Digital Connectivity and Social Interaction among Secondary School Teachers in Nigeria

Abstract

Digital technology has increasingly become popular and connectivity to digital platforms like Google, Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok, WhatsApp and so on for the purpose of education, research, communication and recreation has equally intensified. For teachers, the massive adoption and utilization of digital technologies poses both positive and negative implications for their professional roles and social interaction with colleagues. This systematic review examines digital technology and social interaction among secondary school teachers in Nigeria. The review identified the determinants of social media usage among secondary school teachers in Nigeria, explored the pattern and extent of social media usage among secondary school teachers and assessed the gains and pains of social media utilization among secondary school teachers. The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) developed in 1986 by Davis was adopted for the study. The study underscores the impact of digital platforms in improving secondary school teachers’ interaction by providing them avenues to socialize and establish virtual connections which may lead to future academic collaborations towards enhanced student learning, and teachers’ instructional practice. However, the review shows that digital technology platforms may influence the amount of time spent on face-to-face social interaction with colleagues and thus reduce their interaction and collaboration with each other. The paper concludes that over-commitment to digital technologies is inimical to social interaction among secondary school teachers, and thus recommends balancing of digital connectedness with face- to-face social interactions among teachers in order to achieve robust social and teaching experiences among them.