INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

The primary aim of teaching at any level of education is to bring a fundamental change in the learner. To facilitate this process of knowledge transmission educational planners and schools must apply appropriate teaching and learning platform that best suit specific objectives and bring about better outcomes. Until today, questions about the prospects of electronic learning (e-learning) on student learning process have consistently raised considerable interest in the thematic field of educational research (Hightower et al., 2011, Tebabal and Kahssay, 2011).

The integration of e-learning into education can catalyze the shift toward applying adult learning theory, where educators will no longer serve mainly as the distributors of content, but will become more involved as facilitators of learning and assessors of competency. E-learning can be used virtually in all field of learning including secondary school accounting to improve students’ learning outcomes in the face of the social, scientific, and pedagogical challenges. It has gained popularity in the past decade in the developed countries of the world; however, its use is highly in variable among schools in developing countries like Nigeria (Maduhusudhan, 2008).

E-learning is the use of Internet technologies to enhance knowledge and performance. E-learning technologies offer learners control over content, learning sequence, pace of learning, time, and often media, allowing them to tailor their experiences to meet their personal learning objectives. Innovations in e-learning technologies point toward a revolution in education, allowing learning to be individualized (adaptive learning), enhancing learners’ interactions with others (collaborative learning), and transforming the role of the teacher (Oludare, Moradeke and Kolawole, 2012).

E-learning, often referred to as web-based or online learning involves all teaching and assessment approaches that use technology such as Wikis, Blogs, Podcasts and learning management systems such as computers, internet and web connectivity to enhance learning experience and research works (Mahahusudhan, 2008; Nadiu, 2006). This new teaching and learning approach offers potential values to traditional teaching and learning approach due to its flexibility and accessibility of information to a great number of students at a time (Naqvi, 2007).

Historically, there have been two common e-learning modes: distance learning and computer assisted instruction. Distance learning uses information technologies to deliver instruction to learners who are at remote locations from a central site. Computer assisted instruction (also called computer-based learning and computer based training) uses computers to aid in the delivery of stand-alone multimedia packages for learning and teaching (Fayomi, Ayo, Ajayi and Okorie, 2011).

Abimbade (2002) opined that e-learning is rapidly expanding boundaries and offering tremendous advantage to the Nigerian educational sector. Moreover, Olugbeko and Izu (2013) also proposed that the adoption of e-learning will promote students’ ability to cogitate and memorize concepts in secondary school accounting. Whether in fact the adoption of e-learning is negatively or positively related to students’ academic performance in secondary school accounting is an issue that remains opened to empirical studies.

1.2 Statement of Problem

One of the major problems faced by students in learning accounting is inability to remember what has been learnt. This problem is often caused by too much theoretical expression by the teachers while learners are passive listeners. Students memorize and regurgitate facts and concepts. These problems confronting the teaching and learning of accounting can be handled using slide presentations, audio-video presentation process and other interactive e-learning software facilities in which a student interacts with and is guided by visual equipment aimed at achieving certain instructional goals (Ezeliora, 1997; Onasanya, 2002).

Computer and other audio-visual materials can be used to transform classroom instruction into a series of rich memorable experiences and thus, reduce boredom and forgetfulness in teaching subjects such as accounting (Onasanya, 2002).

Several studies have been carried out on academic performance especially on conventional students, but not much on e-learning students within the Nigeria educational system. The need to sever this ground so as to extend the frontier of knowledge in order to help improve the unimpressive e-learners’ academic performance necessitates the undertaking of the study so as to fill the existing research gap. Therefore, this research seeks to examine the link between e-learning and academic performance of secondary school students in accounting.

1.3 Purpose of the Study

The study will be conducted with the following objectives:

ú To investigate the link between e-learning and students academic performance.

ú To determine if the use of computer enhances students’ learning in accounting as a school subject.

ú To determine the effect of audio-visual aid on students academic performance.

ú To examine the link between computer assisted instructional aids and students’ ability to memorize concepts in accounting subject.

1.4 Research Questions

This study will be guided by the following research questions:

1. What is the link between e-learning and students academic performance?

2. To what extent does the use of computer enhance students’ learning outcomes in accounting?

3. Does the use of audio-visual aid has any effect on students academic performance in accounting?

1.5 Research Hypotheses

The researcher intends to test the following hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance:

1. H01: There is no significant relationship between e-learning and students’ academic performance.

2. H03: There is no significant relationship between the use of computer and students’ learning outcomes in accounting.

3. H02: The use of audio-visual teaching aid has no effect on students’ academic performance.