Basic Technology Teachers Perceived Usefulness and Ease of Use of Virtual Reality for Steam Instruction in Fct-Abuja

Virtual Reality (VR) has emerged as an instructional technology capable of enriching experiential learning, creativity, and conceptual understanding in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) education. Despite its growing global recognition, VR integration within Nigerian secondary school classrooms remains limited. This study investigated Basic Technology teachers’ perceived usefulness and ease of use of Virtual Reality for STEAM instruction in FCT-Abuja. A descriptive survey design was adopted, with 74 Basic Technology teachers drawn from public (n = 42) and private (n = 32) junior secondary schools across selected Area Councils in FCT-Abuja using proportionate stratified sampling. Data were collected via the researcher-designed Virtual Reality for STEAM Instruction Questionnaire (VRSIQ; α = 0.87). Mean and standard deviation answered research questions, while independent samples t-test and Pearson Product Moment Correlation tested hypotheses at α = 0.05. Findings indicated favourable perceptions of VR usefulness (cluster mean = 3.47) and ease of use (cluster mean = 3.11). No significant difference in either construct was found based on school ownership (perceived usefulness: t(72) = 0.363, p = 0.718; perceived ease of use: t(72) = 0.375, p = 0.709). A significant positive relationship was established between perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use (r = 0.684, p < .001). Although grounded in self-reported perceptions, these findings affirm that Basic Technology teachers in FCT-Abuja hold favourable attitudes towards VR integration. Practical realisation of these perceptions, however, requires targeted investment in infrastructure, teacher professional development, and context-sensitive implementation support.

Virtual Reality, STEAM instruction, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, Basic Technology, Technology Acceptance Model

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