Impact of Technology on Physics Education in North Central Nigerian Colleges of Education

Abstract

This study evaluated the efficacy of technology-enhanced learning (TEL) tools in improving 
Physics education outcomes within Colleges of Education in North Central Nigeria. 
Specifically, it examined the effects of technology integration on students’ academic 
achievement, engagement, and motivation, while also identifying effective pedagogical 
strategies for classroom implementation. A quasi-experimental pretest–posttest non
equivalent control group design was employed. The study population comprised 5,107 NCE 
Physics students, from which a sample of 350 was selected using a multistage sampling 
technique guided by the Krejcie and Morgan (1970) sample size determination model. 
Intact classes were assigned to experimental and control groups. Data were collected using 
two validated instruments: the Physics Performance Test (PPT) and the Impact of 
Technology on Physics Education (ITPE) questionnaire. Reliability indices were established 
using Kuder–Richardson (KR-20) and Cronbach’s alpha coefficients. Descriptive statistics 
(mean and standard deviation) were used to address research questions, while inferential 
analyses, including independent samples t-test and multiple regression, were conducted at 
a 0.05 significance level. Findings indicate that students exposed to TEL interventions achieved 
significantly higher academic performance than their counterparts under conventional instruction. 
Furthermore, technology integration exerted a statistically significant positive effect on 
engagement and motivation, explaining approximately 28% of the observed variance. Effective 
integration strategies identified include robust institutional support, adequate ICT infrastructure, 
structured lesson design, deployment of virtual laboratories and simulations, and adoption of 
student-centered digital pedagogies. The study concludes that TEL significantly enhances 
learning outcomes in Physics and recommends sustained investment in infrastructure, 
continuous professional development for lecturers, and systematic curriculum-level 
integration of digital technologies.