Pre-Service Teachers' Awareness and Usage of Innovative Strategies in the Classroom in Southwest Nigeria

This empirical study investigated the gap between pre-service teachers' awareness and their actual classroom usage of innovative teaching strategies in Southwest Nigeria (Olagunju et al., 2023; Awolere & Olasedidun, 2023). Using an Explanatory Sequential Mixed-Methods design (QUAN -> qual), data were gathered using three validated instruments: the Pre-service Teachers' Awareness and Use of Innovative Strategies Questionnaire (PTAUISQ, N = 600), the Pre-service Teachers' Classroom Observation Scale (PTCOS, n = 80), and an In-depth Interview Guide (IIG, n = 80). Quantitative findings revealed that while pre-service teachers possess a high level of conceptual awareness (73.2%), actual classroom implementation is substantially lower (46.8%), leaving a significant 26.4-percentage-point knowledge-practice gap (Aiyede et al., 2023; Omodara & Makinde, 2023). Classroom observations confirmed that non-technological, socially embedded approaches like Structured Engagement (65.0%) and Collaborative Learning (42.5%) dominate practice, whereas technology-intensive approaches like Blended Learning (65.0% not used) and Digital Integration (60.0% not used) are largely absent (Olasedidun, 2019; Shittu et al., 2023). A Pearson correlation test demonstrated a statistically significant moderate positive relationship between awareness and usage (r = 0.487, p < 0.05), confirming that awareness is necessary but insufficient for actual deployment (Rogers, 2003; Ogbonna, 2020). Qualitative thematic analysis following Braun and Clarke's (2006) framework identified systemic constraints—specifically large class sizes, resource inadequacy, curriculum overload, and insufficient mentoring—as primary drivers of this gap. Recommendations include embedding active modelling of innovative practices into university methodology courses and upgrading ICT infrastructure during field experience placements.