EFFECTS OF INTEGRATION OF ICT IN THE TEACHING AND LEARNING OF CHEMISTRY IN SOME SELECTED SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN CHANCHAGA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF NIGER STATE.

Abstract

We are living in the digital age and hardly can any aspect of human endeavour be effectively carried on without Information communication technologies (ICTs), education inclusive. ICTs are now at the center of education reform in line with the technological development of the 21st century. ICT-supported education can promote the acquisition of the knowledge and skills that will empower students for lifelong learning. The study was done in some selected Secondary Schools in Chanchaga Local Government Area of Niger State to assess the ICT facilities and infrastructure, to determine the Teacher’s knowledge and skills in ICT and its application to establish how the schools get the ICT technical support that influences the use of ICT in teaching and learning of chemistry. Non-experimental descriptive survey design was used to establish the factors that influence the integration and the use of ICTs in teaching and learning chemistry. The target Schools were five (5) Secondary Schools. Stratified random sampling was used to allow full participation of the Schools. Twenty five (25) teachers in the Secondary Schools made up the target population. Five chemistry Teachers were randomly selected in each sample School to fill the questionnaire and four Principals were interviewed to represent each category of schools. Questionnaires, observation schedule and interview enabled the researcher collect data. The data collected was analyzed using statistical package for social sciences (SPSS). The study findings revealed that inadequate ICT infrastructure, limited ICT skills and training, limited access to technical support, lack of ICT policies in schools and budget constraints hinder the integration of ICT in teaching and learning chemistry in Secondary Schools. The Researcher recommends that the school administration should familiarize themselves with the national ICT policy so that they can develop School ICT policies of how to efficiently integrate ICTs in teaching and learning chemistry. The Government should also intensify ICT funding in Schools to help subsidize the high ICT costs and increase the number of computers in Schools.