IMPLICATIONS OF USING THE INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING OF BASIC SCIENCE IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN LOKOJA, KOGI STATE

This study examined the impact of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in the teaching and learning of Basic Science in selected junior secondary schools in Lokoja, Kogi State, Nigeria. The purpose was to identify the types of ICT tools commonly used by teachers, determine how ICT enhances student learning, and explore the factors that promote and hinder the use of ICT in Basic Science classrooms. Four research questions and two hypotheses guided the study. A descriptive survey research design was adopted, as it was considered appropriate for collecting data from a relatively large sample of respondents within the study area. The population comprised all Basic Science teachers and Junior Secondary School (JSS) students in Lokoja metropolis. From this population, a sample of 100 respondents—20 teachers and 80 students—was selected through stratified and simple random sampling techniques to ensure representativeness across gender and school categories. A structured questionnaire consisting of 20 items was developed by the researcher, validated by experts in science education and measurement and evaluation, and trial-tested on respondents outside the main study sample. The reliability analysis using Cronbach’s Alpha yielded a coefficient of 0.84, indicating a high level of internal consistency. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics such as frequency counts, percentages, mean and grand mean to answer the research questions, while t-test statistics were employed to test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. Findings of the study revealed that ICT tools such as projectors, laptops, mobile devices, and internet resources were most commonly utilized in Basic Science instruction. It was further established that ICT integration significantly enhanced students’ learning by improving classroom participation, motivation, comprehension, and retention of scientific concepts. Promoting factors identified included teacher commitment, availability of ICT resources, and administrative support. Conversely, inadequate facilities, erratic electricity supply, poor internet connectivity, and insufficient teacher training were found to hinder effective ICT use. Based on these findings, the study recommended that government and school management should provide adequate ICT infrastructure, organize regular capacity-building workshops for teachers, and establish policies that encourage sustainable ICT integration in Basic Science teaching and learning. Such measures, if properly implemented, will improve the quality of science education and better prepare students for the demands of the digital age.