Perception of Lecturers on the Use of Digital Tools for Professional Development

Abstract

This study examined lecturers’ perceptions of using digital tools for professional development in universities in Enugu State, Nigeria. The study adopted a research and development (R&D) design involving 53 participants, comprising 32 male lecturers and 21 female lecturers from both public and private universities offering computer education. The instrument for data collection was a questionnaire, which was administered and retrieved by the researcher with the help of six research assistants who were properly briefed on the content of the questionnaire and its administration to ensure that the questionnaire was properly administered. Data were collected using validated instruments with Cronbach’s alpha reliability coefficients of 0.91 and 0.84. Mean (x̅) with Standard Deviation (SD) was used to answer each of the research questions. And each of the hypotheses was tested using t-test statistics at a 0.05 level of significance. The analysis was computer-based with the use of the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) to analyze the respondents’ ratings. The t-test was used because of the sample size, and also the researcher made use of two groups. Mean with 2.50 and above was regarded as Important (I) while a mean value below 2.50 was regarded as Of Little importance (OLI). The null hypotheses were rejected when the significance level was less than 0.05, and were not rejected when the significance level was more than 0.05 level of significance. Findings revealed that lecturers perceived digital tools, particularly Microsoft PowerPoint, as vital for improving teaching effectiveness, presentation quality, and learner engagement. However, limited technical competence, erratic power supply, and inadequate infrastructure hindered effective utilization. The study concluded that the adoption of digital tools enhances instructional delivery and professional growth among lecturers. It recommended adequate training, provision of reliable electricity, and institutional support to promote sustainable digital competence among university educators in Nigeria.