Toward Integrating Educational Technology Instructional Methods in Advanced Level Chemistry Teaching in Zimbabwe

Jacob Tito Ngwenya, Moffat Chitapa Tarusikirwa & Chipo Makamure
Faculty of Education
Zimbabwe Open University
Email: emp22927@gmail.com

Abstract: The article avers that the adoption and adaptation of educational technologies as an instructional method for Advanced level Chemistry teaching improves outcomes. The study conveniently settled for a former group A school in Zimbabwe’s Midlands province as its case study. Premised on a qualitative research methodology and minimal quantification, a purposive sample of 30 students drawn from a population of 120 students in the sciences department, point out that, deploying educational technology tools in the learning process has desirable outcomes on a comparative basis with the traditionally preferred lecture method. It was established that it is both engaging and enriching to the learners, compared to the lecture method which prioritises pacing and covering the syllabus at the expense of knowledge comprehension. Instead of dichotomising theory and praxis, educational technology tools yoke both and this in turn yields desirable learning outcomes. Substantiating these viewpoints was data gathered from the lesson observations and the open-ended interview methods utilised as data gathering techniques. Therefore, the study recommends a paradigm shift from the preferred traditional lecture to an educational techno-centric pedagogy, in chemistry lesson delivery. If these micro teaching findings are transferred to a macro level, Chemistry excellent pass rates will be gradually obtained in Zimbabwe’s secondary education sector.