UTILIZATION OF SMART CLASSROOM TECHNOLOGIES AND STUDENTS’ ENGAGEMENT IN CHEMISTRY LESSONS IN NORTH CENTRAL NIGERIA COLLEGES OF EDUCATION
Keywords:
Smart classroom technologies, students’ engagement, chemistry education, Colleges of Education, North Central NigeriaAbstract
This study investigated the utilization of smart classroom technologies and students’ engagement in Chemistry lessons in North Central Nigeria Colleges of Education. The study was guided by three research questions and three hypotheses. A descriptive survey research design was adopted. The population consisted of 120 chemistry lecturers and 1,850 NCE Chemistry students from six Colleges of Education in North Central Nigeria, giving a total of 1,970 respondents. A sample of 420 respondents comprising 60 lecturers and 360 students was selected using a multi-stage sampling procedure. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire titled Smart Classroom Technologies and Students’ Engagement Questionnaire (SCTSEQ). The instrument was validated by experts in Chemistry Education and Measurement and Evaluation, and its reliability was established using Cronbach’s alpha, which yielded an overall coefficient of 0.85. Data were analyzed using mean and standard deviation for the research questions, while independent samples t-test and Pearson Product Moment Correlation were used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. Findings revealed that smart classroom technologies were utilized to a high extent in Chemistry lessons, although tools such as virtual laboratories and student-operated digital devices were less frequently used. The study also found that students’ engagement in Chemistry lessons was high, with evidence of active participation, motivation, collaboration, and attentiveness during instruction. Furthermore, a significant positive relationship was found between the utilization of smart classroom technologies and students’ engagement in Chemistry lessons (r = 0.684, p < 0.05). The study concludes that effective integration of smart classroom technologies enhances students’ engagement in Chemistry education. It recommends improved funding for ICT infrastructure, regular lecturer training, provision of stable electricity and internet facilities, and increased use of interactive digital tools to strengthen teaching and learning outcomes in Colleges of Education.
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