AN ASSESSMENT OF ICT AGAINST WRITTEN SOURCES IN HISTORIOGRAPHY: THE CASE OF NIGERIAN COLLEGES OF EDUCATION

Abstract

As a discipline, historiography depends on the availability and reliability of sources for reconstructing the past. For a long time, historians have relied on oral traditions, written records, and archeological evidence to construct narratives of historical events. However, these sources have weaknesses, particularly in terms of bias, distortion, and subjectivity. The introduction of information and communication technology (ICT) into the academic space has provided opportunities to address these weaknesses. This study assesses the effectiveness of information and communication technology (ICT) against written sources in historiography, with emphasis on colleges of education in Nigeria. This study employed a comparative and qualitative approach, focusing on students and lecturers who were taught history using both ICT tools and traditional written sources. The findings revealed that ICT enhances student engagement, improves the accuracy of historical accounts, and allows for wider accessibility of sources. While written sources provide durability and remain indispensable, they often lack inclusivity and are prone to decay, whereas ICT offers long-term preservation through digitization. This study concludes that ICT does not replace written sources but complements them by offering a broader, more objective, and accessible framework for historiography. Recommendations are made for the integration of ICT into history education curricula, the digitization of archives, and the training of lecturers and students in digital literacy