The impact of ICT accessibility and utilization on teaching effectiveness in federal colleges of education in Southwestern Nigeria

Abstract

The performance of graduates from Colleges of Education (CoEs) in job interviews for teaching positions has been consistently disappointing, raising concerns about the quality of teacher training. Furthermore, there seems to be a lack of commitment and dedication among CoE lecturers to effective teaching practices. This study posits that the observed deficiencies in teaching effectiveness within CoEs may be linked to the unavailability, poor accessibility, and inadequate utilization of ICT resources. While previous research has explored variables such as institutional ownership, job satisfaction, and work environment, there has been limited focus on the role of ICT in enhancing teaching effectiveness. This study, therefore, investigates the impact of ICT factors on teaching effectiveness in Federal Colleges of Education (FCEs) in Southwestern Nigeria. Employing a survey design, the study's population comprised 2,800 lecturers and 6,311 third-year students from five FCEs in Southwestern Nigeria. A simple random sampling technique was used to select three federal colleges—Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo; Federal College of Education (Technical), Akoka; and Federal College of Education, Osiele, Abeokuta. From these institutions, 70% of lecturers and 10% of students were purposively selected, based on their willingness to participate. The final sample included 782 lecturers and 1,343 students. Data were collected using the ICT Factors Questionnaire (r=0.80) and the Teaching Effectiveness Questionnaire (r=0.88) and analyzed through descriptive statistics.The findings reveal that the perceived level of teaching effectiveness among lecturers in FCEs in Southwestern Nigeria is relatively moderately high (x̅=2.73). However, the study also found that the level of ICT utilization among lecturers was notably low (x̅=1.97). It is recommended that college management take proactive steps to sustain and enhance teaching effectiveness. Additionally, continuous evaluation of ICT factors should be prioritized to ensure that ICT resources are available, accessible, and effectively utilized by lecturers in Colleges of Education.