CORRELATION BETWEEN AVAILABILITY OF ICT INFRASTRUCTURE AND LEVEL OF TEACHER ICT TRAINING ON SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS' ACADEMIC ENGAGEMENT IN ZARIA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF KADUNA STATE

Abstract

This study investigated the correlation between availability of ICT infrastructure and level of teacher ICT training on senior secondary school students' academic engagement in Zaria Local Government Area of Kaduna State. A correlational research design was adopted for the study. The target population comprised all senior secondary school students in the area, from which a sample of 350 students was was drawn using a stratified random sampling technique to ensure representation across schools. A self-constructed structured questionnaire titled ICT and Academic Engagement Scale (ICTAES) was used for data collection, covering three sections: availability of ICT infrastructure, teacher ICT training, and academic engagement. The instrument was validated by experts in educational measurement and psychology and yielded a reliability coefficient of 0.87 using Cronbach's Alpha. Data were analyzed using mean and standard deviation for answering research questions and Pearson Product-Moment Correlation (PPMC) and Multiple Regression Analysis for testing hypotheses. The findings revealed significant positive correlations between availability of ICT infrastructure and academic engagement (r = 0.461, p < 0.05), and between teacher ICT training and academic engagement (r = 0.503, p < 0.05). Furthermore, both independent variables jointly predicted students’ academic engagement significantly (R = 0.593, R² = 0.351, F(2, 347) = 93.83, p < 0.05). Based on these results, the study recommended the provision of adequate ICT infrastructure, continuous digital training for teachers, and incorporation of ICT strategies in instructional planning to improve students’ academic engagement.