Institutional Factors Influencing Students’ Preparedness on Integration of Information and Communication Technology in Teaching and Learning: Case of Eregi Teachers Training College, Kenya

Abstract

The study purpose was to determine institutional factors that influence students’ preparedness in integrating Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in teaching and learning: Case of Eregi Teachers’ Training College, Kenya. Study objectives were to evaluate the extent ICT curriculum influence, determine the influence of college ICT infrastructure, and establish the extent of teacher educators teaching approaches on students’ preparedness in teaching and learning with ICT integration at Eregi teachers’ training college. Herein, a case study design was employed. The study population comprised of 565 people having 65 teacher educators and 500 second year students. A representative of 20 and 100% of the 2nd year students and teacher educators, respectively, were purposively sampled. Hence, with the said proportions, a response rate of 95 and 100% for second year students and teacher educators were achieved, respectively. Two sets of questionnaires on respective study participants were used in data collection. The data on college ICT infrastructure and indicators of ICT integration in teacher education were evaluated through a focused group discussion guide and observation checklist. Validity and reliability of research instruments was determined by incorporating recommendations from supervisors and piloted on a few identical subjects not part of sample of the study using 10 percent of the sample size. Based on the reliability, a correlation of 0.88 and 0.84 were obtained from the teacher educators and 2nd year students, respectively. SPSS version 20 was used to analyze the quantitative data and results presented in tables and pie charts, however, content analysis method was used to analyze qualitative data. As of the background information, basing on gender, the teacher educators was skewed towards the male while the student was skewed towards the females. Majority of teacher educators were above 40 years with a certificate in ICT. Notably, 61.6% of the teacher educators had teaching experience of over 20 years with either a Bachelor of Education or Masters in Education. However, with a combination of the factors, teacher educators appreciate the need of skills in teaching and learning using ICT. As worth mentioning, that from the study, students are fully exposed to the ICT curriculum design used; should be oriented in teaching and learning using ICT as it influences their preparedness. With adequate ICT infrastructure in college, students are likely to be trained on them. Despite teaching practice being compulsory in teacher education, ICT use in teaching and learning is not a component in assessment of teaching practice. Moreover, it is handled casually as is never assessed. In adoptive perspective, policy makers and curriculum developers of teacher education can infuse ICT in all subjects but retain ICT subject for basic ICT skills. As a result to make ICT subject examinable in PTE, they should introduce assessment on use of ICT in teaching and learning as a component of teaching practice assessment, invest more in college ICT infrastructure and teacher educators to train on teaching approaches that contribute to ICT use in teaching and learning. Previous studies as demonstrated on other colleges had shown that they influence the teaching practice on teaching and learning integrated with ICT.