THE HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN NIGERIA.

Introduction

Educational technology in Nigeria began with the visual era that is the use of simple teaching aids like apparatus and the preparation of lesson notes. Emphasis was placed on the preparation of simple (low cost) teaching aids in school particularly in Teacher Training Colleges.

Origin of educational technology in Nigeria

The origin of the application of educational technology in the Nigerian educational system is not quite clear (Agun and Imogie, 1988). According to the duo, the history of educational technology was not given adequate attention by the chroniclers of educational development in the country. However, there were reasons that suggested that educational technology has been with us from time immemorial. As succinctly described by Aniemeka (2005), the concept of educational technology has been in practice in this part of the world even before the geographical entity called Nigeria was created. The author therefore recognised two major periods in the development of educational technology in Nigeria. These are:

1. Pre-missionary era, and
2. Era of missionary activities.

Let us attempt to briefly discus these two periods.

1. Pre-missionary Era:

This era, as suggested by the name, referred to the period before the advent of the missionaries and the introduction of Qur’anic Schools in Nigeria. For a clearer understanding of this era, you would recall that the Nigerian society had been educating its citizens before the establishment of the school system in what we regard as informal education. During this period, efforts were made by the adult members of the society, family members, etc. to provide opportunities for the newly born child to grow up and acquire the fundamental, basic and necessary knowledge, skills and education that will invariably make him/her a responsible adult who would take good care of him/herself and contribute positively towards the development of the society. This situation was typical of all the various diversified cultural traits of the very many communities in Nigeria.

Specifically, concrete objects like pebbles, sticks, stones, etc. were used to teach the young child to be able to count and solve mathematical problems. The use of symbols in dissemination of information was also an effective strategy. Initiation, regurgitation or role-leaving, acronyms, modelling, etc. were also utilised to ensure effective teaching-learning process. No child was left to develop in isolation, and so, peer-group and teamwork were highly encouraged.

The curriculum though not written was quite extensive and in terms of treatment, intensive. The curriculum covers modern-day subjects like: history, geography, social studies, religious knowledge, sciences, fine arts/crafts, etc. Acquisition of knowledge, skills and the right type of behaviour were the central focus of the curriculum. Efforts were made to making sure that an individual who passed through the curriculum was properly brought up.

Evaluation, both in terms of formative and summative, were applied. Cane was used in situations whereby an individual was considered to be too slow or lackadaisical in his/her attitude towards learning. In terms of methods and materials deployed to effect learning, it could be said that they were inferior, but were nevertheless effective as compared to modern time. The coming of the Christian Missionaries and the Islamic Clerics changed this approach with a “corresponding technology for learning” (Aniemeka, 2005).

2. Era of Missionary Activities:

The incoming of the missionaries to the Northern and Southern parts of the country marked a watershed in the historical development of educational technology in Nigeria. The Christian missionaries came and realised the need to establish mission schools to enable them achieve a lot in their evangelical mission.In 1842, a school was established in Badagry. Subsequently, prominent missions started establishing schools. In the North however, Qur’anic schools were established. In terms of introduction of aspects of technology, the western education seems to support its integration into the curriculum than the Islamic education.

Noticeable in this era, especially with western education that the Christian missionaries championed were among other things; emphasis on preparation of lesson notes, statement of aims of the lesson, preparation of teaching apparatus, use of teaching aids, chalkboards then known as the blackboards as they usually came in “black” colours, charts, slates, penholders, pencils, ink wells with fountain pens, books, etc.

It should be mentioned that the establishment of teacher training colleges that prepared teachers for the primary school system in particular St. Andrew’s Teacher Training College, Oyo and Wesley College, Ibadan among others were a great sources of advancement for the entrenchment of educational technology. At these colleges, student teachers were made to see the need for making use of “teaching aids” while teaching. More importantly, the need for the teachers in training to improvise was emphasised. Indeed, there was no hope of passing the Teaching Practice, an important component of training of professional teachers without making use of instructional materials by student-teacher.

Government Support for Educational Technology

On its part, in addition to notable moves to improve the quality of education, government took a bold step to launch educational broadcasting first by encouraging instructional radio and later instructional television. The impetus for this development was received from the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) with the first educational broadcast in Nigeria in 1953.

The Northern Nigerian Government followed suit when in 1954 it established the School Broadcasting Unit (SBU) in Kaduna.The Western Nigerian Government succeeded in establishing the Western Nigeria Broadcasting Service and symbolically established the first television in Africa in 1959 with the establishment of the Western Nigeria Television (WNTV).

