Assessment of the Impact of Whatsapp Usage on Chemistry Education in Tertiary Institution: A Case Study of Federal College of Education, Zaria

Abstract

This study assessed the impact of WhatsApp usage on chemistry education in tertiary institutions: A case 
study of Federal College of Education, Zaria. The study employed survey design as the research 
methodology. Its study population was 734 respondents, comprised of lecturers, undergraduate and NCE 
chemistry students. 300 respondents were drawn as sample size, 20 lecturers, 80 B.Ed and 200 NCE 
students. A Questionnaire was the instrument used for data collection. Validity and reliability of the 
instrument were established. Descriptive statistics of means and standard deviation were used to answer 
research questions, while inferential statistics of independent sample t-test statistics was used to test the 
study hypotheses. The finding of this study revealed no significant difference at 0.05% level of significance 
on WhatsApp’s usage and students’ engagement and lecturer’s effectiveness in teaching and learning 
Chemistry. The second finding revealed no significant difference between the perception of students and 
lecturers on the use of WhatsApp application for teaching and learning Chemistry in FCE Zaria. The study 
also revealed a significant difference between the effects of WhatsApp application usage and 
teaching/learning of Chemistry in tertiary institution. Therefore, it is recommended among others that: 
Lecturers should develop specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound clear objectives for 
WhatsApp-based chemistry education, towards improvement in student learning outcomes, science 
process skills in chemistry and facilitate learning outside the classroom.