CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION 1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Office technology and management is one of the departments in Ken Saro-wiwa Polytechnic approved by the NBTE syllabus in 2014, majority of its courses studied are technically oriented. These courses include: keyboarding, webpage design, desktop publishing, ICT I,& II, management information system, data Base management system, modern office technology.

An office manager is an indispensable asset to any organization or establishment in which their importance and sensitive position can never be over emphasized.  They play major roles in both the private and government establishment.  Most of the office managers are trained in the tertiary institutions of learning in Nigeria, especially in polytechnics

In view of this, poor instructional facilities under secretarial services and production of experienced secretaries.  Also the manipulative skill required, would be taking due to inadequate poor equipment mostly in polytechnics in Ken Saro-Wiwa polytechnic; Bori.

Among the departments that was really equipped then, secretarial studies department. This department was fully equipped with the necessary facilities in place like typewriters, which were the major equipment, the supplied typewriter ratio was a typewriter per student irrespective of the number of students, and they were able to sit each per typewriter during their skill drill task. The most interesting factor among other things was the efficiency of these typewriters despite the frequency of usage.

However, as time went on, the number of students offering the course increased tremendously far above the number of the said machine.

The increase in the numbers of students without a commensurate number of machines will surely have an adverse effect on the students’ achievement and on the other hands, the instructors.

Educational facilities are those equipments used by both lecturers and students to make learning easy and simple. They are new inventions, modernized. In order to adapt to new changes schools must introduce and teach students how to use them.

With technological growth, business organizations are increasing the scope of their business and consequently the duties of an office manager is increasing. Facilities are therefore needed to overcome the difficulties and ensure effective and efficient performance of their study. This is a frame of reference on which facilities are concluded.

1.2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

Office technology and management program in our polytechnics is in a poor state.  Due to the poor state of the nation’s economy, the program lacks the required materials and equipment for effective academic work.  Most of the typing pools of these still maintain the old and out-dated typewriters, sometimes even those that are available are in a very poor condition as they do not function well again.

The department never thought of the computer and other modern communication gadgets or equipment inspite of the importance of these machines in the modern time, that is why some office ,managers lack adequate knowledge of these required skills.  For this reason, they are unable to perform their functions effectively.

What are the consequences of lack of these instructional materials on secretarial studies programme? The main focus of this study is to find out the effects of poor modern instructional materials of the educational program of the department of office technology and management using ken saro wiwa polytechnic Bori, rivers state as a case study.

1.3 PURPOSE OF STUDY

Based on the above problems, this study is therefore designed to do the following:-

1. Identify the instructional materials available in the department of office technology and management ken saro wiwa polytechnic Bori, Rivers State.
2. Identify the instructional materials needed in the department.
3. Find out the adequacy of those available.
4. Find out the effects of those not available on the programme.

1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This research work just like every study, its significance is to the extent, that it will enable the department of office technology and management to look into the poor instructional facilities in the department that will help the office technology and management student likewise the lectures to be conversant with the relevant facilities in place.

From this, the office technology and management student will know about some of the facilities commonly used in offices and make efforts to purchase them.  It will also strengthen the link existing between the employer of labour and the intending secretarial if these instructional facilities are adequately provided by the concerned.

Lastly, if these instructional facilities are adequate it will be a pre-requisite for the award of National Diploma (ND) and the Higher National Diploma (HND).

1.5 RESEARCH QUESTION

A survey of the effect of poor instructional facilities in the department of office technology and management and how it affects student:-

The following questions would be ask

1. What are the available instructional materials in the department of office technology and management of the institutions taken as research centre?
2. To what extent do students access the modern instructional facilities needed in the department?
3. To what extent are the machines available adequate for training students?
4. Has non-availability of the modern machines have any effect on the student performance and are there solutions to these?

1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The scope of this research work is limited to the department of office technology and management of the Ken Saro-Wiwa polytechnic Bori. However, the study will be carried out by final year students and lectures of the institution, discussing the effect of poor instructional facilities on the students’ performance.

1.7 DEFINITIONS OF TERMS

TECHNOLOGY:    A device, material, or sequence of mathematical coded electronic instructions created by a person’s mind that is built, assembled, or produced and which is not part of the natural world.

MANAGEMENT:  The process of or practice of managing.

INNOVATION:      The introduction of something new, in customs, rites etc.

FACILITATES:      equipment that are provided for a particular project.

EFFECT: A change that something or somebody cause in something or somebody.

PERFORMANCE:  How well or badly something is been done