DIGITAL TOOLS: AN IMPETUS FOR POLITICAL PARTICIPATION AMONG PRE-SERVICE SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHERS IN OSUN STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study the study investigated students' level of
awareness and accessibility to digital tools, the barriers
they encounter, and the impact of digital expertise on
their civic involvement. It was guided by two research
questions and two hypotheses. A descriptive research
design was adopted, involving a sample of 400 pre
service Social Studies teachers drawn from both public
and private institutions. Data were collected using a
validated questionnaire and analysed using descriptive
statistics (frequencies and percentages) and inferential
statistics. Findings showed that while a majority of
students exhibited high awareness and access to digital
tools, a significant portion faced barriers such as non
accessibility and poor infrastructure. Importantly, a
significant relationship was found between students'
knowledge of digital tools and their political
participation. Furthermore, the study established a
statistically significant difference in political
engagement between students with high digital
knowledge and those with limited competence. In light of these findings, the study recommended the
integration of digital civic education into the Social
Studies curriculum, institutional investment in digital
infrastructure, and regular digital literacy workshops
tailored to pre-service Social Studies teachers.