Influence Lecturers' Awareness and Pedagogical Utilization of Smartphones for Islamic Studies Instruction in Colleges of Education, North-West Nigeria

Abstract

This research examines awareness and utilization of smartphones by lecturers in Nigeria's North-West Geopolitical Zone colleges of education when teaching Islamic Studies. Four goals, along with related research questions and hypotheses, served as the research's compass. These goals included determining how well-informed lecturers were about using smartphones to teach Islamic Studies and what obstacles they encountered when incorporating smartphones into their lesson plans. A population of 196 Islamic Studies instructors from eleven public colleges of education that offered Islamic Studies in Nigeria's North-West Geopolitical Zone during the 2023–2024 academic year were the target of a descriptive survey design. According to Research Advisors' (2006) guidelines, a sample of 132 lecturers was selected with a 95% confidence level and a 5% margin of error to ensure a suitable representation of the populace. A structured questionnaire called Lecturer Awareness, Adoption, and Utilization of Smartphone (LAAUS) was used to gather data, and it was verified by specialists and the researcher's supervisors. SPSS Version 26 was used for data analysis. While means and standard deviations addressed the research questions, descriptive statistics like frequencies and percentages were used to present demographic characteristics. To determine whether observed frequencies differed significantly from expected population values, chi-square tests were used. According to the study's findings, instructors generally exhibit high levels of smartphone awareness and use when teaching Islamic Studies. However, resolving current issues through appropriate training and curriculum integration is necessary to maximize these advantages Lecturers' awareness (χ² (42) = 69.67, p = 0.042), utilization (χ² (42) = 346.46, p = 0.001). These findings show that lecturers have different opinions and experiences about using smartphones in the classroom. Based on the results, the study suggests that in order to improve smartphone usage in North-West Nigerian colleges of education, Islamic Studies instructors should receive regular training and retraining on smartphone use, be continuously supervised, have the facilities they need, fully integrate smartphones into the curriculum, and receive government assistance in providing infrastructure like dependable internet connectivity and power supplies.