Institutional-based Factors and Implementation of Digital Literacy Programme in Primary Schools: a Case of Mwea East Sub-county, Kirinyaga County in Kenya

Abstract

Implementation of digital literacy projects often faces operational challenges that reflect inadequacy in the framework of implementation. The inadequacy is attributed to poor decisions when rolling out the project. Wrong perspectives lead to ineffective decisions and the resultant effect is prolonged or unending projects. The study examined institution-based perspectives that sway implementation of Digital Literacy Programme in primary-schools in Mwea-East Sub-County in Kirinyaga County, Kenya. Specific objectives were to establish how digital infrastructure, ICT technical support, board of management leadership and teacher-training influences implementation of Digital Literacy Programme in primary-schools in Mwea-East Sub-County in Kirinyaga County Kenya. The study was guided by change theory and empowerment theory. Cross-sectional approach to survey design was applied in this research study. Target population was 977 comprising of 30 head-teachers, 30 chairmen of board of management, 30 chairpersons of infrastructure sub-committee and 887 teachers from public primary-schools in Mwea-East Sub-County in Kirinyaga County Kenya. A sample of 278 respondents was arrived at by means of Krejcie-Morgan tabulation for determination of the sample as cited in Bukhari (2020). Proportionate-stratified random sampling was utilized to obtain 9 head-teachers, 9 chairmen of board of management,9 chairpersons of infrastructure subcommittee and 251 teachers from each sub-population. Whereas quantitative data was gathered from the teachers using structured questionnaires, qualitative data was collected from the head-teachers using an interview guide. Quantitative data was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics namely: frequency, percentages, mean, standard deviation and correlation analysis. Analysis of qualitative data was achieved through coding, transcribing, theme generation and summarizations. The relationship between institutional factors and implementation of Digital Literacy Programme in primary-schools in Mwea-East Sub-County in Kirinyaga County, Kenya decreased in the following order teacher training (r=0.88), digital infrastructure (r=0.71), ICT technical support (r=0.49) and BOM leadership (r=-0.04). Project managers involved in planning for highly technical projects should provide practical interventions in addressing technical problems underscore. In addition, project managers should use their soft-project management skills like leadership based on situation because the finding from this study found no connection between BOM Leadership and Implementation of Digital Literacy Programme. The Government of Kenya is recommended to use the findings strengthen integration of technological and technical Implementation of future Digital Literacy Programmes through appropriate policies on digital devices and content. Future studies should consider factor analysis and mixed methodologies so as to triangulate multiple means of data collection and analysis and draw more generalizable results.