The Young Old and the Youth as Users: Impact and Challenges of Information and Communication Technology in Open Distance Learning Paradigm

Abstract

As the world changes every day, so is the education sector. The introduction of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) paradigm into the education sector as it is in various other sectors is one of the good things that has happened since the beginning of this millennium. The young and old are supposed to be part of the beneficiary of this innovation but they seem not to have embraced it as well as the youth in the society. This paper discusses the accessibility, competence, visits to the internet, purposes, role of ICT in open distance learning, challenges encumbering the development expected in the relationship between ICT and distance learning and proffers solutions. This is with a view to improving the lot of the young old as regards ICT. This will allow ICT to serve the young old better, help many to achieve their aim of using the internet more and also enable the workers who are learners to acquire the adequate knowledge required for better performance at their various workplaces. It will also be beneficial to the employers of labour as the competence of their staff will be guaranteed with regular seminars, conferences and workshops. This study is theoretical and quantitative; the method adopted is a combination of survey and ex-post facto design. The result of this study will be effective on the young old people, the government and the society in general.