Original Contribution to Knowledge: An Ecological Systems Model of ICT Integration Sustainability in Nigerian Basic Schools

This study develops an original Ecological Systems Model of ICT Integration Sustainability in Nigerian Basic Schools, synthesising Bronfenbrenner's ecological framework with technology adoption theory and African educational systems scholarship. Sustainability of ICT integration, referring to the maintenance of effective technology-enhanced teaching beyond initial implementation support, represents one of the most persistent unsolved challenges in Nigerian educational technology. The study employs a concurrent mixed-methods design. Quantitative data were collected through a national survey of 800 basic school heads, ICT coordinators, and teachers drawn from all six geopolitical zones. Qualitative data were gathered through 30 semi-structured interviews and six focus groups representing diverse regional and institutional contexts. Structural equation modelling of the quantitative data identified five sustainability predictor clusters, while qualitative thematic analysis explored their contextual mechanisms. The resulting Ecological Systems Model positions ICT integration sustainability as emerging from the interaction of five nested system levels: classroom-level teacher practices, school-level leadership and resources, community-level parental and cultural alignment, state-level policy and governance, and national macrosystem enablers. Cross-level feedback loops and cultural modifiers specific to Nigerian schooling contexts are theorised. The model constitutes an original theoretical contribution validated across Nigeria's diverse geopolitical contexts, offering a robust explanatory and predictive framework for researchers and a diagnostic guide for policymakers. Keywords: ICT integration sustainability, ecological systems model, Nigerian basic schools, theoretical contribution, mixed methods