School Factors Influencing Integration of Information Communication Technology in Teaching and Learning in Public Secondary Schools in Kilungu Sub-county, Kenya

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to establish school factors influencing integration of ICT in teaching and learning in secondary schools in Kilungu Sub-county Kenya. A descriptive survey research design was used in this study. The study sought to determine how teacher characteristics influence Information Communication Technology integration in teaching and learning in secondary schools in Kilungu Sub-county, establish how technical support influence integration of Information Communication Technology in teaching and learning in secondary schools in Kilungu Sub-county, determine influence of technological characteristics on integration of Information Communication Technology in teaching and learning in secondary schools in Kilungu Sub-county and assess the extent to which a teacher‟s pedagogical strategies influence Information Communication Technology in integration in teaching and learning in secondary schools in Kilungu Sub-county. The study targeted 22 public secondary schools in Kilungu Sub-county, Makueni County, Kenya. Census sampling was adopted where all the 22 public schools and principals were sampled. Random sampling was applied in sampling the 110 teachers and 264 students. A questionnaire was used to collect data from the target population. The researcher used an observation schedule to collect data on available ICT equipment and evidence of ICT integrated lessons going on in the schools. The collected data were analysed using both qualitative and quantitative data analysis methods. The findings of the study were; half of the principals and teachers 50% had low training in ICT integration. This negatively influenced ICT integration in teaching and learning. Majority 64% of the schools did not have ICT infrastructure. This hindered ICT integration in teaching and learning. Technological characteristics affected ICT integration in teaching and learning in a negative way, since only 5% of the teachers used projectors due to complexity of the software and hardware. Further, it was found out that pedagogical strategy adopted by the teacher had an influence on ICT integration, teachers who preferred traditional teacher centred methods of teaching, for example, the lecture method were less likely to integrate ICT in teaching and learning. In Kilungu sub-county, half of the teachers 50% used the lecture method in teaching, meaning that they were not integrating ICT in teaching and learning. The conclusions of the study were that the ability to integrate ICT in teaching and learning was highly influenced by teacher characteristics, that lack of ICT technical support to schools prevents the integration of ICT in teaching and learning and that teachers pedagogical strategies negatively influence ICT integration in teaching and learning. The study recommended that the government increase the number of the computers in the schools and prioritize in-service training for teachers in ICT integration. The government should build computer labs in the schools that do not have them. Again the government should employ ICT technical assistants in all the schools to help teachers integrate ICT in teaching and learning.