The adoption and use of information and communication technologies (ICT's)

Abstract

Information and communication technologies (ICTs) can be used to facilitate teaching and learning, regardless of location and time, hence institutions of learning are adopting the technologies. This study explored the adoption and use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) at township secondary schools in Sedibeng West District, Gauteng Province, South Africa. A mixed method approach was adopted to gather data from the research participants. Focus group discussions and in-depth face-to-face interviews were conducted to inquire into how the participants felt about the adoption and use of ICTs in teaching. In addition, a survey questionnaire was administered to teachers to investigate the extent to which they integrate ICTs in teaching, ICT training and support needs available for teachers, and challenges faced by teachers in their use of ICTs in the classroom. The results of this study indicate that intrinsic and extrinsic factors were barriers to the adoption and use of ICTs in teaching. These barriers included limited ICT skills among teachers, inadequate ICT infrastructure, negative attitudes towards ICTs, theft and vandalism of the infrastructure, and a lack of school-based ICT technicians at the schools. The older and more experienced teachers preferred using traditional teaching methodologies, whereas the younger and less experienced teachers were willing to integrate ICTs in teaching. This study concludes that although teachers were faced with a lot of challenges, some of them had positive attitudes towards the use of ICTs in teaching. This study proposes an ICT model which comprises five core aspects of adoption and use of ICTs in teaching: planning, ICT training, ICT support, ICT implementation and evaluation. The study further recommends that teachers, the community and the department of education officials’ work together in order to address the challenges identified in their schools.