TECHNOLOGICALADAPTATION AND CLASSROOM DIVERSITY AS PREDICTORS OF INCLUSIVE TEACHING PRACTICES AMONG SOCIAL STUDIES PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS IN OGUN STATE

Abstract

This study investigated technological adaptation and classroom diversity as predictors of inclusive teaching practices among Social Studies pre-service teachers in Ogun State, Nigeria. The research design that was adopted for this study is a correlational survey research design. The total number of respondents who participated in this study was 120. The respondents were selected from two public colleges of education in Ogun State. The three research instruments that were used for this study were validated and were found to be reliable. The three research instruments that were used for this study were the pre-service teacher technological adaptation scale (α = 0.84), pre-service teacher classroom diversity scale (α = 0.81), and pre-service teacher inclusive teaching practices scale (α = 0.86). The results of the study showed that social studies pre-service teachers were found to be highly adapted to technology and had a positive perception of diversity. The results of the study also showed that there were positive correlations between technological adaptation and inclusive teaching practices (r = 0.432, p < 0.05) and between classroom diversity and inclusive teaching practices (r = 0.501, p < 0.05). The results of the study showed that multiple regression analysis indicated that technological adaptation and classroom diversity were able to explain 62% of the variance in inclusive teaching practices (R² = 0.62). The results of the study brought to light the importance of improving social studies pre-service teachers' technological adaptation and classroom diversity through training for inclusive teaching practices. It is recommended that training be provided for social studies pre-service teachers on technological adaptation and classroom diversity for the purpose of preparing them for inclusive teaching practices.