Pre service Teachers Perception of using Mobile Devices in Teaching Climate Change in Primary Schools

The realities of climate change are gradually dawning on everyone including children. The need for a disaster reduction education requires the use of mobile technologies to identify some of the impact of climate change within an environment and create awareness on the dangers associated with climate change. Since the pre service teachers will teach the primary school pupils, it is apt that the use of mobile technologies should constitute part of their preparation while in training. This paper examined pre service teachers perception of using mobile technologies in teaching climate change in the primary school. One hundred and fifty (150) pre service teachers in two Colleges of Education in the erosion disaster zones of Anambra and Imo States in the south eastern state of Nigeria were used for the study. Three research questions guided the study. The study utilized a survey approach to collect and analyze the data. The results from the study show that the pre-service teachers were confident that the use of mobile devices will create significant climate change awareness. However, the pre service teachers saw the need for using mobile devices fin their preparation. Suggestions were made towards ensuring the integration of mobile technology literacy in the pre service teacher education curriculum.

💡 Research Summary

The paper investigates how pre‑service teachers perceive the use of mobile devices for teaching climate‑change concepts to primary‑school pupils. Conducted in two Colleges of Education located in erosion‑prone disaster zones of Anambra and Imo States, southeastern Nigeria, the study sampled 150 pre‑service teachers. Guided by three research questions, the authors employed a quantitative survey method, designing a Likert‑scale questionnaire that measured (1) perceived usefulness of mobile technology for climate‑change education, (2) confidence in creating climate‑change awareness through mobile tools, and (3) perceived need for mobile‑technology training within teacher‑education programmes.

Statistical analysis of the responses revealed a strong consensus that mobile devices can significantly enhance students’ awareness of climate‑change impacts. Participants highlighted the ability of smartphones and tablets to capture real‑time environmental data, facilitate field‑based observations, and engage learners through interactive multimedia. Despite this optimism, the respondents reported that their own preparation lacked sufficient exposure to mobile‑technology pedagogy; they expressed a clear demand for curriculum revisions that embed digital‑literacy and climate‑change modules.

The authors interpret these findings through the lens of technology‑integration theory, arguing that perceived usefulness and self‑efficacy drive acceptance, but institutional support and structured training are essential for actual implementation. They note several limitations: the sample is confined to two institutions, the survey instrument’s reliability and validity are not fully documented, and the study measures attitudes rather than observed teaching practices or student learning outcomes.

Based on the results, the paper proposes concrete recommendations. First, teacher‑education curricula should incorporate mandatory courses on mobile‑learning design, data collection apps, and GIS‑based visualization tools tailored to environmental education. Second, development and dissemination of open‑access instructional resources—such as climate‑monitoring apps, photo‑journalism guides, and interactive simulations—are needed to bridge theory and practice. Third, policymakers must address infrastructural inequities by subsidising device procurement and expanding broadband connectivity in rural disaster‑prone areas, thereby preventing a digital divide that could undermine the intended educational impact.

Finally, the authors call for longitudinal and experimental research that tracks pre‑service teachers into their first years of classroom practice, measuring how mobile‑enabled climate‑change lessons affect student knowledge, attitudes, and behavioural intentions. Such evidence would substantiate the claim that early exposure to mobile‑based environmental education can foster a generation of environmentally literate citizens equipped to mitigate and adapt to climate change.