Dr. Benjamin Akura Taangahar, Dr. Joseph Olaiya Fatoki and Paul Ushahemba Ikondo
Benue State University, Makurdi
Abstract
The study investigated the extent of science teachers’ awareness of availability and use of virtual reality in secondary schools for science teaching in COVID-19 era in Makurdi Metropolis. Two research questions were answered and one hypothesis was tested in the study. The research design adopted was descriptive-survey design. A sample of 80 science teachers was arrived at using purposive sampling of 20 grant-aided schools with ICT laboratories. Data were collected using a validated, researcher-developed questionnaire which had a reliability coefficient of 0.64. Mean and standard deviation were used to analyze research questions and t-test was used to test the hypothesis at 0.05 level of significance. The findings showed that the extent of science teachers’ awareness of availability of virtual reality in schools for science teaching in COVID-19 era had a low mean of 1.87 below the upper boundary decision mean of 2.50. The extent of science teachers’ awareness of use of virtual reality in schools for science teaching in COVID-19 era was high with a mean of 2.64 above the upper boundary decision mean of 2.50. The analysis also shows a calculated t-statistic of 5.16 greater than t-critical value of 1.68 at 79 degree of freedom at 0.05 level of significance. Therefore, the null hypothesis which states that there is a significant difference in science teachers’ awareness of availability and use of virtual reality in schools for science teaching in a COVID-19 pandemic era was rejected. It was concluded that science teachers’ awareness of virtual reality was to a high extent but the extent of its availability in schools was low. It was recommended that VR be made available in schools for teacher’s use in the COVID-19 pandemic era by government and other stakeholders. Teachers are to enhance their awareness of the use of virtual reality for teaching of science in secondary schools.
Keywords: Science Education, Virtual Reality, Covid-19, Science Teachers, Technology Adoption
How to Cite this Article:
Taangahar, B. A., Fatoki, J. O. & Ikondo, P. U. (2022). Science Teachers’ Awareness of Availability and Use of Virtual Reality in Secondary Schools for Science Teaching in Covid-19 Era in Makurdi Metropolis. VillageMath Educational Review (VER), 3(1), 219-227. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6374146