With the intervention of the Federal Government of Nigeria in the early 1960’s, the Schools Broadcasting Units had its nomenclature changed to the Educational Radio Service Unit (ERSU) in the first instance, and later to Federal School Broadcast and Audio-Visual Aids Development Centre.

Again, on the basis and need to expand its roles and functions, the ERSU was changed to the National Educational Technology Centre (NETC), Kaduna in 1977.The action of the Federal Government was regarded as “the climax of the direct involvement of the Federal Government in the field of educational broadcasting which began in 1964” (Agun and Imogie, 1988).The NETC was established to perform the following functions:

• The development and production of Educational Radio and Television programmes for schools (Primary, Secondary and teacher training colleges);
• The development and production of instructional teaching aids for use in schools, using local materials;
• The training of specialists in the field of educational broadcasting (Radio, Television, Audio-visual aids);
• Organisation of seminars/conferences for teachers and teacher trainers on the application of educational technology to class teaching;
• Provision of consultancy services to the Federal and State governments in the fields of the broadcast media, audio-visual aids and instructional systems technology;
• Establishment of a National Educational Resource Library of equipment and materials for distribution throughout the country;
• Documentation and collation of statistical data on the broadcast and audio-visual aids services in the country;
• Training of educational technologists and cinematographers for services in Federal
• State Government establishments; Assessment, evaluation and classification of imported instructional aids, materials and equipment marketed in the country.

Foreign Intervention

It will amount to an abridged history if the contributions of the foreign bodies and organisations towards the advancement of the cause of educational technology in the country are not given attention. Prominent among these foreign bodies were: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), Ford Foundation, British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), Carnegie Foundation, The Centre for Educational Development Overseas (CEDO) as well as The British Council.

Specifically, the Ford Foundation and the British Broadcasting Corporation assisted the old Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation now Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria(FRCN) to establish its Schools Unit in 1960 (Agun and Imogie, 1988). UNESCO also played a significant role in the establishment of the audio-visual units at the Colleges of Education at Abraka and Lagos by supporting both institutions, in both the needed aids and personnel. With the UNESCO and Carnegie Foundation’s support, the University of Ibadan was able to establish its audiovisual aids unit of its Institute of Education in 1962. The unit also benefited from the goodwill of the United Kingdom Ministry for Overseas Development and the Canadian Universities Overseas.

Another aspect of educational technology that enjoyed its entrenchment into the teacher education curriculum in Nigeria is micro-teaching. With the assistance received from the UNESCO and UNDP in terms of equipment and personnel, Alvan Ikoku College of Education, Owerri in Imo State became the home of Microteaching in Nigeria.

The Role of Professional Associations

As early as 1964, the association of professionals and practitioners of educational technology, the Northern Nigeria Audio-Visual Association (NNAVA) was formed. In 1965, however, there was the need to further extend the membership of the association to cover the entire length and breadth of the country; thus, it acquired a new name – Nigeria Audio-Visual Association (NAVA). Development in the field necessitated two major changes in the name – NAVA. First, Audio-Visual became a narrow concept to describe what educational technology is. Second, the membership of NAVA did not incorporate all who either specialise in the field or perform tasks that are related to the field. As a result of these lapses, the name NAVA was changed to Nigeria Association for Educational Media and Technology (NAEMT) in 1986.

Among other things, the Association performs the following functions:

• Promote educational technology at both local and international levels;
• Hold annual convention and conference;
• Advise government on educational practice;
• Organise training, seminar and lectures for schools;
• Research into educational practice generally and in particular production, usage, storage and challenges and problems facing educational media.

Today’s Realities

Today, the development of educational technology in Nigeria has assumed a multidimensional form. As the Federal Government is making efforts to integrate technology into the educational system, the institutions of higher learning as well as other levels of education are seriously committed to the same purpose through the various agencies: Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Nigeria Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC), National Universities Commission (NUC), National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE), etc.

It is however sad to report that the hope of the achievement of the new initiative in the establishment of a Network of Educational Services Centres in Nigeria (NESCN) will be significantly affected negatively with the loss of the much orchestrated Nigerian Satellite NIGCOMSAT of recent.

Conclusion

Educational Technology has come of age in Nigeria. It has successfully metamorphosed from an idea to a full-fledged university programme whose functions have been widely acknowledged as essential and highly needed for achieving the purposes for which education is designed for.

References

Agun, Ibitayo and Imogie, I. (1988): Fundamentals of Educational Technology, Ibadan: Y-Books, Chapters 1 and 2, pp. 1 – 39.

Aniemeka, N.E. (2005). Fundamentals of Educational Technology, Abeokuta: Patev (Nigeria) Publishing, pp. 12 – 15.

National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN, 2003). Handing Over Notes on National Educational Technology Centre (NETC), Kaduna.