The Impact of Modern Technology on the Training of Secretaries in Institutions of Higher Learning

ABSTRACT

The main objective of the study is to ascertain the impact of modern technology on the training of secretaries in institutions of higher learning. The population comprised all the lecturers and the students in HND2 and ND2 studying secretarial studies. The questionnaire was the main instrument for data collection. The mean was used for data analysis. The result of data analyzed showed that most modern machines used to teaching secretaries were not available in the institution. The available ones were not functional and adequate. The study therefore concluded that office technology would pose a problem to prospective secretaries if they are not versatile to using these modern machines in the institution. The uses and operations of these modern machines will help them to face the challengers of present day offices. It was recommended that training institutions of secretarial studies should provide them with modern machines.

CHAPTER ONE

1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1. BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Without doubt, it is certainly agreeable that the issue of the impact of modem technology on the training of secretaries in institutions of higher learning has continued being the concern of the organization/society at large. This issue has not attracted only the interest of employers of labour and secretaries alone, but it also concerns the institutions of higher learning in the country. These institutions like Polytechnics and College of Education who produce secretaries have equally seen or reason together the need and usefulness of modem technology on the training of secretaries in the secretarial profession. Okoye (1992, discovered that, man in his search for better ways of gathering and processing information, has invented and improved many tools and advance machines. These have to a great extent provided diversities of methods which enable secretaries to improve their performance.

Some of these modern tools and machines invented by man which relate to the secretarial profession include; Computer, Word processor, Electric/Electronic Typewriter. Others include, telephone/telecom, collating machine, photocopier, fax machine, dictating machine, stapling machine, telex and teleprinter, recorder, counting machine, calculator, shredding machine etc. The objective of all these modern technology has a great impact on the training of secretaries in institutions of higher learning. With the use of all these modern technology mentioned above, it will enable the secretary gather information, store information, manipulate it and also produce answers that are needed to meet the problems of everyday life in the organization. This modem technology machines has a great impact in the training of secretaries in institutions of higher learning. Not only that, it enhance the progress of carrying out secretarial duties task in an organization. This is to say that our various higher institutions who
produce secretaries should look into the advances modern technology but that are invoke.

Formally, the roles of secretaries were based on the traditional role of taking notes in shorthand and transcribing same on manual typewriters.

But now, because of the invention of these modern technology, the roles have been transformed from formal to the present time of using computers, word processors to type, edittext, store and retrieve information with the use of same computer component (the input and output devices), such as the keyboard, the hand disk, diskette, magnetic tapes, etc.

According to Oyedele (1992), adequate equipment and proper maintenance of modern machines arc necessities for effective business education and performance on the training of secretaries in institutions of higher learning as well as organizations. The issue of the modern technology or the impact of modern technology on the training of secretaries in institutions of higher learning is a welcomed healthy and challenging trend that will facilitate and enhance the secretaries’ competence and productivity. For secretaries to cope with the challenges to rapid changes in the contemporary world of jet computer age, these modern technology should be made available, install and use for their learning in their various citadel of learning. This will go a long way to offer or create a powerful effect of making proper use of the knowledge and skills they acquired in their career formation. The higher institutions, organizations and societies in general are aware of the impact and importance of trained secretaries using the modern technology for achieving their organizational goals and objectives. The achievement of these goals is based mainly on the secretary of the organization or establishment depending on her skills and experiences. Nevertheless, there is need for the provision and application of these modern technologies on the training of secretaries in institutions of higher learning. Highly skilled secretaries are indispensable members of the management team m business setups, industries, government, education, communication media and other areas of human endeavor (Okoye, 1992), Since the secretary has the key factor in the accomplishment of organizational goals, strong and sincere efforts should be made in order to provide her with adequate serviceable modem technology for her profession. Hence, he/she will be able to tackle the diversified challenges in the world of office services.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The work of a secretary has become more and more demanding than what it is used to be in the past as a result of technological changes. Due to these changes, there is a need for the secretary to be familiar and well acquainted with the use and manipulation of these modern technology on the training of secretaries in institutions of higher learning in order to enable her follow up in the trend of development in the modern offices. A lot of problems are associated with this study. Some institutions of higher learning do not have some of this modern office technology for training of secretaries. This limits and affects the performance of secretaries drastically. In most cases, the few ones available in some of the institutions do not function very well thereby hindering the secretaries from knowing how to make use of them.

Njoku (1994), opined that, some of the institutions that managed to be equipped with some of these modern advance technology do not have competent teaching staff who can handle them due to lack of skill, knowledge and training regarding these modern machines. As a result of these problems, the secretary is found wanting in the world of today’s business caused hy her inability to effectively utilization of knowledge and skills she is assumed to have acquired from the higher institutions of learning she attended.

1.3 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

The major purpose of this study is to find out the level of the impact of modern technology on the training of secretaries in our institutions of higher learning. Specifically, the study is designed as follows;
1. To find out the role of computer for the training of secretaries in institutions of higher learning.
2. To identify the role electric/electronic typewriters in secretarial administration department in the institutions of higher learning.
3. To find out the role and importance of reprographic machines for secretarial functions in the institutions of higher learning.
4. To identify tine problems of non-availability of modem advance technology on the training of secretaries in institutions of higher learning.
5. To suggest ways to solve these identified problems of non-availability of modern machines in the institutions of higher learning.

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTION

Base on the purpose of this research work, the following questions have been deduced;
1. What are the roles of computer on the training of secretaries in the institutions of higher learning?
2. What are the benefits of electric/electronic typewriters on the training of secretaries in the institutions of higher learning?
3. On what impact do the reprographic machines have on the training of secretary in our institutions of higher learning?
4. What are the problems that hinder successful provisions and use of modem machines in our institutions of higher learning?
5. What are the possible means of solving this problem of non-modern office technology on the training of secretaries?

1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

At first, there has been on definite study in our institutions of higher learning to determine the level of the modern technology on the training of secretaries in institutions of higher learning in particular. Rather, this is needed in order to enlighten the concerned institutions on the impact/importance of these modern machines for the formation of secretaries and they can go a long way alleviating their problems. According to Calhoun (1991), the changes being reflected in effect of accelerating technology on business are bound to change the programme of those who are to take up the challenges. In this regard, the changes occurring in this modem business technology pose challenges to potential secretaries. Therefore, institutions responsible should have to meet up the challenges by ensuring that potential secretaries are trained with modern office equipments.

Again, the finding of this research work will be beneficial to the training institutions in thats they will be able to understand the area of their deficiencies and make effort to remedy them especially in the provision of these modern machines in their institutions.
Finally, the outcome of this research work will therefore, establish the fact that the training staff, if provided with these modern office equipments, will enhance the skills of secretaries thereby leading to the attainment of organizational goals and objectives.

1.6 DELIMITATION/SCOPE OF STUDY

This study is limited to the provision of modern technology used in secretarial studies on the training of secretaries in institutions of higher learning. With regard to these, the study should have been extended to other institutions generally both government and private owned schools. Nevertheless, the extension of this study to other reputable establishment would have helped to improve the performance of secretaries as some of these modern office equipments are important to increase their skills and knowledge. But due to money and time constraint, the research work was limited to the researcher’s area or institution of higher learning.

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