Malaysian Online Journal of Instructional Technology ISSN : 1823-1144 Vol. 2, No.

1, April 2005

Strategies for Effective Communication of Educational Instructions in Nigeria

Ezeja Ogili School of Distance Learning and Continuing Education Institute of Management and Technology Enugu, South-East, Nigeria Abstract Effective communication is usually the result of a careful selection of the appropriate medium or combination of media available. This is to ensure the transmission of message from one source to another by the use of form or illustration that seems desirable. It is referred to as the interaction of an individual or group with the environment through all the senses. The practical justification is that it is an instrument for accelerating the pace of all human transformation, to shake-off inertia in a people, achieve mobilisation and direct their productive forces in improving their living condition. This is also to show the relevance of teaching as a profession and the impact of a teacher in influencing the future development and growth of a learner. Teaching and Learning Materials (TLMs) design, production and their use facilitate the teaching and learning outcomes. However, the success of using the TLMs to meet the teaching objectives demands effective communication to satisfy instructional delivery. INTRODUCTION Communication as a concept has its origin from a Latin word communicare which means to share or establish commonness. It can therefore be said that human communication means the process of sharing meaning, ideas, thoughts, experiences, information or opinion from person to person. Thus, it can be seen as a social process of establishing commonness of ideas, thought or information (Eze, 1998). Communication can be described as a social process that uses signs, symbols, languages and other such means to bring about inter-exchange of thought and meaning between and among individuals and groups for better understanding and relationships. Ogili (2001) described communication as a process of transmitting and receiving symbolic cues, both verbal and nonverbal. It can also be oral or written or formal and informal. The above definition is global and rather a bread one. It includes all forms of communication, interpersonal and public communication. Effective communication according to Eze (1998) enjoys a complete model, which include physical and verbal factors. Here the source encoder constructs a message concerning a wide range of objects, acts, ideas, situation or experiences. The total message that is encoded consists of at least three principal factors; verbal stimuli, physical stimuli and vocal stimuli. All these are encoded simultaneously and the message functions as a unit. The message is transmitted to a receiver (decoder) who responds in some way to its verbal, physical and vocal elements. It is described as essentially factors for development, taking into account its dynamism and influence (Udenta, 1998). Ezeanya (2001) summarised effective communication as essentially messages sent and received and confirmation of their receipt and interpretation is returned from a sender, to ensure a two-way

process. Ogili (2001) and Offor (1998) enumerated four factors involved and embedded in the process of effective communication as: (a) (b) (c) (d) the encoder or sender the message to be sent the channel for carrying the message and the receiver or decoder

Such factors are illustrated in Figure 1. Communicator Or Sender or Encoder Signal Channel Decoder Or Receiver

Encoded

Decoded

Figure 1 Factors for effective communication (Ogili, 2001) Situational Analysis of Educational Instructions in Nigeria In Nigeria, instructional materials used in teaching and learning at all levels of education are mainly forms of illustration and these are the work of Teachers or Artists. The major constraints affecting the instructional technology in Nigeria include the following 1. 2. The proliferation of schools without the corresponding qualitative structures and equipment. Lack of sincere political will. The government does not give education priority in their budget. Most of the schools in Nigeria do not have electricity and its related facilities. Even where electricity exists it is never steady. Lack of motivation to teachers. Teachers are owed up to five months salary and yet they go to school as and when due. Explosion of population. There is an increase in population in Nigeria. The current University Matriculation Examination indicates that only 40% of the total candidate is taken. This has influenced the population of illiterates in Nigeria. The Poverty in Nigeria. In Nigeria, families find it difficult to have two square meals a day at a time majority do not have income at all. Lack of ethical validity. Politicians have least bearing as they loot the economy to their favour. And have remained insensitive to the needs of the masses, etc.

3. 4.

5. 6.

