DEMOCRATIZING ADULT EDUCATION: A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF THE RELEVANCE OF INTEGRATING TECHNOLOGY IN ADULT EDUCATION FOR NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA

There is no denying the fact that Internet connectivity is steadily increasing globally in all facets of human endeavour. The technological advancements and the integration of these technologies in the education sector have witnessed an exponential increase in all aspects of education, especially for adult literacy, not only in the advanced worlds but in Nigeria as well. It will also not sound hyperbolic to say that there is an alarming magnitude of adult illiteracy in Nigeria today. The situation is continuously on the increase, and has raised concerns among scholars in the field. There is a need to ameliorate the situation by democratizing adult education, and the hope of curtailing it can only be solved through technology integration into adult education delivery that will enable any organized programmes to reach the less privileged citizens in their remotest areas (rural communities) in Nigeria. Consequently, this study focuses and/or highlights the advantages of integrating ICTs in the business of adult education in Nigeria. Furthermore, it assesses how the integration of technology in adult education in Nigeria could enhance national development, and finally attempts to examine the pitfalls of integrating these innovative ideas, and looks into the futuristic use of these new technologies in the education industry.