Use of Social Media in the Teaching of Mathematics in Secondary Schools in Delta State, Nigeria.

Abstract

This study investigated the utilization of social media for teaching mathematics in public secondary schools in Delta State. A descriptive survey design was employed for the study. The population consisted of 11,777 teaching staff in public secondary schools in Delta State for the 2023/2024 academic session. Using Krejcie and Morgan's (1970) sample size determination table, a sample of 375 teaching staff was selected from 473 public secondary schools in Delta State. The researcher developed a questionnaire, the "Use of Social Media in Teaching of Mathematics Questionnaire" (USMTMQ), to collect data. The instrument was validated by three specialists from the Department of Science Education at Delta State University, Abraka. Cronbach Alpha was used to determine the instrument's reliability, resulting in a reliability index of 0.72. A total of 375 questionnaires were distributed to respondents, who completed them immediately to maximize the response rate. Descriptive statistical analysis, specifically the mean, was used to analyze the data collected from the respondents' answers to the questionnaire items, with the aid of SPSS. The findings revealed that social media can be a valuable tool in enhancing students' educational experience in mathematics. Utilizing social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram can increase student engagement and interactivity in mathematics, leading to better comprehension and retention of mathematical concepts. However, various obstacles, including inadequate training and limited connectivity, hinder the effectiveness of incorporating social media in mathematics instruction. One of the recommendations was for school officials to provide training for teachers on effectively integrating social media into mathematics instruction.