FACTORS PREDICTING MATHEMATICS TEACHERS’ USE OF LAPTOPS

Abstract

ICT improves the way mathematics is being taught and enhances student understanding of basic concepts. Many researchers have carried out studies to evaluate the benefits of using ICT in mathematics.  Laptop is one of the ICTs being used and adopted for the delivery of mathematics instructions. In Nigeria, the use of laptop for mathematics instructional delivery at the secondary school level has just begun to gain pace. In the light of this, it is considered necessary to examine factors predicting use and adoption of laptops by the secondary school mathematics teachers. In the light of this, this paper examines factors predicting mathematics teachers’ use of laptop. The population of the study comprised 600 secondary school’s mathematics teachers who were selected from secondary school across South West geo-political zone in Nigeria. A survey approach was adopted for the study and questionnaire was used for the collection of data on the study. The study reveals that, six factors except computer anxiety correlate with mathematics teachers’ use of laptops. The six factors (ease of use, perceived usefulness, prior computer experience, teaching quality, and teaching effectiveness and Computer anxiety) together made 74% of mathematics teacher laptops use.  The entire actors again exerted significant contribution to mathematics teachers’ uses of laptops.   In other words, the six laptops use prediction variables significantly explain use of laptops by the mathematics teachers.  Since the study demonstrated that laptops is easier to use and its considered being useful and improve the quality of teaching and makes teaching effective; it is recommended that mathematics teachers who have phobia for the use of laptops should do away with the phobia, and endeavour to familiarise themselves with the laptop so that they can as well make use of it to improve their teaching and instructional delivery of the subject.