One of the major reasons for the use of effective communication strategies in the schools in Nigeria is its ability to stimulate students through both visual and auditory stimuli, especially in large classrooms or auditoria where modern technology can be used to control the size of the visual images and the amplitude of the sound so that al the learners can bear/or see (Adeyemi, 1984). The

teacher affects eternity: he can never tell where his influence steps. The objective of the education of any society is to produce excellent men and women who can make useful contribution in the development of a social education of citizens of any society required not exclusive but control emphasis on focal problems of the culture, intellectual skills and moral habits with which to cope with them. TEACHING LEARNING MATERIALS Nigeria is the largest and the most populous country in Africa with a population of one hundred and twenty millions as on 1991 census. For instructional technology to be available and effective in Teaching Material (TLM), the following are recommended: 1. To ensure proper use of instructional material, professionalism must be achieved. Most of the Teacher in Nigeria institution is professionals. Teachers Registration Council has been mandated to conduct registration of professional teacher in Nigeria. This must be done with patriotism and case. Government of Nigeria should consider education as the largest industry. And to approve schools based on the availability of facilities. More so, teachers should be motivated on their job by regular payment of salaries and allowances. Because of poverty of majority of Nigeria, Government should offer scholarship to indigent students and in-service training to teachers. Also National Training Institute (NTI), Kaduna must be encouraged to reach all the states of the federation. Correct data must be conducted for effective planning for the teaming population of Nigeria.

2.

3.

4.

Prospects of Teaching Learning Materials The implication of using Teaching Learning Materials (TLMs) includes the following: (a) (b) Powerful presented they can be used to explain our points, reduce abstractions, create reality and simplify events. Use of sense organs in attempt to learn, you must appeal to the sense organs of sight, hearing, teaches feeling and tasting. Systematically designed materials provide you with this opportunity. Interest arousing departure from boring and usual mode of presentation creates attention and generates interest. Encourages active participation their use can lead to the beginning of learners development of exploratory and inquisitive nature of the child. Pace learning you can use them to meet the learners individual learning capability that is moving at their own pace. Saves the teachers time.

(c) (d) (e) (f)

Effective Communication Effective communication can therefore be defined as the utilisation of ideas, objects, techniques, devices and people for planning, designing, carrying out and evaluating human learning and communication. From the above definition, it can be concluded that the value of educational instruction lies in its ability to actively assist learners to learn faster, understand deeper, retain longer and apply accurately what has been learned as compared with other existing approaches. Generally, educational instruction is a classroom supplement, since a successful classroom activity requires maximum interaction between the teachers and the learners. The relevance of effective communication lies in the various levels of the learning materials and equipment. Adeyemi (1984) and Ogili (2001) contend that the best strategy for effective communication in educational instructions is guaranteeing continual use of skills by the prospective learners in the production of prototype materials. The direct relationship between our senses and the learning process is applicable in this regard. He further asserts that learners generally remember: (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) 10 percent of what they read 20 percent of what they hear 30 percent of what they see 50 percent of what they hear and see 70 percent of what they say 90 percent of what they say as they do a thing.

Strategies for effective communication in educational instructions: (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) Visualisation Audio Face-to-Face Participatory Funds Teacher and the Environment

Visualisation Strategy Visuals are things you are able to see. They refer to a variety of materials such as: photographs, line drawings, paintings, posters, objects, slides, classrooms, charts, signs, films, models, graphs, books, and newspapers. The significance of visualization in effective communication includes the following: (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g) (h) makes the message clearer breaks the monotony of print helps the learner to remember that the information better increases attention helps to make learning more real motivates the learner makes the printed materials more attractive communicates to learners in all languages.

Ogili (2001) opines that educational instructions call for effective communication or revolution, which can be used for instructional processes alongside the teacher, textbook and chalkboard. In order to achieve effectiveness in educational instructions, relevant strategies for communication are vitally important. The various forms of educational media include the following: (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) Graphic materials: graphs, charts, diagrams, posters, maps, globes and cartoons. Display materials: cloth-board, billboards, flat pictures, flannelboards and chalkboards. Printed materials: textbooks, encyclopaedia, dictionaries, newspapers, official documents, duplicated materials. Projected materials: 16mm films, 35mm films, transparencies, telephoto. Audio materials: Radio, telephone, records, tap recordings. Others are: magic boards, microforms models and puppets.

