DIGITALIZATION OF SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT FOR EFFECTIVE TEACHING DELIVERY IN PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES IN RIVERS STATE

Abstract

This research work investigated digitalization of school environment for effective teaching in public higher institutions in Rivers State. The inquiry was descriptive study in nature. The population consisted of two (2) public universities in Rivers State (Rivers State University and Ignatius Ajuru University of Education) and 3,000 teaching staff members in these public universities were used, Stratified sampling technique was used to separate the male and female respondents of these universities and a number of participants of 400 was established by means of Taro Yamane formula. A self - structured questionnaire titled “Digitalization of School Environment for Effective Teaching in Public Universities in Rivers State” was the instrument for the inquiry. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer all research questions while the z-test was used to test all hypotheses at a 0.05 level of significance. 398 copies of the instruments were disseminated, retrieved and evaluated using the Software Statistical Digital Package for the social Sciences (SPSS). Findings of the results showed that there are various digital facilities available for effective teaching in public universities in Rivers State. The research also showed that the respondents had an agreement on the extent utilization of digitals facilities for effective teaching delivery in universities in public universities in Rivers State. Furthermore, finding of results also showed that the factors incumbering the adoption of digital environment in universities were multi-factorial in nature. The study hypothesized no considerable difference on the mean rating of the respondents on the various types of digitals facilities available in schools, extent of digital facilities utilization and on the challenges confronting the adoption of digital environment in public universities in Rivers State. The study concludes that digitalizing the school environment for effective teaching in universities in Rivers State was indeed high since all ten items in table I were all accepted by the respondents though there are countless challenges confronting the espousal of digital environment which include lack of power supply, lack of fund, poor access to internet etc. It was however recommended amongst others that adequate funding for digital facilities by private and cooperate bodies should be encouraged, seminars for capacity- building should be steered for digital skills enhancement of university educators etc.