CHALLENGES AND PROSPECT OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY ON HISTORICAL RESEARCH STUDIES IN THE 21ST CENTURY

Abstract

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is a force that has change many aspect of
research across various disciplines in the world owing to new information and communication
technologies (ICTs) its provides which made it a necessity and potential powerful tool for research
that one cannot do without it aid. As such through primary and secondary sources, this paper
examines the challenges and prospect of ICT on Historical Research Studies in the 21st century. The
paper argues that in as much as ICT is one of the most prominent and efficient tools for historical
research studies in the reconstruction of human past experiences and activities owing to its
provision of multi-source materials to the researcher, storage materials and the mechanism, time
saving and energy in the course of research, opportunities for easy access to chat and discussion
forum which lead to exchange and dissemination of knowledge within the context of academic
discourse. ICT still pose serious challenges to historical methodology, the discipline and historians
owing to multi-source materials which can confused the researcher on choice of key documents.
More so, some of the internet materials lacked editor(s), plus non control of the inflow and outflow
of the information uploaded or downloaded. Therefore, the paper recommend that historians
should be caution in use of ICT by corroborating it with other historical sources to ensure objectivity
in their findings.