Ezeanya (2001) reiterates that effective communication in educational instruction is very necessary because it can supply a concrete basis for conceptual thinking, offer experience which stimulates self activity on the part of the learner. Print Media Strategy for achieving results is by increasing the motivation and mobilisation. Types of materials include features, articles, analysis, cartoons, short stories and pictorial stories. Implementation level requires: support teachers reinforce previous lessons private reading materials

Electronic Media (Television) Strategy for achieving results includes mobilisation and motivation. Types of programme include talks, plays, discussions, documentaries (films) and spot announcements. Implementation level includes: Reports of activities Appeals News and information Direct teaching Audio materials include radio, telephone records and tape-recording.

Radio Strategy for achieving results includes mobilisation and motivation. Types of programme include drama, talks i.e forum or debate, musical programme with commentaries. Implementation guidelines include: Support Teacher Create enhancing mood Reinforce previous lessons Support written materials Create means for participation (Ezeanya, 2001) and Field Trips. Effective communication here depends on the learner assessment of teachers, beliefs, attitude and personality. Eze (1998) affirms that face-to-face crystallises the specific objectives as: to inform, entertain, convince, persuade, actuate or stimulate. Field trips that include short field trips to adjacent industries, factories, shops, museums, quarries and other place of scientific and cultural reminiscent are good supplement to the teaching effort. Such field trips should be relevant to the curriculum and lesson otherwise it may end up a pleasure trip and a waste of time and resources. After the trips, learners can come back to the classrooms to narrate their various experiences orally or in writing. Ogili (2001) and Talabi (1980) contend that the use of electronic media in educational institutions should be well organised, selected and monitored by the teacher. The teacher should, therefore, encourage question and answer and give assignment for assessment. Implementation levels include support the teacher by encouraging him to develop through conferences, seminars, workshops, regular payment of salaries and allowances. This in turn create enhancing mood, support written materials and at the same time create avenue for participation in decision-making Instructional Approaches When specific effort is made to modify the environment, in a way a specified learning occur, one certainly sees the effects on learners. Instruction is described as the process whereby the learners environment is deliberately manipulated to enable learner respond positively, under specified conditions to specific situations. The additional modern approaches to Teaching-Learning Materials (TLMs) supports the Learner centred, interactive technique, collaborative work, teacher as facilitation and formative type of evaluation. CONCLUSION In the struggles for national development, the uneducated cannot be left out without the devastating repercussions. In order to ensure effective communication in educational instructions, appropriate strategies must be involved to liberate, enlighten and educate learners. Therefore, a variety of strategies to support and improve educational activities must be satisfied. REFERENCES Adeyanju, J. L. (2001) Design, Selection and Production of Teaching and Learning Materials (TLMs) in E. N. Ezeanya, (ed) Tackling the Challenges in Nursery and Primary Education, NAEMT Workshop Proceeding, Enugu, 7th 10th February.

Adeyemi, M. A. (1984). Strategies for integrating educational media into higher education in Nigeria. Educational Technology in Nigeria, 1, 2 Eze, I.O. (1998). Speech communication as a tool of modern marking and public relations management. Journal of communication Art , 1 (1): 61-69. Ezeanya, E. N. (2001) Tackling the challenges in nursery and primary education. Paper presented at the Nigeria Association for Educational and Technology (NAEMT) Workshop, 7th to 10th, February. Offor, O.G. (1998). An Awareness through forms and illustrations. Journal of Communication Arts, 1(1), 156-7. Ogili, E. E. (2001). Strategies for effective communication educational instruction. Paper presented at the Nigeria Association for Educational and Technology (NAEMT) Workshop. Enugu, Nigeria, 7th to 10th February. Talabi, J.K. (1984). Educational technology and the nigeria learning system, Educational Technology in Nigeria 1, 78. Udenta, P. (1988). Painting a tool for mass education. Journal of Communication Arts, 1(1), 142-143.