New Media Use and Proficiency among Communication Educators in Select South-South Universities Nigeria

Abstract

This study set out to appraise new media use and proficiency among communication educators in select South-South universities in Nigeria. To achieve this, three universities comprising of University of Uyo, Rivers State University and Delta State University were selected and a census of their communication educators was collected as representative sample for the study. The specific objectives of the study included to ascertain how communication educators in South-South Universities utilize new media applications, evaluate their level of proficiency in the use of new media applications and propose ways of utilizing new media applications for enriching communication education in Nigeria among other things. A sample size of 50 was used for the study and using the Weighted Mean Scores analysis, the study found that the communication educators use new media application more as a tool for personal communication that as a tool for teaching and research. This implies that whereas the new media applications can be used for other purposes, communication educators are yet to explore the possibility of using the new media applications beyond personal communication. The study also found that the proficiency level of communication educators in the use of new media applications is just average and so on. The study therefore recommended that Communication educators should be trained on how to effectively use new media applications as a means of curriculum instruction beyond personal communication. It further recommended that policy makers should include new media applications as part of the means for curriculum delivery in the educational system and that students should be encouraged to use new media applications more as toolsfor educational development than for personal communication as has usually been the case among others.

Key: communication, new media, educators, students, social media