Influence of School-based Factors on Integration of Information Communication and Technology in Teaching and Learning in Public Secondary Schools in Kinangop Sub-county, Nyandarua County, Kenya

Abstract

The aim of this research was to explore the impact of school-related factors on the incorporation of information communication a County, Nyandarua County, Kenya. The study focused on four primary research objectives: firstly, to assess the effect of teachers' competence on the integration of ICT in teaching and learning in public secondary schools; secondly, to investigate the attitudes of teachers towards the integration of ICT in teaching and learning in these schools; thirdly, to identify the various methods through which ICT instructional materials contribute to the integration of ICT in teaching and learning within public secondary schools; and finally, to analyze the influence of ICT infrastructure on the integration of ICT in teaching and learning in public secondary schools situated in Kinangop Sub-County, Nyandarua County, Kenya. The research employed a descriptive research design and its scope encompassed 30 school principals, 365 teachers, 1 Director of Education for the Sub County, 1 Quality Assurance Officer for the Sub County, and 3,078 students in their fourth year of education (Form Four) within Kinangop Sub-County, Nyandarua County, Kenya. The sample was composed of 30 principals, 109 teachers, and 308 students who were selected from specific secondary schools located in Kinangop Sub-County. The tools employed for data collection included questionnaires and an interview guide. The validity of the instruments was established by gathering expert opinions from university supervisors, while their reliability was assessed through the test-retest method. Both descriptive and inferential statistical methods were employed in this study, encompassing correlation tests, analysis of variance, and regression analysis for the quantitative data. For the qualitative data, descriptive statistics such as mean and standard deviation were utilized, with results being presented in terms of frequencies and percentages. The analysis of the data was conducted using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 23.0. The primary findings of this research highlight that teachers' competency, teachers' attitude, ICT instructional materials, and ICT infrastructure collectively exert a positive influence on the integration of information communication technology in the teaching and learning process. In summation, this study underscores that the integration of information communication technology in education is a result of the interplay between teachers' competency, teachers' attitude, ICT instructional materials, and ICT infrastructure. The study suggests that the Ministry of Education and relevant policy makers, such as the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD), should seriously consider incorporating ICT as a fundamental subject within the secondary school curriculum. This integration of ICT as a core subject would have the potential to enhance students' attitudes towards ICT, as it would be regarded as equally essential as their other academic subjects. To further this initiative, school principals and Boards of Management (BOM) should actively encourage the infusion of ICT skills, encompassing networking, pedagogy, technical aspects, and social considerations. This holistic approach is crucial for establishing ICT competence, ultimately leading to more effective computer utilization