ASSESSING PEDAGOGICAL CAPACITY AND TECHNOLOGICAL READINESS AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHERS IN GWAGWALADA AREA COUNCIL, FCT-ABUJA, NIGERIA

The 21st century has ushered in a global shift toward technology-integrated education. In Nigeria, this transformation emphasizes the need for secondary school teachers to possess both the pedagogical capacity and readiness shaped by internal factors and gender to integrate digital tools into teaching and learning effectively. This study assessed the pedagogical capacity and technological readiness among secondary school teachers in Gwagwalada Area Council, FCT-Abuja. The study specifically set out to determine the level of technology pedagogical capacity and readiness of secondary school teachers in Gwagwalada Area Council to integrate. The study raised two research questions and two hypotheses tested at 0.05 level of significance. This study adopted a descriptive survey research design. The population of the study comprised of all six hundred and seventy-six (676) teachers in secondary schools in Gwagwalada Area Council, FCT-Abuja. A sample of fifty (50) teachers was sampled using the simple random sampling technique. The data collection instrument was a structured questionnaire titled Teachers' Technological Capacity and Readiness for Educational Transformation Questionnaire (TTCRETQ). The instrument underwent face and content validation by two experts in educational technology and measurement and evaluation. The reliability of the instrument was confirmed through a pilot study yielding a Cronbach’s Alpha reliability index of 0.76. The collected data were analysed using frequency, mean, standard deviation, and the independent samples t-test at a 0.05 level of significance. The findings indicate that these teachers demonstrated a strong technological pedagogical capacity and a high level of technological pedagogical readiness. The hypothesis testing revealed that there is a significant difference between male and female secondary school teachers' level of readiness in Gwagwalada Area Council. The study recommended inter alia that schools should prioritize providing consistent Internet connectivity and well-maintained ICT infrastructure, such as smart boards, computers, tablets, projectors, and interactive tools, to support teachers in integrating technology effectively into their instructional practices.