Digital Tools Integration and Chemistry Teaching in Some Secondary Schools in Kogi Central Senatorial District, Nigeria

This study assessed digital tools integration in Chemistry teaching insecondaryschools in Kogi Central Senatorial District, Nigeria. Three research questions guidedthestudy. A descriptive survey design was adopted. The population comprised 63Chemistryteachers in 42 public senior secondary schools across the five Local Government AreasofKogi Central. All 63 teachers were used as the sample through census sampling. Datawerecollected using the Digital Tools Integration Questionnaire (DTIQ), a 35-iteminstrumentvalidated by three experts. Reliability was established through a pilot study in Kogi WestSenatorial District, yielding a Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of 0.82. Data were analysedusingmean and standard deviation, with a criterion mean of 2.50 for decision-making (Nunnally&Bernstein, 1994). Findings revealed that presentation software (mean = 3.12) andmessagingplatforms (mean = 3.08) were the most available digital tools, yet overall frequencyof usewaslow (grand mean = 2.41). Teachers held positive perceptions of digital tools (grandmean=2.98) but faced significant challenges including inadequate ICT infrastructure (mean=3.62)and unreliable electricity (mean = 3.54). No significant difference in integration was foundbetween experienced and less experienced teachers, t (54) = 1.31, p = .20. Thestudyrecommended, among others, that the Kogi State Ministry of Education should prioritiseICTinfrastructure provision, including functional computer laboratories and solar-poweredelectricity, and implement a structured, Chemistry-specific professional developmentprogramme for teachers