Awareness and Utilization of Search Engine Technologies for Teaching Among Primary School Teachers

Abstract

The reliance on digital information for lesson preparation and access to current educational resources has made search engine technologies increasingly relevant to primary school teaching. This study assessed the use and effectiveness of search engine technologies among primary school teachers in Jigawa State, Nigeria. Four objectives guided the study. A quantitative approach and cross-sectional survey design were adopted. The population was school teachers in 391 primary schools across 27 Local Governments of Jigawa State. Multistage sampling was used to select the respondents, while data were collected using structured questionnaire and analysed with SPSS Version 27.0 using descriptive and inferential statistics. Findings revealed high awareness (M=3.53), information-searching skills (M=3.56), use of search engines for teaching (M=3.84) and teaching effectiveness (M=4.00). Major challenges included unreliable Internet connectivity and high data costs (84.8% each), poor electricity supply (84.0%), limited access to Internet-enabled devices (70.7%), inadequate training (61.1%) and limited knowledge of advanced search techniques (59.4%). A significant positive relationship existed between search engine use and teaching effectiveness (r=.682, p<.05), while teaching effectiveness differed significantly by level of search engine use (F=28.674, p<.05). The study concluded that search engine technologies support teaching effectiveness but require improved infrastructure and training for optimal utilization