Influence of Secondary School Facilities Planning and Transformative Educational Management on the Utilization of Digital Tools in Bayelsa State, Nigeria

Faith E. Iwerebor; S. P. Ugolo

doi:10.58709/niujed.v12i2.2516

Faith E. Iwerebor University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria
S. P. Ugolo Bayelsa Teacher Training Registration and Certification Board

DOI: https://doi.org/10.58709/niujed.v12i2.2516

Abstract

This study examined the influence of secondary school facilities planning and transformative educational management on the utilization of digital tools in public secondary schools in Bayelsa State, Nigeria. A correlational research design adopting an ex-post-facto approach was employed. The population comprised 3,699 teachers from 194 public secondary schools, from which a sample of 351 teachers was selected using the Krejcie and Morgan sampling technique. Data were collected using the School Facilities Planning and Utilization Questionnaire (SFPUQ), validated by experts in Educational Management and Measurement and Evaluation from Faculty of Education, University of Benin. A reliability coefficient of 0.85 was established using Cronbach Alpha. Descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) were used to answer research questions, while regression analysis tested the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. Findings revealed that instructional, circulation, and convenience spaces in secondary schools were planned to a low extent, and their utilization was equally low. However, significant relationships were established between facilities planning and utilization. Instructional space planning accounted for 38.3% of the variance in utilization, circulation space planning explained 41.1%, while convenience space planning exerted the strongest influence, accounting for 51.2% of the variance. The study concludes that inadequate planning of school facilities significantly undermines their effective utilization, including digital tools, in secondary schools. It recommends comprehensive, inclusive, and context-sensitive school facility planning, strengthened supervision, and integration of digital infrastructure to enhance effective utilization and educational outcomes in Bayelsa State.

Keywords: School Facility Planning, Instruction, Circulation and Convenience Spaces.