Factors influencing the integration of ICT in teaching and learning in public primary schools in Kitui West Subcounty, Kenya

Abstract

Many experts argue that simply installing technological gadgets and infrastructure will not automatically result in ICT integration in learning until the teacher, who is a significant element in ICT integration, is addressed. This study examined teachers' attitudes, computer literacy, and the availability of resources in technology integration in public primary schools' teaching in Kitui West Sub County, Kitui County, Kenya. The objectives of the study were to establish the influence of teachers' attitudes on the integration of ICT in teaching and learning, Kitui West Sub-County; to determine the influence of teachers' computer literacy on teaching and learning, Kitui West Sub-County; and to determine the influence of availability of resources on the integration of ICT in teaching and learning in Kitui County, Kitui West Sub-County. This study's findings would help education stakeholders like teachers, parents, ministry officials, donors and sponsors to help solve the identified challenges impending proper integration of ICT into teaching and learning. The findings would also be critical in policy policy-making related to integrating ICT in schools. In theory, the study was guided by The Open System Theory model. The researcher applied a descriptive study approach targeting 81 head teachers and 730 teachers in all 81 Kitui West Sub County public primary schools. A random stratified sampling approach based on 24 head teachers and 220 teachers was employed in the study. Questionnaires and interviews from teachers and head teachers were used for data collection. Test-retest was applied to ascertain the reliability of the teachers' questionnaire. Two supervisors allocated to the researcher helped ascertain content and construct validity. The researcher used descriptive and inferential statistics for data analysis and tested the formulated null hypothesis using multiple regression analysis. These tests included averages, proportions, R-statistics, ANOVA, p-values, and coefficients. The researcher also analyzed questionnaires and the consecutive presentment made via frequencies and percentages. The findings obtained after the study would be applied in formulating more pragmatic policies that would obligate primary school teachers to demonstrate and make a periodical report on the progress of ICT integration in teaching and learning in Kitui West Sub County-Kitui County. The R-Statistics results show that the R2 of the model was 0.0214 and the model p-value was 0.1969 which was insignificant. The results also indicated that all three factors studied positively impacted ICT integration in teaching and learning, with the availability of resources having the lowest impact at a coefficient of 0.02. It was also found that the factors had an insignificant impact on the dependent variable, as indicated by their p-values, and evaluated based on a 5% significance level. The p-values obtained were 0.1400, 0.1446 and 0.6554 for teachers' attitudes, 'computer literacy, and availability of resources, respectively. The conclusion was, therefore, that the three factors had a positive insignificant impact on the integration of ICT in teaching and learning in public primary schools in Kitui West Sub-County.