RELEVANCE OF ICT TOOLS IN CONTEMPORARY STUDY AND RESEARCH By Dr RELEVANCE OF ICT TOOLS IN CONTEMPORARY STUDY AND RESEARCH By Dr. Olisa Okeke Director ICT/Innovation

INTRODUCTION I want to use this medium to welcome you all to University of Nigeria, Nsukka. University of Nigeria, Nsukka is known for high academic excellence, cordial student relationship and a serene environment. The ICT Unit of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka also welcomes you to this great citadel of learning where leaders are made.

WHO WE ARE? The ICT Unit is a group of seasoned professionals spread out in different specialist areas such as: Hardware Website Webometrics Project Management Network Innovation Customer Services And so on.

ICT TOOLS IN CONTEMPORARY RESEARCH AND STUDY Before the advent of the computer, research and study was a herculean task. Some of the challenges faced include: Difficulty in searching for information. Limited access to relevant materials. Too many outdated materials were available. Lack of expertise in manually searching for materials. Bad Library use skills. Lack of plagiarism checkers so plagiarism was rampant.

WHAT IS RESEARCH Research is a process of systematic inquiry that entails collection of data; documentation of critical information; and analysis and interpretation of that data/information, in accordance with suitable methodologies set by specific professional fields and academic disciplines. Research is conducted to evaluate the validity of a hypothesis or an interpretive framework; to assemble a body of substantive knowledge and findings for sharing them in appropriate manners; and to generate questions for further inquiries.

HOW ICT HAS IMPROVED RESEARCH ICT has greatly impacted on research and studies in UNN and other institutions of learning. Today, Materials are readily available on the internet. There is access to online Libraries. There are so many open access sites which provide relevant materials for use. There are so many up to date materials readily available online. Plagiarism could be easily checked. References could be checked and re-checked with ease. Ease of doing data analysis. Typing of research work and studies has been greatly improved.

HOW ICT HAS IMPROVED RESEARCH CONTD’ Ease of data collection (Online forms) Data interpretation is made easier. Information sharing is made easier. Collaboration is facilitated due to information technology. Data presentation is easier.

OUR EXPECTATION There is a dire need for ICT Compliance by all PG Students. This can be enhanced through the following: Active usage of Student Emails for all official correspondences. Regular visit to the University website for information. Do not use personal emails for Official purposes. Own a Personal Computer Make use of the various ICT applications available to you. Take advantage of the experience of others and learn some basic ICT skills as it is far cheaper here.

GOOGLE USE Google which is the most popular search engine, has revolutionised the way people study and do research. Google is a companion for all categories of students from Primary to Tertiary. Google makes materials, books and audio readily available to online users. What you should know: Not all materials in google are authentic. Match more than one material before arriving at a conclusion. Be careful with materials posted from unverified sources. Have a background information on the subject matter of interest before you ‘google’ it out.

visit the Zenith ICT Centre. FOR ISSUES For any issue, please send an email to: Customerservice.ict@unn.edu.ng Or visit the Zenith ICT Centre.

CONCLUSION ICT has greatly impacted on various activities in the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. It has also greatly improved the way students carry out their activities and do their day to day work. We expect you to maximise all the various ICT tools available in the University and make your stay here worthwhile. Welcome to UNN. Welcome to the Lions Den. Have a great stay.