AWARENESS AND UTILIZATION OF KHAN ACADEMY AMONG SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN ILORIN METROPOLIS

ABSTRACT This study examined the awareness and utilization of Khan Academy among senior secondary school students in Ilorin Metropolis. As digital learning becomes an essential component of modern education, understanding the adoption of free online platforms like Khan Academy is vital. Despite its accessibility and potential to support self-paced learning, there is limited information on how widely it is known and used by Nigerian students. This study aimed to determine students’ level of awareness, the extent to which they utilize the platform, the factors influencing its use, and whether gender or school type affects usage. A descriptive survey design was adopted, guided by the Technology Acceptance Model and Diffusion of Innovation theory. The study sampled 200 senior secondary school students from both public and private schools in Ilorin Metropolis using stratified random sampling. Data were collected through structured questionnaires and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings revealed that students were moderately aware of Khan Academy, indicating a basic level of familiarity with the platform. However, the extent of its utilization in academic activities was low, suggesting a gap between awareness and actual use. Factors such as content clarity, parental encouragement, and school support were found to positively influence utilization, with a grand mean score of 2.60, which was above the benchmark of 2.50. Furthermore, the study found no significant difference in the utilization of Khan Academy based on gender or school ownership, indicating similar patterns of use and challenges across various student demographics. In conclusion, while Khan Academy holds promise as a supplementary learning tool, its usage remains limited among secondary school students in Ilorin Metropolis. The study recommends increased efforts to integrate digital learning platforms into the school system through teacher involvement, ICT infrastructure development, and awareness campaigns targeting both students and parents. These steps are necessary to bridge the gap between awareness and effective usage, thereby enhancing students’ access to quality educational resources.