The Trend and Technology in Nigeria's Educational System -Analyzing a New Media Consortium (NMC) Report
The purpose of this discussion board post is to review and discuss a trend and a technology that is part of the New Media Consortium (NMC) and analyze at least two forces that impact the trend and the technology. For this post, I will discuss the NMC strategic brief on education in Nigeria. This is a horizon project country-level report. This report caught my attention because I am originally from Nigeria, and I have lived there for a very long time. Moreover, I had most of my basic education in Nigeria, so it is a system I am familiar with.
Nigeria is a developing country in Africa, highly populated with brilliant minds, and supposed to be the giant of Africa. Nigeria is rich in petroleum and other mineral resources that are enough to make her a very wealthy country with rich people and a sound educational system. This report ascribes the financial and social nightmare of Nigeria to the military leadership, which weakened the education system. In this new era of democratic leadership and with external support, there is hope for improvement. Other issues in Nigeria are massive economic inequality and insurgency (EDUCAUSE, 2022). There are some wealthy big men, and there are some people in abject poverty; that makes the gap between the rich and the poor to be very wide. Boko Haram, a notorious terrorist, has attacked several schools in the Northern part of the country, kidnapped, raped, and caused panic among the students and their families. Some families have vowed not to allow their children to go to school again, just because of this experience. Despite all these, Nigeria is still producing great scholars who can stand tall in the society and are making impacts throughout the whole world.
The trend I want to focus on in this report is “Social media,” and the technology is “Mobile device - digital technology.” How has digital technology helped in developing this country and the trend in Nigeria’s educational system? According to this report, “most Nigerians lacked Internet connections until the advent of mobile phones” (EDUCAUSE, 2022). The introduction and availability of mobile phones have improved Nigeria’s education tremendously. Most students have access to social media and improve themselves through web content. As talented as Nigerian students are, some of them have gone above and beyond to innovate great works that are solutions to socio-economic challenges. An example of this is a group of six youths who are soaring to change the world with their innovations (Achievers, 2022).
Mobile phones have also helped improve Nigeria’s education through video conferencing. Some schools are online, and some researchers meet online through video conferencing to discuss. Communication is now easier with phones, even among education officers. Social media is a trend that is still promising to improve Nigeria’s educational system. Nigerian youths can network with their counterparts all over the world to make positive impacts through their phones
Social and economical constraints are the forces that can impact this trend and technology. For example, electricity availability is still challenging in Nigeria, and these phones need electricity to charge them. Students who can not afford a solar system in their homes are socially limited because of this constraint.
References
Achievers (2022). How six Nigerian youths are changing the world with innovations. Nigerian online Tribune. https://tribuneonlineng.com/how-six-nigerian-youths-are-changing-the-world-with-innovations/
EDUCAUSE (2022). NMC strategic brief on education in Nigeria. A horizon project country-level report. https://library.educause.edu/~/media/files/library/2016/6/2014stratbriefnigeria.pdf
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