Digital tools in chemistry teaching in higher education: a cross-sectional study at a public university in Ecuador

Abstract

The integration of information and communication technologies into university-level chemistry education represents an area of growing interest, insofar as their incorporation may strengthen training processes, expand access to didactic resources, and promote more active pedagogical dynamics, although the empirical evidence currently available in the Latin American context remains limited, consequently, the aim of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate the use of ICT in the teaching of chemistry within the Experimental Sciences Education, Chemistry and Biology program at the National University of Loja, Ecuador, during the April-August 2025 academic period, through the application of a 60-item questionnaire adapted from a previously validated instrument to a convenience sample of 39 students drawn from a population of 238 enrolled students, considering dimensions related to institutional infrastructure, conceptions regarding ICT, teaching use, and specific use in chemistry instruction, the results showed high internal consistency in the Likert-type scales, with Cronbach's alpha values ranging from 0.921 to 0.980, in addition, internet access and projectors were available in 97.4% of spaces, although computer laboratories were absent, it is worth noting that the overall use of ICT was moderate, with a predominance of digital presentations, virtual learning environments, and office software, whereas virtual laboratories, wikis, and digital assessment tools showed lower presence.