International Journal of Education and Development using ICT

International Journal of Education and Development using ICT > Vol. 7, No. 3 (2011)

Teachers’ perceptions about ICTs for teaching, professional development, administration and personal use

Alcuin Ivor Mwalongo, Dar es Salaam University College of Education, Tanzania

Abstract
Tanzania has been investing in the integration of ICTs in education. However, little is known about teachers’ perceptions about ICTs integration in education. This study examined teachers’ perceptions about the use of ICTs for teaching, administration, professional development and personal use. Seventy four teachers were involved in the study. Data were collected through an online survey using SurveyMonkey and postings generated from the researcher’s blog. Qualitative data were downloaded from the blog and from SurveyMonkey; read word for word; and analysed using Wft QDA where themes related to the research questions were coded while quantitative data from SurveyMonkey were analysed online in the form of percentages. Results indicate that while the frequency of use of ICTs was influenced by access, the competence of ICTs use was influenced by training; teachers used ICTs in a wide range for teaching, administration, professional development and personal use. However, teachers did not use ICTs to radically change their pedagogical practices, but rather to sustain their traditional practices. Future research could focus on classroom observations to ascertain the actual use of ICTs as data for this study have solely depended on self-reports; and the role of school leadership for integration of ICTs in the teaching-learning process.

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