Effect of teachers’ orientation about digital pedagogy on contemporary classroom challenges in selected secondary schools in Katabi town council, Wakiso District, Uganda. A cross-sectional study.

Background Secondary schools within urbanizing areas are shifting toward digital tools and methods in the classroom, and this shift is gaining momentum. This study examined the effect of teachers’ orientation about digital pedagogy in the face of contemporary classroom challenges in selected secondary schools in Katabi Town Council, Wakiso District, Uganda. Methodology The study employed a cross-sectional research design, incorporating both quantitative and qualitative approaches. The study population was 130 participants, with a sample size of 97 respondents. Data was collected using questionnaires and an interview guide. Quantitative data were sorted, coded, and entered into the computer program known as SPSS version 29. Qualitative data were analyzed using content analysis. Results The majority (30.2%) were aged below 25 years, followed by those aged 25–34 years at 28.6%. The remaining age groups were 35–44 years (17.5%), 45–54 years (12.7%), and above 55 years (11.1%). The teachers’ orientation toward digital pedagogy had a statistically significant and positive effect on mitigating contemporary classroom challenges, with a standardized beta coefficient of 0.430 and a p-value of .000. And 18.5% of the variation in contemporary classroom challenges was explained by teachers’ orientation toward digital pedagogy. There was a high level of agreement, suggesting that teachers see some academic benefits to using digital methods. Conclusion Teachers’ orientation about digital pedagogy significantly influences their ability to address contemporary classroom challenges in secondary schools within Katabi Town Council. Recommendation The Ministry of Education and Sports, together with local governments, should integrate digital pedagogy into pre-service teacher training curricula to build foundational ICT skills.