast-image word and now to the emerging digital multimedia word. The introduction of ICT has provided us with new ways of reading, learning and understanding the world around us. Today, quite a number of people learn one or two skills as a result of their exposure to media content. The new media in particular, presents diverse ways of learning. For instance, security experts attribute the ability of terrorist groups to assemble explosives and share the procedures on the Internet. It is therefore safe to say that the media serves as a potent instrument in media education. Scarratt (2007) posit that “Media education is the process of teaching and learning the whole range of modern communications, and the issues and debates about them.”
Media Literacy Week (online not dated) contends that “Media education is the process through which individuals become media literate - able to critically understand the nature, techniques and impacts of media messages and productions.” The magazine states that, “In the digital age, the principles of media education are the same as they've always been, but the existence of cyberspace is adding new and challenging questions.” In other word new technologies are challenging the new ways of acquiring skills in media knowledge and use.
Agba (2005) asserts that “there is a dawn of a new technological era in which better pieces of communication equipment are increasingly replacing and complementing traditional communication media as tools of transmitting disseminating distance educational materials.