SOLD BY:
INFORMATION
AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY SKILLS POSSESSED BY OFFICE TECHNOLOGY AND
MANAGEMENT STUDENTS
(A CASE STUDY OF KOGI STATE POLYTECHNIC, LOKOJA)
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
The
world we are living is said to be dynamic, yesterday’s knowledge is today’s
obsolete, this is over changing world of work, any profession that fails to
move along with the dynamic of its environment becomes extincted. Secretaries
in their day to day activities cannot do without information. So office
technology and management students need to possess this information and
communication technology skill to enable them fit properly in this new
innovation in the modern office.
Technology
has transformed office functions. This leads to changes in skills processed by
office technology and management graduate students in office automation. In the
past, secretaries activities have been difficult due to the use of manual and
archaic machines in processing, recording, storing and retrieving of
information. This has resulted in inefficiency and inaccuracy of production,
and this leads to waste of human resources as well as mistakes in document.
Technology
is a dynamic phenomenon as machine of work methodology is use today may become
obsolete tomorrow and be replaced with new one. As a result of this
transformation, modern office automation has invaded traditional office
technology in view of this, office technology and management students who
possesses office automation or information and communication technology skills
are in great demand. Those with only shorthand and typing skills are being
threatened by he insurgence of information technology.
Josephine (1998) state that the sophistication of
modern office has given room for multi-programming and high efficiency through
the use of automation. Significant development in this direction has not only
caused explosive increase in the use of automation in an office but, also
introduces a new concept into secretarial profession. And highly demanding than
it use to be change from the use of archaic and manual equipments and
machinic for highly sophisticated which
include information and communication technology facilities. Umuogani (2006).
Abdulsalam (2002) defined information and technology as
the use of computer and communication in order to provide rapid and easy
electronic processing and transformation of information.
McBrie (2000) defined information as interrelated or
structural data including collection, storage, processing and dissemination of
news, data, facts, messages, opinions and comments required in order react
knowledgeably as well as to be in a position to take appropriate decision.
Information which is used for decision making is generally perceived as data
that has been processed into a meaningful, useful and useable context.
Sambo (2001) held that information is the manipulation
of data, image, text etc, intelligently organized to make meaning. So,
information has the ability to transform man and his circumstances. Information
and communication technology have improved skill acquisition, utilization and
interpretational relation in communication process. Office technology and
management graduates are information and communication based. This means that,
office technology and management graduates are at the centre of office
information and communication management. Technology is the process whereby
correspondence is turning out at a faster rate with the use of computers and
other sophisticated office machines. Technological break through has led to the
manufacture of various office machines which include teleconferencing machines,
e-mail, internet facility, voice messaging system, scanning machine, electronic
printer, UPS back up facilities, telephone, electric stencil, cutters, reprographic and micrographic
equipment. The office technology and management graduate therefore, needs
special skills to operate these new technologies. He should then possess skills
in the various component areas of information and communication technology.
The skills according to Aircbanmen (2004) would have to
cover all the equipments and facilities stated below. The office technology and
management students should have the knowledge of electronic mail, with regard
to computing, sending, retrieving, reading and responding to mails on-line,
conferencing that are relevant to profession needs, ability to perform the
basic computer operation cluster such as creation of document, creation of
subdirectories, folders, knowledge of graphical use interface, installation and
updating of software drive, exchange of file, the skill of operating digital
camera and scanner, electronic slides and knowledge of media communication
resources.
From the above, it can be seen that the level of skill
possessed by office technology and management students are broad and should be
embraced so that information and communication technology and management
students are good assets both to themselves and the employers of labour.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Due to advancement in information technology, the
requirement of secretaries has so enlarged that more skills should be possessed
by office technology and management students for effective performance in an
office and self reliance.
Nwogwugwu (2002) stated that secretaries who are not
well equipped in terms of new skills and competencies, knowledge and abilities
required. For today and and tomorrow’s office are sure to be embarrassed as
their inadequate skill will render them redundant or even throw them out of
job. This means that lack of information communication technology ICT skills
will automatically mean lack of good jobs for office technology and management
students office technology and management students are faced with lack of good
job when they are inadequately, trained to match up with some information and
communication technology equipments.
Since lack of information and communication technology
still ill undermine the existence and attainment of office technology and
management students in getting a good job or being self employed, this research
work is therefore out to find out those information and communication
technology skills.
1.3 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The major purpose of this study is to identify the
level of information communication technology (ICT) skills possessed by office
technology and management students.
i.
To determine the keyboard
operating skills possessed by office technology and management students.
ii.
To determine the internet
resources skills possessed by office technology and management students.
iii.
To determine the data or
word processing skills possessed by office technology and management students
iv.
To determine the
electronic office skills possessed by office technology and management
students.
v.
To determine the
reprographic or micrographic skills possessed by office technology and
management students.
1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
In this information and communication technology era,
then its importance cannot be over emphasized. This research is very important
to the students seeking for employment. It is not just important to office
technology and management students alone but also employers of labour who are
looking for secretaries that are information and communication competent.
It is important to students who are seeking for
employment because the knowledge of information and communication technology
which will help them to develop their skills to meet required standard expected
by employers of labour in this global market.
It is important to employers of labour as this would
enable them to employ secretaries that could meet their job demand of this
modern age.
Finally, the result will serve as reference materials
to future researchers.
1.5 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
The following questions
are formulated to guide the study.
i.
What are the keyboard
operating skills possessed by office technology and management students?
ii.
What are the internet
resources skills possessed by office technology and management students and its
applications
iii.
What are the data or word
processing skills possessed by office technology and management students.
iv.
What are the electronic
office skills possessed by office technology and management students?
v.
What are the reprographic
or micrographic skills possessed by office technology and management students.
1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
This research work determines the information and
communication technology skills possess by office technology and management
students.
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