The perceived influence of integration of educational digital innovations on students’ participation in biology lessons in primary teachers’ colleges in Eastern Uganda

Abstract

The study investigated the perceived influence of integration of educational digital innovations on biology students’ participation during biology lessons in Primary Teachers’ Colleges in Eastern Uganda. The study adopted a Cross-sectional survey design with both quantitative and qualitative approaches for purposes of triangulation. A sample of 104 integrated science biology students’ teachers were selected by simple random sampling while 5 deputy principals, 10 integrated science biology tutors and 5 iCT technicians were selected by purposive sampling. The collection of data was done by use of closed-ended Likert questionnaire and the interview guide. The validity of the instruments had a total score of (.86) while the reliability score of the instruments was (.88). Pearson correlation coefficient was applied during the analysis of quantitative data whereas induced thematic content analysis was used during analysis of qualitative data. Pearson correlation coefficients attained for the study were positive and statistically significant; for objective one a moderate and statistically significant relationship between the perceived influence of current educational digital innovations and student participation in biology lessons was at (r = .472, p = .000), objective two on educational digital innovation skills and student participation in biology lessons (r = .489, p = .000). Based on the correlation analysis results it revealed that, the integration of educational digital innovations positively influences student participation during biology lessons. However, limited inadequate knowledge in adoption of digital innovations by both tutors and biology teacher trainees, poor internet connectivity, outdated digital resources, and resistance to technological change remain major obstacles to fully optimizing digital innovations. Institutional support plays a role in enhancing student participation its impact is limited due to factors such as inadequate infrastructure, inconsistent digital policies, and a lack of professional training for tutors. The study findings highlight the need for continued investment in up-to-date digital learning technologies to sustain student participation in biology education. The findings imply that institutions need to strengthen their support mechanisms to maximize the benefits of digital learning in biology education. These findings suggest that while digital tools enhance student participation, their effectiveness depends on institutional support, digital literacy training, and access to modern technologies. The study further recommended that Ministry of Education and Sports and PTC administrators should move beyond mere provision and awareness of digital tools by embedding educational digital innovations into biology curricula through structured pedagogical frameworks, ensuring that platforms such as LMS, multimedia tools, and communication technologies among others are actively used for instruction, assessment, and collaboration rather than for administrative or symbolic purposes, Continuous professional development programs should be instituted for both tutors and student teachers, focusing on hands- on, discipline-specific digital innovation skills such as content creation, online collaboration, data interpretation, and blended learning strategies with emphasis on confidence-building, modeling by tutors, and regular guided practice to translate perceived competence into actual participation, PTCs management and policymakers should invest in reliable digital infrastructure (internet connectivity, projectors, computers, laboratories), establish routine maintenance and technical support, and enforce clear leadership accountability mechanisms, including follow-up training, monitoring, and evaluation, while fostering a positive institutional culture that encourages innovation, inclusivity, and openness to digital transformation in biology education.